Hello, old friend.
You know, I think I stopped going to SuperEx when I was about 14. I’d had enough really. I never really liked the rides, and how many cheaply made stuffed animals does one kid need to win? Yes, I was happy to leave the midway to the trashy types that it seems to attract.
Fast forward 20 years and doesn’t SupeEx present itself (courtesy of a couple of free passes from my grandmother) as an option for a Saturday night activity. It’s still nothing special — a passtime at best, mostly taken up with scoping the cute boys who are too distracted by flashing lights to notice that you’re scoping THEM. I guess “slightly-trashy” is having a bit of a resurgence in the popularity polls.
Aside from that, It’s still the same old rides (and I’m still a scaredy-cat) and still the same old games (although I still enjoy that one where you roll the bowling ball over the hump). And the four of us who went spent most of the time walking around discussing memories of other amusement parks and midways.
Even the food didn’t live up to my memories. When I was a kid there was special food you’d look forward to every year — The corn dogs, the “fresh” lemonade from the stand that looks like a lemon, the square chunk of icecream dipped in chocolate and peanuts and served in a cone. Well either the quality has greatly diminished or my memory is playing tricks.
Oh well, it was free, but I can assure you I won’t be going back anytime soon… or will I?
This weekend, the plan is to head to Syracuse, NY. The reason (aside from the shopping?)… yup, a fair. And not just ANY fair oh no: the State Fair. Ah yes, It will be a grand night for singing. (Rogers and Hammerstein? anyone? State Fair? No? too obscure?). Actually we’ll be there during the day, but what the hell, it’s basically all the same thing. A few more heads of cattle, a few more games and rides on the midway, and, instead of Beaver Tails, you get fried dough. You know, beaver tails might be disgusting, but at least they sound quirky. Fried dough sounds like it would just sit in your stomach for about 3 days.
Anyway, here we go again. Maybe I can convince my fellow fairgoers (The same four from Saturday night) to hit the beer tent early.
Our Flophouse 
Oddly enough, I was discussing the questionable appeal of "Fried Dough" just over an hour ago. Photo to follow.
And what was the answer? Cuz it sure isn't taste.
Our conclusion was much the same as yours. Well, except instead of thinking it would sit in your tummy for 3 days, we speculated how quickly you would lose it by jumping on one of those rides.