We went to the community fair on Friday and when I saw the Skymaster I knew I had to ride it. It was bracelet day and the girls were running from ride to ride but always the Skymaster was flinging its arms around as if to say "Hey, over here - you know you waaaant to!" Now D doesn't care much for rides, nor do I usually (especially the spinny ones that churn you into a mass of sick) but the fast rides, the thrill rides - those I like.

Luck was with me that night because we ran into some friends completely unexpectedly as they've been in Auz for the past year or so. We knew they were back in town for a visit but assumed they were busy with family. But great because they're an awesome couple and we were really happy to get to see them before they head back and hey - now I had a ride partner yippiee!

Now the skymaster ride is one where you're clamped into your seat with a rigid over the shoulder harness that clips in between your legs. Then the cage doors are clamped down on your car which holds probably 16 people (8 rows x 2 seats). The cars are fixed on the ends of the arms which pivot 360 degrees and describe a 60 ft diameter circle.

Do you remember being a kid and being on the swings at the playground? Kicking higher and higher until all you could see was the blue sky at the end of your legs. And you wondered, if you could just kick a little higher would you, could you flip the swing around the bar? And you tried. And at the highest point you could reach you'd hang in the air just a bit then fall really fast and slam down into the seat. Well that's the skymaster, except you're caged and you do flip over the bar!

I love these rides but they scare the crap out of me too (which of course just adds to the thrill). Sean was beside himself laughing as he's yelling to me "Open your eyes you can see the ground!" as we're hanging upside down!! And I'm desperately trying to jam my feet under the seats in front of me to keep my sandals from flying off (advice: don't wear sandals on rides that flip you upside down), and hanging on trying not to get jammed up against the top of my harness. There's actually a sign before you get on the ride that warns that "excessively large people will not be able to get on the ride" but it should also warn that people shorter than this high (imagine a hand marking off about 6ft) will be shaken, yes shaken like a polaroid picture ;) )

All in all it was a blast. And the girls had fun (they actually went on the Skymaster as well) and we the adults grinned knowingly as they went on that one spinny ride too many and emerged clutching their tummies and moaning; it was time to go home.
For fun: 4 stars out of 5.