Nausea and Gravity Fail to Keep Them Down

After three spinning thrill rides at the Ventura County Fair on Thursday, Audree Goss, 17, of Ventura took some time to lie face down on a motionless bench.

“I didn’t eat anything this morning,” said Audree, who complained of dizziness.

“She almost puked,” said her friend, Dawn Ludeman, 15, of Ventura.

But Audree wasn’t about to let nausea stand in the way of a good time. “Oh, I’ll go back on the rides later,” she said.

As the second day of the 12-day fair got underway, thrill seekers adorned with discount-ride bracelets sought the rush of adrenaline that can only come from spinning upside down and backward.

While some almost lost their lunches, others lost their possessions. Seth Wilson’s disposable camera shattered when it fell from the Inverter ride, which does just what its name implies. It was one of the first grown-up thrill rides for Wilson’s son, Skyler, 7.

“This was a lot scarier,” said Skyler. “You go and do back flips and you feel like you’re falling out.”

Roberta Hughes felt dizzy after taking her son, Brian Zehm, 12, and niece, Lauren Ray, 9, on the Spin Out. The youths didn’t seem to mind as much.

“All the blood goes to your head and everything,” Brian said. “It’s cool.”

“It was really fun, but it was scary,” Lauren said. “I wanted to try something new.”

Many hard-core ride fans seemed to think the Zipper was the wildest ride of all--it launches riders vertically in a spinning cage.

With about 35 rides and attractions to choose from, most everyone found something traveling at their speed. Some opted to visit moving sidewalks, trick mirrors and rolling barrels in one of the fun houses. Oxnard residents Anthony Gallegos, 8, and his father, Lupe, rode the Kite Flyer, a spinning attraction that places riders in a hang-gliding position, flat on their stomachs.

“I don’t like the faster ones because they go upside down,” Anthony said.

There are also attractions for toddlers. Denise Bart of Simi Valley watched her daughter, Abby, 2, spin in circles with her cousins on a miniature boat ride.

“This is the first little-kid ride we went on,” said Bart, who preferred the Ferris wheel. “We’re here for her.”

Fair organizers credited the rides with helping nearly double last year’s first-day attendance. On Wednesday, 16,056 people visited the fair, compared with 8,147 in 2000 and 13,803 in 1999.

“Last year was down because we didn’t have a carnival the first days,” said spokeswoman Teri Raley. “It’s always nice to start out on a strong day.”

Daily visitor counts depend on a variety of factors, from the weather to the music acts, Raley said.

Starting at 10:30 a.m. today, a continuous shuttle will operate between Pacific View Mall in Ventura and the fair. Because of renovations, mall officials had feared a parking crunch from fair traffic. Enough people have complained about the shuttle’s absence, however, that fair officials have again added the stop, Raley said.

For more information about the fair, visit https://www.vcfair.org or call 648-3376.

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Today at the Fair

Here’s a look at some of what’s happening at the Ventura County Fair today.

* The schedule is subject to change. For information, log on to https://www.vcfair.org or call 648-3376.

* Seaside Park opens 11 a.m.

* Youth Day--Everyone age 12 and under admitted free.

* Parking at the fairgrounds is $5 per day. Free shuttle service is available with free parking at the Ventura County Government Center, Pacific View Mall, Oxnard Performing Arts Center, next to the Ventura High School stadium, and Harbor Boulevard and Schooner Drive. Shuttle service is also available with a $5-per-day parking fee at San Buenaventura State Beach.

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All day Carriage Draft & Friesian Horse Show Morgan Arena Noon, 2, 4:30, 6:30 p.m. All Alaskan Racing Pigs Porker Flats 1:30 p.m. Open Youth Rabbit & Cavy Poultry Barn Showmanship 200 5 p.m. Mitch Kashmar Blues Band Seaside Blues Club 7 p.m. Chubby Checker Grandstand Arena 7:30 p.m. JFB Karaoke with Robin Pepsi Stage 8 p.m. John Marx & the Blues Patrol Seaside Blues Club 9:30 p.m. Fireworks 10 p.m. Exhibit Buildings close 11 p.m. Commercial Building closes

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