Along for the ride

PALMER — At least one 8-year-old thinks Michael Ethridge has the best job in the world.

A Palmer resident, for at least 12 days during the Alaska State Fair, Ethridge is a carny. He operates the Cliff Hanger, a circular contraption that swings riders placed face-down horizontal to the ground counter clockwise while moving up, down and at different angles. He’s one of a small army of locals hired to help put on the carnival.

After riding the Cliff Hanger, Josh Hamilton said he wishes he could grow up to work at a carnival.

At the gate, Ethridge took a few minutes to talk a little about working at the fair between taking tickets.

Frontiersman: Do you operate this ride exclusively, or do you work other rides as well?

Etheridge: So far, this is the only ride I’ve been on. … I worked at the fair before. I worked in foods one year and that was all right, but I wanted to try the rides.

F: You’re smiling a lot. You seem to like being part of the fair carnival.

E: Easy money. It’s been fun, all the kids are having fun.

F: Do you get any good responses or spontaneous expressions from the riders?

E: Oh yeah, sometimes their eyes are all open wide and sometimes they can’t open them, then they’re all screaming and all that. … And no, haven’t had a puker yet.

F: Describe the Cliff Hanger ride for those who may look for it this week.

E: It’s pretty cool. They get harnessed in (horizontal to the ground) like they’re flying. It’s pretty cool.

F: Are you here every day of the fair from open to close?

E: That’s how it’s been so far, and I hope it stays that way.

F: Describe the carnival area at night when all the lights are on.

E: It’s great. I’m surprised they haven’t come and turned my lights on yet tonight.

F: You just finished opening weekend. How busy were you?

E: It was so wild.

Saturday night was so crazy. We had them lined up to those trash cans over there (about 200 feet away).

Today, kids were back in school and it’s been a little bit slow at first, but it’s picking up again now.