Lauryn's Birthday Week

[printersdevil78]

Normally birthday celebrations are something I would post in the "Random, Random, Random" section, if anywhere, but considering the majority of this birthday celebration took place around theme parks and roller coasters (not donkeys, so much), I figured this would be the most suitable place.

 

No need for a long intro. Just enjoy the photos!

"Hey, baby, howsh about a little kish?"

Oh. My. God.

Lots of clowns. Second non-PC alert! In fact, if you're overly sensitive, you may want to skip the next few photos (or at least keep in mind that the world was a very different place when these rides were manufactured in the '40s and '50s).

...and clowns.

The ride also featured cops...

Up next: the Santa Claus ride! Lauryn ignored my request to sit in Santa's butt for the photo. Which is surprising considering how obsessed she is, like virtually every other 5-year-old on the planet, with butts.

As the Fonz might say, "Aaaay!"

...in favor of something a little milder, like the pony carts. These rides are staples of just about every firemen's carnival on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia. The horses really "gallop," and each cart has a bell for riders to ring, making it a kiddie favorite for generations.

...and Tilt-A-Whirl...

...Super Slide...

After the roller coaster experience, we bypassed the Scrambler...

First non-PC alert! The fact that most of the rides date to the '50s or so probably account for the number of Indian chiefs that serve as "theming" on the carousel.

Lauryn doesn't care what the floor is made of as long as it goes in circles!

Though there are a few newer attractions, most of the carnival's rides date from the 1940s and '50s and are incredibly well kept. The carousel, for example, still has a wooden floor.

These airplanes were more Lauryn's speed. And the best part? The ride cycle lasted a full five minutes (no exaggeration)!

Overall track layout. The coaster made three circuits per ride.

First stop: the roller coaster! Don't be fooled by its small size; this thing reminded me a lot of the late, great High-Speed Thrill Coaster at Knoebels. Notice Lauryn's face in the back car; though it was the first thing she chose to ride, she decided didn't like this contraption at all.

Your 2009 prices (we had a 20-percent-off coupon).

Founded in 1926, the Hebron Fireman's Carnival is a local tradition, though I had never been until last week (at the end of Lauryn's birthday week). It very much resembles a traditional rural 1920s-'30s amusement park.

Thank you for your time. Now you shall be rewarded.

...and playing with Uncle Mark.

...opening presents...

...eating cake...

...blowing out a lighter (because we accidentally left the candles at home)...

...getting tattooed...

...reaping all the benefits that having a pinata implies...

...pulling cords on a pinata ("hitting" pinatas is too violent for today's impressionable young children, apparently)...

The next day was Lauryn's party, and if you'll indulge me a few non-park pics, I'll reward you with photos of the most non-PC, "how can they get away with that?" incredibly redneck (but at the same time oddly charming) carnival you've ever seen!

 

Anyway, back to the event at hand, we did all the usual party things, like eating pizza...

Sadly, Lauryn has absolutely no clue what "The Flintstones" are, so she totally didn't get my visual joke on the way home.

...thank you, Aunt Ashley, for a wonderful night!

No, thank you, Jolly Roger! But most of all...

They even "won" basketballs.

After the rides portion of our evening ended, we let Lauryn and Charlotte play the water gun game. We normally try to steer the kids away from games at amusement parks since they tend to cost between $3 and $5 each to play, but since Aunt Ashley used her influence to let them play for free, we made an exception.

I've included photos of the Looping Star in past TRs, but never one of the sign. Larry, if you need it for the park index, now's your chance!

Good thing we were as tall as this guy!

Kelly (aforementioned girlfriend) and I tried the Hurricane.

It was eventually found guilty of double homicide and sentenced to 40 years in San Quinten. (But seriously, this is an appropriate amusement park prize!?)

Oh no! That bear ate Lauryn and Aunt Ashley!

The carousel still sports the park's former name, used before Jolly Roger bought it a couple years ago.

First up: double-decker carousel. Only the horses didn't go up and down; they rocked (with the rider providing the rocking motion). So would that make it a merry-go-round? Or flying horses? Or a whirligig? Or a roundabout? Or a galloper? Or a spinning Jenny? Or a dip-twister? Or...?

Our original intention was to visit Trimper's Rides. But then we found out Charlotte's aunt worked at Jolly Roger at the Pier and was offering up free tickets, so our plans changed quickly!

"Don't worry, Lauryn! I'll save you with my gang signals!"

"Oh no! Someone save me from this wax pirate!"

The girls also enjoyed their (slightly smaller) doughnuts.

This one! (Note the quarter in the upper left-hand corner for size comparison.)

Because my meal was on special, it came with a free doughnut. Now, which one to choose...?

Actually, first it was supper time. I got my favorite: creamed chip beef and homefries.

It's doughnut time!

What you need to know: Lauryn is my girlfriend's daughter, who turned 5 last weekend (hence the title of this TR). Her friend, Charlotte, came to visit for the festivities, which began at Layton's Dip'n Donuts, an Ocean City, MD, staple since the 1950s.

We didn't win, but we had fun anyway, didn't we, Lauryn? That's all, folks!

After food, we let Lauryn ride a few more rides, then informed her it was time to go. Following the traditional five-minute we're-leaving-the-amusement-park tantrum, we told her she could do one more thing: ride the roller coaster again or play the cake game. She chose the cake game.

OMG, TPR exclusive! On here for the first time ever (with the exception of two group shots last year into which I managed to sneak her, much to her chagrin) is my girlfriend, Kelly! She finally gave me permission to post her photo. See? I'm not just making her up!

Lauryn was hungry, too, but she decided to have chocolate ice cream in lieu of soft crabs.

I settled instead on a soft crab sandwich. For those who are unfamiliar, let me bring you up to speed: Basically they take a crab at a certain stage in the shell-shedding process, when the shell is nice and soft, dip it in batter, drop it in a deep frier and put a couple of them between two slices of Wonder bread. It's quite tasty!

I was the only one who hadn't eaten dinner yet, so I went out to scout the food. I passed on the hot nuts.

Look, it's Magnum, P.U.!

...and Sharp Shooter.

...the quarter toss (and yes, that is a foot in the lower left-hand corner)...

...the dime pitch...

...the fishing game...

Remember our "no games" policy from before? Well, it went out the window again at the Hebron Carnival, as the games here only cost 10 cents to $1 to play. We started with the frog toss and then continued on with...

We didn't partake in the gun raffle next door. The fire department makes approximately 80 percent of its annual operating budget between the bingo and gun raffle.

Lauryn was too young to play, according to state gaming law, but she was allowed to "help" as long as an adult was present to yell "Bingo!" if she won. She got the hang of it pretty quickly.

The caller sits a top the Pile O' Prizes for which bingo tickets may be accumulated and redeemed.

After the rides portion of the evening, we took a break to play bingo, another Eastern Shore firemen's carnival staple dating back to the early 20th century. And yes, that is dried corn being used as bingo chips.

The best part: the "seat belts" on the rocket ride were pieces of string!

"Did you see that non-PC clown ride over there?"

[Electerik]

That was terrifying. But thanks for posting it.

[printersdevil78]

^Listen, just because you don't like my Hawaiian shirt doesn't mean you have to call it "terrifying."

[slicknixon]

Now you must explain why you didn't go to Trimpers while in OC.

 

UPDATE:

Just now read the caption about free tickets at Jolly Roger at the Pier. But I still say why no Trimpers?

[printersdevil78]

Because Trimpers was closed by the time we left Jolly Roger? Don't hassle me, man! I was the only one in the car advocating for Trimpers even after the free tickets! Given that we live just 30 minutes from Ocean City, however, it's not too big a loss....

[slicknixon]

^ I will accept that excuse as long as we get a nice Trimpers PTR some time..

Also, +300 points for living so close to The Haunted House, Aladdin's Lamp, and Pirate's Cove.

+3,000 more points are now up for shots of the Aladdin's Lamp interior

[printersdevil78]

^You know, I think I might already have some of those that I took to help illustrate a book I wrote back in 2004 (though they didn't make it in for space reasons). I gave all those photos to my dad (pre-digital) for his local history archives. I'll have to look for them next time I'm at his house.

 

If you're looking for good quality pictures of the Haunted House interior, there are quite a few over at the DAFE website. There may be some there of Pirates Cove, as well.