The Fair
We have an extra ticket to The Puyallup Fair. Speak up if you want it. senssuzy and I bought five tickets at Safeway, for her and myself, and her two kids, and M's boyfriend. When we got down there, we were told that we only needed to use one ticket for Suzy and myself, since I was pushing her about in the wheelchair.
Getting to the fair was ridiculously difficult. The traffic was severely backed up for much of the way there. Even after we got off the highway, trying to get through town to the parking lot took more than half an hour. Just as we reached the "gold lot", we were told it was full. We were the first ones turned away, and flashing the handicapped parking decal didn't help. We were told to go to the "blue lot". Getting there wasn't easy. First it turned out that there was no place we were permitted to turn left into the lot. I had to drive a couple blocks past it, then make a left turn onto a side street so I could turn around. Even approaching it from the correct direction, there were traffic cones directing us to get into the left lane, from which we weren't able to turn right into the lot. There was one spot where a gap was left in the cones, but it was less than 15 feet wide, and I didn't feel comfortable trying to change lanes there. So we found another lot, which had no wheelchair accommodations, and was basically already full--but they found an odd corner for us.
The Fair has completely outgrown the traffic system that supplies it with customers. Next time, we take a bus.
I wasn't in the mood for going on rides, so we spent the day browsing the shops and exhibits, and sampling the food. We had barbecue beef and pulled pork sandwiches, with potato salad and baked beans, and funnel cake, and a caramel apple, and an "earthquake burger" (split between us) with cheese and grilled onions, and strawberry shortcake. Yummy, yummy stuff. We also bought honey and fudge to take back with us. Suzy bought a new purse, and I bought a new wallet. We shopped for a vase that Suzy could put on her desk to hold flowers, but couldn't find what she was looking for. We spent a lot of time looking at the artwork and photographs on display, which I always enjoy. There were also a few Smart cars on display, which seem pretty cool, though I'd be more greatly tempted by an electric version.
We tried to attend the concert that was going on, but after managing at last to find the ramp for wheelchair access, we were told there were no spots left. All we could do was wait to see if a spot opened up. We tried coming back later, and no spots had opened. So we gave that a miss.
Through the magic of cell phones, we met up with the kids from time to time. M went on a bunch of rides, and her boyfriend won a prize for her--an enormous ball that says "Because I'm the princess, that's why." S spent most of the time looking bored and/or playing with his new PSP.
We were there for six hours, from five to eleven, and my legs were pretty tired by then. It was a fun day, and I don't think we got to see half of the fair.
On the way back to the car, the wheelchair hit a bump in the pavement, and a piece of one of the front wheels broke off. These are the new replacement wheels, which were supposed to be sturdier than the last ones that broke. I was quite annoyed by this. There was a nice couple walking along with us, who offered their assistance. The woman stayed with Suzy while I went and got the car. Since it's been such a short time since we got the new wheels, Suzy is going to try talking about it to the folks who sold them to us. It shouldn't be so difficult to find wheels that won't break. We're not talking about taking a motorcycle off-road, here... just piloting a wheelchair at a sedate pace down a sidewalk.
Getting to the fair was ridiculously difficult. The traffic was severely backed up for much of the way there. Even after we got off the highway, trying to get through town to the parking lot took more than half an hour. Just as we reached the "gold lot", we were told it was full. We were the first ones turned away, and flashing the handicapped parking decal didn't help. We were told to go to the "blue lot". Getting there wasn't easy. First it turned out that there was no place we were permitted to turn left into the lot. I had to drive a couple blocks past it, then make a left turn onto a side street so I could turn around. Even approaching it from the correct direction, there were traffic cones directing us to get into the left lane, from which we weren't able to turn right into the lot. There was one spot where a gap was left in the cones, but it was less than 15 feet wide, and I didn't feel comfortable trying to change lanes there. So we found another lot, which had no wheelchair accommodations, and was basically already full--but they found an odd corner for us.
The Fair has completely outgrown the traffic system that supplies it with customers. Next time, we take a bus.
I wasn't in the mood for going on rides, so we spent the day browsing the shops and exhibits, and sampling the food. We had barbecue beef and pulled pork sandwiches, with potato salad and baked beans, and funnel cake, and a caramel apple, and an "earthquake burger" (split between us) with cheese and grilled onions, and strawberry shortcake. Yummy, yummy stuff. We also bought honey and fudge to take back with us. Suzy bought a new purse, and I bought a new wallet. We shopped for a vase that Suzy could put on her desk to hold flowers, but couldn't find what she was looking for. We spent a lot of time looking at the artwork and photographs on display, which I always enjoy. There were also a few Smart cars on display, which seem pretty cool, though I'd be more greatly tempted by an electric version.
We tried to attend the concert that was going on, but after managing at last to find the ramp for wheelchair access, we were told there were no spots left. All we could do was wait to see if a spot opened up. We tried coming back later, and no spots had opened. So we gave that a miss.
Through the magic of cell phones, we met up with the kids from time to time. M went on a bunch of rides, and her boyfriend won a prize for her--an enormous ball that says "Because I'm the princess, that's why." S spent most of the time looking bored and/or playing with his new PSP.
We were there for six hours, from five to eleven, and my legs were pretty tired by then. It was a fun day, and I don't think we got to see half of the fair.
On the way back to the car, the wheelchair hit a bump in the pavement, and a piece of one of the front wheels broke off. These are the new replacement wheels, which were supposed to be sturdier than the last ones that broke. I was quite annoyed by this. There was a nice couple walking along with us, who offered their assistance. The woman stayed with Suzy while I went and got the car. Since it's been such a short time since we got the new wheels, Suzy is going to try talking about it to the folks who sold them to us. It shouldn't be so difficult to find wheels that won't break. We're not talking about taking a motorcycle off-road, here... just piloting a wheelchair at a sedate pace down a sidewalk.