My 67 year old mother had never been on a carousel until yesterday. Remember when I visited Mansfield’s Richland Carousel Park this summer?
It’s built to look old and is inside a building so it can operate year round. It’s gorgeous and, at just a buck a ticket, it’s a great bargain.
Plus, kids of all ages (even the big ones like us) race to get their favorite animal. And there is a beautiful selection of animals including traditional carousel horses as well as cats, rabbits, a giraffe, bears and even a ram.
So we took a little road trip up to Mansfield yesterday. I drove them by the old reformatory where the movie Shawshank Redemption was filmed. They declined a tour but we could see from outside that they’re ready for Halloween. If you haven’t been, you really should go for a tour.
Then it was back downtown for a ride on the carousel and lunch at the Coney Island Diner just down the street.
My dad didn’t want to take a ride but we had a fun time while he held my purse and snapped a few pictures.
She chose a horse that went up and down while I chose the tiger. She had a blast and was glad for the experience. She came from a big family where money was tight for a minister, his wife and ten kids. While their needs were seen to, extras like carousel rides would have been an extravagance.
Who knew that a dollar carousel ride could fulfill a lifelong dream?
Is there something others take for granted that you’ve never gotten to do? It’s never too late! Tell me about it in the comments. Maybe we can brainstorm a way to make it happen!
PS: tomorrow we resume the road trip!
Make the Journey Fun 