htomc42 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 It's that time again for the NC State Fair! This year, it's Powers Great American Midways that is providing all the rides. Plus, all the deep-fried honey buns and doughnut hamburgers you can eat! Early afternoon on the midway. It's not nearly as crowded tonight as it was on Saturday. Still too sober for this one, only about 0.08 on the Piers Scale. Flat ride goodness - they have some of the more energetic ones at this fair. Dark Ride! I rode this one later in the evening, when it was dark. It looks like they spent some money on this- very nicely themed outside, with spooky music, monsters, etc. Once inside, however, it sucked so bad that Bill Tracy turned over in his grave a few times. None of their light effects were working, so they actually had the work lights turned on, so you could (almost) see some of the monsters. The scariest part of the ride was a ringing bell. I have yet to see a really good portable dark ride- if they simply had everything clean and working, with even a bare half-assed effort to make it scary, it would be 1000 times better than the crap that makes it even onto a 'respectable' midway. COASTER GOODNESS - actually, the only coaster that I could find at the whole fair. This one is a Pinfari RC-48, and might be the one that was originally at Morey's Pier. I also rode this when it got dark- no airtime, but a surprisingly long ride with lots of good loops, all in a fairly compact footprint. Classic flatride goodness. I rode this one too, just for old times, it's still a great ride. Another haunted house. Look how nice it looks on the outside. Too bad it's pure lame-ass crapola inside. Let's go back and forth in the dark a few times. These dark rides are embarrassingly bad. An appropriately-themed Huss Enterprise. Some Fun House goodness. Actually fairly "standard" for a fun house, but at least everything works. Actually, the crowd here is far weirder. Save your money. Unless I saw it wrong, it actually looked like the two arms of this pivoted at different angles, "twisting" the car, unlike a regular Top Spin. Classic! I remember riding this one way back in the early 70s. Some more views of that Pinfari coaster, from the other side of the main midway. Let's ride the Turkey Shoot! 20 Gauge goodness! Lots of Flying Bobs and Himalaya clones around. Why do we never see any of the Bayern Kurve type rides anymore? They are from about the same era, and I like the latter much more. Wacky Worm! Unfortunately, no kids available for credit-whoring. Another dark ride. Yes, I had to try it. This one is almost like a roller coaster; it is unpowered, and has a lift hill that takes up up, then the ride does a dip right in that big open area, then goes inside. Once inside, it does a series of mouse-like back and forths until the end. The scariest thing inside was a 2-foot square red area (the Tile of Doom?), but at least it did have an actual operating gag at the very end when the cars came out. Domo !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's ride the Flu Shot! It's probably scarier than all their dark rides put together. Night on the midway. There is a -great- fireworks show at 9:45 Time for another spin on the coaster. Currently at 0.20 Piers Great lights on the midway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 This actually looks pretty decent for an American fair. Awesome to see The Zipper, which is just about the greatest flat ride ever conceived! Thank you for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCI Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Is this the fair Across from the Asheville Airport? If so I Drive past it every other weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
htomc42 Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Is this the fair Across from the Asheville Airport? If so I Drive past it every other weekend. No, this is the one that is all the way across the state in Raleigh. In fact, yesterday was the last day of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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