So, I was thumbing through a June 2004 edition of The Mountaineer, a bi-monthly magazine published by The Alpenhorn News, a predecessor to the Alpine Mountaineer, which you are reading right now, or else you wouldn’t know any of this good stuff.
Well, as it turns out, we may have our Jamboree Days parade and Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza but, back in the early 2000s, we had Mountaineer Days, with a parade down Lake Drive, just like today, but we also had a Mountaineer Days carnival with no less than 14 exhilarating carnival rides to choose from in what is now Lake Gregory’s south shore parking lot.
We had a host of thrill rides for the kiddies and kids of all ages, with a Ferris wheel and a thing-a-ma-bob that spins around real fast. But that’s not all, folks. Now, I have to ask you, What’s more fun than a barrel of monkeys? Why, it’s a ride on the infamous, notorious “Zipper.” And let me tell you, zipping around and around and upside down while strapped into the Zipper with my granddaughters was like a barrel of monkeys…giggling monkeys at that.
Palisades Park
Last night I took a walk after dark to a swingin’ place called Palisades Park to have some fun and see what I could see…I took a ride on the shoot-the-shoot. The girl I sat beside was awful cute. (“Palisades Park” – Freddy [Boom-Boom] Cannon) – Lyrics by Chuck Barris – 1962)
In addition to exciting carnival rides there was live music provided by Mountain Fifes & Drums and the ever-popular Tyler Steele Band, featuring keyboardist extraordinaire Sean Motley…hmmm. Also on tap for carnival goers was a motley assortment of competitions that included the perennial favorite Best Pie on the Mountain contest (for which yours truly was one of the judges), a messy watermelon eating competition for kids who like to make a mess, a hungry man’s hot dog eating contest and a thirst-quenching Slurpy slurp-down.
Tickets for this event could be purchased in advance (eight of them for only $10) at B&L Liquor, Paula’s Place, Billy Bear’s, 7-Eleven in Crestline and Valero in Rimforest. But wait…there’s more – there also was a jail for folks who didn’t bother to wear the required Mountaineer Days button, and guess who was the first customer? Yep, it was little old, fuzzy hairball me. But they let me out 15 minutes later for good behavior.
Oh, and did I mention food? Yes, there was food, glorious food – popcorn (I’ll take mine, layered with extra butter…Thank you, Ma’am), cotton candy, hot dogs, burgers and more.
We ate and ate at a hot dog stand. We danced around to a rockin’ band and, when I could, I gave that girl a hug in the tunnel of love. (Palisades Park)
Keep it flyin’
Uncle Mott
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