thunderbolt85
Tuesday, May 21, 2019 3:27:00 PM
Was reading the cover story and thought about my days on the road. We had a big nor'easter, I believe the one the Andrea Gail sunk in that dumped a lot of snow on our spring spot. We knew it was coming so we tore down the day before in the cold rain, got everything down but all loads were still on the lot in about 4 or 5 in of snow.

Remember some really cold rainy nights tearing down in the fall, hated that and Hurricane Hugo took out a fair we had near Charleston (not the Carolina coastal fair), it never was the same after that and closed down.
ridejocky
Tuesday, May 21, 2019 11:57:08 PM
Some cold wet nights tearing down in Raleigh...
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thunderbolt85
Wednesday, May 22, 2019 7:08:48 AM
Originally Posted by: ridejocky 

Some cold wet nights tearing down in Raleigh...




I bet at that time of year. Say speaking of Raleigh, a little bit of down memory lane here. Were on the show when he would book Coleman brothers in Raleigh? Seems I remember one year that Strates had two Sky Wheels (one his one Deggeller) in there along with two Sky Divers (one his one Coleman Brothers). The first year I visited Strates midway in Anderson he had a Cortina Bobs and Bumper Boats booked in which I assume was because the independent wanted to go to the Dixie Classic Fair and Raleigh as well.

I know Deggeller booked his Huss Ranger in Raleigh one year, maybe have brought the Huss/Weber 1001 Nights as well before Strates bought the Rainbow.

I know Strates had a powerful route back then, but Raleigh had to be his "sweet spot" I figure for end of the season or buying new rides. Of course wasn't Broward pretty big as well before the accident, think I heard around 500K before that.
ridejocky
Wednesday, May 22, 2019 7:53:01 AM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

I bet at that time of year. Say speaking of Raleigh, a little bit of down memory lane here. Were on the show when he would book Coleman brothers in Raleigh? Seems I remember one year that Strates had two Sky Wheels (one his one Deggeller) in there along with two Sky Divers (one his one Coleman Brothers). The first year I visited Strates midway in Anderson he had a Cortina Bobs and Bumper Boats booked in which I assume was because the independent wanted to go to the Dixie Classic Fair and Raleigh as well.

I know Deggeller booked his Huss Ranger in Raleigh one year, maybe have brought the Huss/Weber 1001 Nights as well before Strates bought the Rainbow.

I know Strates had a powerful route back then, but Raleigh had to be his "sweet spot" I figure for end of the season or buying new rides. Of course wasn't Broward pretty big as well before the accident, think I heard around 500K before that.



I left Atlas and joined States in '78, road the train up-county and worked the whole season. Got *ed off and quit for a few months in '79, but came back the same year. Then stayed until Anderson in '88 when I was in an accident and severed a foot.

Coleman sounds familiar, I remember we had two Skywheels and two divers any number of times. In '88 I think Billy Truex had the Bumper-Boats, I think that was the first time I saw one.

It was a strong route, almost all 9-day plus state and county fairs. Raleigh was absolutely his best spot. Broward was at Gulfstream when I played it and it was a good spot, and a great party spot. He had a lot of good spots back then, Raleigh, Syracuse, Hamburg, Horseheads, Winston, Harrington, Orlando....
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