Riding in the rain

My little niece and nephew and I, and their dad, have made it a habit to go to Fantasy Island most weeks at one time or another. And we found ourselves there in the rain.

The kids were troopers, I will say that. We were huddled under the shelter and then they asked if I would go on the Tilt-A-Whirl with them. The Tilt-A-Whirl was a kind of half refuge in the storm. There are sort of half-roofs over the cars.

When we got on the ride I sat down in a puddle. I had to remind myself I had my bathing suit on under my hippie dress so it wasn't the end of the world if it got wet, you know? But still, a strange feeling.

Then the ride gets going. And I have to say this, you do kind of forget the rain! You just start watching the trees whirling around and watching the other passengers spinning this way and that and you forget that you are sitting there in this puddle.And the kids were laughing and laughing. It made it worth it. As I said to my brother George, all three of us were on board. One person complaining would have wrecked it. But we were all with it.

I do get a kick out of the Tilt-A-Whirl. That is a picture of it up above! But not our particular Til-A-Whirl. Ours is a vintage ride like that one but it was at Fantasy Island plus it was in the rain.

After four rides on the Tilt-A-Whirl we rode the Rockin' Tug.

While we were on the Rockin' Tug the temperature fell and we got cold. It was very easy to imagine the tugboat being tossed on the waves in a storm, seeing that we were actually in a storm!

It is edifying to read the Wikipedia page on the Tilt-A-Whirl. It was invented in 1926 when Leonard Pennario was what, 2? In Europe it is called the Waltzer. A new Tilt-A-Whirl, should you wish to install one in your back yard, will run you $300,000.

You are also told: "For the band formerly known as Tilt-A-Whirl, see Arcwelder."

Why would you change your band's name from Tilt-A-Whirl?

Losers!