a fairground life (On the Run (AKA no rest for the wicked))

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I used to do a bonfire run. Well they used to be bonfires before the nanny state decided (rightly or wrongly) that the fires were too dangerous however the miniature cruise missiles called fireworks were still ok, I mean have you ever heard of anyone getting a bonfire thrown at them? Anyhow when I had the old upright paratrooper I only did one FW display at Bridge of Allan. Wind on ten years to the mid nineties with the skydiver I did three-BoA,Arbroath and Greenock. So wind on another decade later and with "r"s enthusiasm we will do four in four days and be open at the mall again on the fifth day! Maybe this is this industries best feature, when things are tough, you can work harder for longer and maybe squeeze out that extra couple of quid from an extra gaff?

Monday we pulled down the miami and dropzone ready for the coming displays. That night we went back to the mall to install the Santa train (its getting that time again). We could not start until after 9pm when the mall was closed. Again we used a trailer to wheel the ride in piece at a time but we still had to carry everything down the steps to the pad. I swear those carriages get heavier every year. It was after 2am before we finished for the night. It became aparent that there was not enough space between the santa ride and the previously installed jumpers (May). We would have to move the jumpers over about 5ft!!! That would be Tuesday nights problem.

Tuesday morning "r" and I took the DZ over to Cumbernauld's Broadwood stadium to build up for the following night. The rain fell in sheets and we got very damp setting up. We were home for 2pm and rested in prep for tonights ordeal. So again at 9pm we headed to the mall. When we got there the jumpers crew was ready to begin the move. The original plan was to pull about 60% of the ride down and then slide the centre over the 5ft then build the ride back up again. However showmen being showmen another plan was hatched. That day CT had a couple of brackets made. We attached them to the jumpers centre and using two bottles jacks we rasied one side of the ride up 50mm and slid in scaffolding tubes, then we repeated with the opposite side, sliding in more tubes. After that we just gave it a push. Lo and behold it rolled over the 5ft in a matter of minutes. Reversing the process the ride was lowered and the job was done in under an hour. That left us to carry on with the train until 2am again when it was finally finished.

Wednesday I head over with "r" to Cumbernauld for 4:30 pm. We dont open til 6pm but I would rather be early. It was wet again but managed to dry up for the FWorks. It was a good crowd and we did manage to knock out half a living. Again it rained at pulling down time but we were on tarmac so no worries and we were home for midnight.

Thursday morning we head over to Drumchapel for their winterfest celebrations. The tracking was laid out on the grass for the rides to pull onto and set up. The grass either side of the tracking was swampy. This was worsened when the weight of the rides on the tracking squeezed out the water to the edges. We built the miami and DZ up trying not to walk on the grass but it was impossible and within 2 minutes my feet were wet and the grass was mud. We were set up for 3:30pm and headed into the Butty pub for a bar meal. At 5pm we opened and the crowds came.Similar to last year there was a stage show with live acts on. The music was deafening but the crowds didn't seem to mind. The queues for the rides grew and the whole of the park turned into mush within an hour. The queue lanes for the rides were about 6-8 inches deep! At the end of the night when we closed, I stepped off the DZ at one end and went into a hole about 8 inches deep where the ground had been slushed away. The rides were thick with mud, it was all over the floors,steps,handrails,shutters and seats! It was literally half an inch thick. The miami was even worse, the whole of the seating was mud over halfway up. At 9pm we closed prompt and were on the road again taking the rides back to the mall for 11pm.I was glad to get out of that quagmire, I've never seen mud like it for a while. All credit to the organisers though as they put on a better gig than the Glasgow Green. Again it was 2am before I got to kip, just can't switch off at night like I used to.

Friday, up at 7am and off to pick up the DZ to take it to Ayr for their FW night. On arriving at the mall it is again raining and we decide to build up the miami before going to Ayr so that the miami is ready for Saturday morning. The mud was not as bad as I thought, it was worse! The whole machine was covered in a layer of brown slime. It was an embarrassment to leave it like that but it would have to wait until the next morning before I could get to wash it. Anyway we had to get to Ayr to get the DZ built up for tonight and it needed washed too! It was on after 10am when we pulled into the racecourse carpark. Again the rain fell but at least it was softening the mud. We ran out about 150ft of hose and got the pressure washer fired up. With the two of us on the job it took just over an hour. Right around the ride was a brown line on the black tar. We headed into the jeep to try and get warm and a couple of hours kip before opening. The rain stopped just in time but it was still a poor show, not attendance or display wise but the punters were just not spending. Again we pulled down in the wet, I was sick as my feet had been wet for three days in a row now and I was running out of footwear. Back home for midnight, in bed for 1am but didnt get to sleep until well after 3am I guess.

Saturday up at 7 am again, this time we go and pick up a mate of "r"s as he is off to Glenrothes with the DZ for yet another FW show while I head off to do the miami at the mall. At 9 am I start washing the ride with the pressure washer , another 3 hours later and the job is almost done. Wet through from the overspray I put on my last pair of dry shoes. Six changes in three days the jeep looks like a Chinese laundry inside. I was late opening by 45 minutes but at least the ride was clean. "r" called by then to say he was was set up and ready.It did stay dry at Glenrothes and the location was red blaze so no mud. Later at 11:40 pm he calls me to say he is nearly back at the mall so I could go out and pick him up. Again it is 2am and I'm not in bed yet.

Sunday we get a lay in until 9:30 am then head over to the mall in a rush to get the DZ up for noon. At last bright clear sunshine and with a little heat too. We are feeling the effects now and manage only to get the ride up for half past 12. Never mind I can get Monday off--wait a minute,I'm on the santa train that day! As for Mrs showman, her and a few others are enjoying a girls weekend in the Big Apple and someone has to pick them up from the airport at 7am Monday morning, I wonder who that unlucky sod will be? I must be doing something wrong.

Sorry no photos , just didn't have the time so I pinched this one from an excellent site, hope Niall doesn't mind.