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We went to the Shriner’s Circus again this year.  Once again, it has proven to be a journey worthy of the trip.  We actually had missed some of last years performances and got the opportunity to catch them this time around.  This was one thing that I did notice, most (if not all) of the show was an exact duplication of last year’s.  Maybe next time I will ask if they have a DVD so I can watch it at home.  Just kidding.  Like I said previously, to watch it in person is worth the loading up of the family and going to see it.  I have brought some pix back just to prove my point.

Rory got a coloring book that featured all of the clowns in the circus.  You could then wander around the ring area and get their autograph on their designated page. 

We began with the clearing of the ring area and had the usual parade of classic cars, tractors, mini cars, and various other vehicles.  Shortly after the parade was the “Clown Wars”.  The clowns tried to pep the audience up for the forthcoming show and played tricks on one another.

Rory and Rachel get ready for the show as the lights go down.  For proper “circus preparation”, Rory had some cotton candy on hand.  I had a blue one for myself, but tasted the pink just to be sure that they both tasted the same….they did…both yummy.

With the main lights off, a brilliant display of lights around the rings and above them is accompanied by the many types of wands, globes, scepters, and other items that could be bought at EVERY part of the show.  Vendors relentlessly walked the aisles screaming that their items were for sale.  For a mere $20, you too could own a butterfly wand that glowed various colors.

Then came the “Rage of the Cage”.  I am not making this up, that is his name.  This man effortlessly guided six tigers into several interesting acts.  The most flamboyant was the tigers going through the hoop of fire.  

No circus is complete without elephant acts.  Hey someone has to work for peanuts around here.  

These pictures and a little dark, but the lighting and the angle did not work well for my camera.  These air acrobats were great.  Not just because of the apparel either.  My personal favorite was the motorcycle act.  Two motorcycles lined up and raced along wires while dangling a girl under of their bikes.  

And to end the show was yet more elephant acts.  The grand finale…get out of the parking lot alive.  It was not as bad as I expected, but it almost rivaled a rock concert.  This just goes to show how good the turnout was for this event. 

Positively a great trip for the family.  Again I highly recommend it for yours. 

Everyone that knows me, knows that I love soccer.  I just have not been able to play since, well, growing up and being an adult….sigh.  Anyway, this video instantly caught my eye.  Hope you like it.

Well, the dog had been going crazy all evening yesterday, all the night, and most of the day today.  Upon further investigation, we found this guy just hanging in there….for dear life.

Here are two pictures.  One is without the flash.  It allows for no eye reflection, while the other does not show as much of the raccoon.  In case you cannot tell from these pictures, this is one very large raccoon.  It is probably the largest that I have ever seen alive.  Obviously, this one has been partaking of the dog food dish outside.

to all the generic websites that are putting fake comments on my site.  Their over generalized comments that are thanking me for services that I do not write about or commenting about how helpful my article on our Gatlinburg trip was to them has proven that they not only don’t mean what they add but also don’t even bother to read the articles.  Needless to say, I have deleted these comments and returned my site to its original condition (deprived and ignored by myself as much as others).  What I am really hoping is that some of these sites’ comments on this very entry.  This would truly be ironic.  Thus some pleasure would be gained in respite of my getting excited thinking that I have a new comment.  So fooey, to all you spamming comments on my site.  :p

Ok if you are just interested in the Pumpkin Festival you need to look below at my previous entry.  If you like cool cars and motorcycles, then please continue.  I have posted some of the cars and bikes that really caught my eye.  I have created a Flikr account to show all of the cars that stood out. 

This year was also exceptional as I gave an estimate of over 150 cars present at this years showing.  Cars ranged in every form of automobile.  If you could not come here and find a vehicle that you would want to drive home in, then you just won’t ever find one.  There were trucks, muscle cars, new cars, rat rods, clunkers, customs, and the list goes on.  I was really amazed at the diversity of it all.  It was also neat to talk with the owners as many set up lawn chairs and greeted those willing to talk.  One could get a complete vehicle history from some of these friendly persons.  I say persons because one of the nicest Corvettes here was owned by a lady.  No guys, I don’t think she is single.  So wade through the pictures below.  If you want to see more then go here to my Flikr site.  Don’t forget to hover over pix for more info.

Below are some examples of the motorcycles that were in the Motorcycle Show.  Pay special attention to the first and last entries, they may surprise you.

Ok for all of you out there that do not know what this is, you are thinking, “This sounds like a very redneck invention.”  You may be right, but it is a cotton-pickin good time.  Becky likes to go to see the many crafts stands, the girls like the adventure of it and the playground, I like the car and motorcycle show.  It was a magnificent turnout this year.  It looked even more packed than in previous years. 

Allardt, Tn is a small town.  This annual festival attracts crowds from long distances.  Various different states can be accounted for by walking through the parking areas and looking at the license plates.  These various vehicles are parked not in blacktop areas but in fields serving as temporary parking lots.  The large crowd spills out of the main district and seems to flow in amongst itself while walking mere inches from the Highway 52.  Crafts, music, a pumpkin (and various other gourd) weigh off, and a parade are some of the events that take place.  Not bad for a town that can be driven through in less than a minute (no joke).

This is a lineup of some of the biggest gourds to be weighed in.

One of the crafts was face painting.  This is something that Rory has been into lately.  She saw this booth and went running.  The artist was exceptional.  Thus, the wait line was very long.  Nothing that came out of her tent look shabby or blotched.  I was very impressed with her work.  Rory’s eyes watered a little throughout the process, but she troopered on and was quite pleased with the results.

There is an annual event in our county where multiple air planes come together to perform stunts, a small fair is produced, and various forms of music is performed.  Over 10,000 attendants were recorded for the previous two years but I seriously doubt that number was reached this year.  I blame a lot of this on the previous days of rain.  In fact, that made it the perfect time for us to go the event and not be overcrowded with people.  I almost regretted not attending the previous years after going this year.  It is more exciting than it sounds.  I figured I would be quickly bored with the aeronautics.  Actually I began to admire the skill that must be involved in order to make planes perform the way that these pilots do.  Loop to loops, spirals, flying upside down, and death bombs were only a small number of the stunts that were displayed.  There were also many activities for smaller children, such as my oldest child.  Voila, something for all.  The first day me and my family went and the next day Becky took both of our daughters along with our twin niece and nephew, Rachel and Toby.  I hear that they all had a blast.  I had to work during the day time but was able to rejoin them for the night show.  This sported a plane with lighting that would be the envy of many rock shows.  The plane then had fireworks spewing from its wings to add to the show.  Then for the finale, the plane swung in low for a fire explosion to match that of a medium sized bomb.  To end the show, a fantastic fireworks show that was as good or better than any fourth of July as I have ever seen.

Some of the kid based activities

The night show was awesome

So I had to run an errand tonight, and it proved to be one of my favorite things to do.  No, making a dash out to the local utility to pay a bill is not fun, but getting to ride my motorcycle while doing it takes some of the pain out of the experience.  I love to ride my bike, but when I am going out after ten o’clock it is awesome.  Especially if the conditions are right.  So just envision for a moment…

I stroll out in an almost totally pitch black dark night.  I use my cell phone to illuminate my way.  I open the doors to the motorcycle barn and the faint light from the impromptu flashlight falls upon the it.  It glistens in the meager illumination.  I routinely pull the keys from my pocket and place them into the slot.  An action done so many times that I don’t even need the light to find the proper opening.  I click the ignition switch and instantly my dark night is enveloped with light streaming from the single headlight.  I place the cell phone back into its case and sit upon the bike.  It is a familiar feeling but never lacking in enthusiasm.  I push the button and the motor roars to life.  Suddenly I am aware of the coolness of the night and the moisture in the air.  A talent that I have picked up from riding.  One must be aware of the environment when taking his body and placing it upon a vehicle that offers no outside protection.  That is just the thrill of the entire journey.  No windshield to protect from glorious breezes.  No barriers to block all the world in a way that commonplace transportation has shielded us from.  I roll back the throttle, pull back the clutch, and pop the gear shifter lever into place.  The motorcycle jumps a little, almost as if anxious to begin the trip.  Releasing the clutch lets the bike loose.  Suddenly, what would normally be a mundane trip is an experience of emotion and a test of control.  I roll the throttle, shift, ease up on the throttle, and repeat the process.  With the expiring of each gear I wind the next out tighter.  I gain speed and torque quickly but always craving more, more, more.  Soon seventy miles an hour is upon me and some sensibility must come into play.  I begin to notice my surroundings more now that they are not just adrenaline-based blurs in the corners of my eyes.  I feel the moisture upon my skin, the air rushing through my hair and around my visor, and then I notice two things.  First I am amazed that there are practically no cars sharing this enormous four lane road with me.  Second, I look into the distant night sky and see clouds with lightning streaking across  the horizon.  It bounces as if playing from cloud to cloud.  I feel the raw energy in the air.  That while combined with the raw power of my bike is exhilarating.  I want to go faster, but know that some times it is better to maintain some control.  Still the urge pulls at me.  The lightning taunts me, the bike strains to break the constrains of some invisible force, and soon I am surpassing the speed limit and gaining more speed every millisecond.  No matter how much the bike gives, I want more and the motorcycle seems all too willing to provide.  Street lights are nothing more than streaks in my visor and all too brief reflections on the gas tank.  I can see the lightning flashes reflecting on my helmet.  MORE!  I crave it and it supplies.  MORE!  The force of the wind is setting me back and I can feel the torque.  MORE!!!  I brace and tense my whole body in what should be terror and discomfort, but is nothing more than sheer bliss. 

I nearly pass my stop.  I pull in and drop off my delivery just like some normal, non-adventure seeking individual.  Check to be sure that the lid closes properly.  Ease on the throttle and soon it calls to me again.  Wind, lightning, street lights, speed, RAW POWER!  all at my fingertips and just waiting to be tapped to their fullest potential.  Time is irrelevant and then…I am back home.  I pull the bike back into its stable and dismount.  Turn off the key and it slowly shuts down almost in disappointment at the journey’s end.  I place the key back into my pocket and reflect on the trip and smirk in spite of myself.  How does a simple vehicle totally change who you are?  The answer….Who cares?  The destination is good, but how you got there is what is important.

So today was the second and final day of Becky’s birthday present to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.  To sum up the whole trip:

We all had a blast, we spent too much money (but I think that is a requirement of such a trip), and it was worth it all.

We started the day off rough.  RaeLynne decided to break her usual ritual of sleeping all night and woke us up at 5:00 this morning.  After coming to, we fed her and all went back to sleep.  Thus everyone slept soundly until after 8:00.  We lounged around a little and decided that a trip to the pool was in order due to Rory’s persistant “I wanna go to the pool”’s. 

We then gathered our stuff and checked out.  We traveled down the main drag looking to see just what we wanted to do.  Along the way, we came across The Track.  Not only is this a go-cart track, but also a small fair.  They had a small collection of kiddie rides which we took advantage of.

She loved the planes that go around and up and down.  Some call these Rocko Planes.  We call them “the planes that go around and up and down”.

So we move on to the Ferris Wheel.  Everything looked fine and Rory seemed fine.  Then as the second picture alludes to, she began to cry out that she wanted off.

RaeLynne knew that this would not go well.

Next on the list was a nice comfy Carousel.  This was safe and she enjoyed it.

We then moved off to the go-carts.  First Rory got to drive HER own go-cart.  She started out a little slow.  This really surprised me since she flies around in her Power Wheels Jeep.  Besides, she is my daughter, driving fast is in the family.  Then after seeing that she was not pushing the pedal hard enough, we informed her of her mistake and she took off like “greased lightning”.

Finally we moved on to the fast carts.  Here Rory and I got to ride together.  We both had a blast. 

The rest of the day consisted of a visit to Mr. Gatti’s and a ton of shopping.  I had my morning of fun and Becky had her’s.  I did manage to get Rory hopped up on M&M’s before we left the Knoxville area.  The girls slept for around an hour before we got home. 

EXCELLENT TRIP!  Had a ball.  Would love to do it again.  First we need to recoup from this one. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECKY, hope you enjoyed it.

Becky’s birthday is very soon.  She has been absolutely dyeing to go to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge for a visit.  This, of course, cannot be just a one day event but must at the least be two days and one night.  Thus, when we woke up this morning, I asked her how long it would take her to get ready for a trip of this nature.  She smiled and promptly went into action.  Less than an hour later, we are heading down the road as Becky calls her family members to gloat that she is getting a trip to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge for her birthday.  I pretty much have given her free reign of the day’s events and thus far we have:

Checked into the River Side Towers Hotel.  If you have never been to this hotel, I would highly recommend it.  King Size bed, in room jacuzzi, indoor swimming pool, personal fireplace, and several kitchen items are on the list of accommodations.  It is a little pricey, but worth it.

After checking in at the hotel, we decide to go to the Ripley's Aquarium.  This is a place that we have often wanted to visit, but just would not part with the money to go.  We decided that Rory was old enough to enjoy the visit now, so thus the price was justified.

The aquarium was spectacular.  It is well worth the price.  I loved it.  Rory liked it pretty good.  I could have gone through it twice, but the lack of patience of the yungun’ thwarted any attempt at doing just that. 

I was actually amazed at how “hands on” this place was.  You could pet the Horseshoe Crabs and the Manta Rays.  There was a kids zone to let them blow off some energy.  The tunnel which you went in was awe inspiring.

From there we did a little shopping and bought what every little girl dreams of – Chocolate cone of Chocolate ice cream with sprinkles.  Yuuumm! 

Cost list:

Ice Cream – $5.45

Napkins to clean up mess - $0 to us

Dress - $12

1 Chocolate covered smile – Priceless

We then became hungry for “real food”.  We made a quick trip to the Golden Coral.  RaeLynne had a bottle of formula, Becky had several different items, Rory had some food … and ice cream.  I had a chicken leg and 3 large steaks.  Now that is good eating.

Now we retire to our room, to await for the next day’s adventure.  Shopping is most definitely on the agenda.  Shoe stores will be raided.  I am making sure to charge my Archos to fight my boredom during the shoe shopping extravaganza.  All in all, if tomorrow is as good as today, the trip will be great.  I hate to admit it, but I am having as much fun as the wife that I am gifting.