Interview: Ride inspector ensures preservation of Minnesota State Fair's Midway facility

Thousands of Minnesota State Fair visitors stream through town, devouring fried food, picking up souvenirs and, of course, heading to the Mighty Midway for prizes and roller coaster rides. But who keeps the Midway mighty?

“Every time you say, 'I'm a ride inspector,' they look at you as if to say, 'This is a real job?' And I say, 'Yeah, this is a real job,'” says Rob Gavel, president of LJM and Associates, Inc., a company that maintains and inspects rides at carnivals and fairgrounds.

Gavel said he has been to the Minnesota State Fair many times as a visitor, but this is the first time he has been hired to make sure all of the attractions are in top condition. From fire safety in haunted houses to climbing the roller coasters themselves, Gavel and his team pay attention to every angle to reduce hazards, maintain functionality and, of course, enable fun.

“It's a lot of work. And you're out in the heat, you know, but you have fun,” Gavel said.

This conversation is part of our Job Interview series, where we talk to everyday Minnesotans about the rewards and challenges of their jobs. This interview has been lightly edited for style and clarity. Click on the audio player to hear the original version.

Official title: President of LJM and Associates, Inc.

What I actually do during the Minnesota State Fair: I'm a ride inspector here at the State Fair.

A great day at work: You see the kids laughing, running around and having fun. You see the parents smiling because the kids are happy. And that's really what this is about. It's a business, but the business is having fun. And when you walk around here and people come in, it's going to be worth it because you're like, “OK, everything's good – everything's going to be OK here.”

A not so great day at work: You know, some people do things that I probably would never think of doing on a ride, like standing up on a spinning ride. And science will tell you what happens when you do that. You don't stay on the ride very long. It's shocking.

What I learned: You never stop learning. Never. I've learned a lot here on this property about rides, how to maintain them, what to do and what not to do. It never ends. And then you have to learn all the industry standards. So you never stop learning. Never.