Rob's State Fair Ramblings Day 2

 Day 2 came in 2 parts today. We had some things to do in the middle of the day, so we went out for a few hours after lunch, and then we came back in the evening. 

The crowds today were a sharp contrast to yesterday evening's crowd. We attempted to walk through the buildings, which were wall-to-wall filled with people. The amount of motorized scooters, large wagons, and big strollers made it even worse. Add to that, many of these large vehicles were going down the center of the aisles, making frequent stops. I understand that all people have the same right to be there, but it's extra frustrating when a big stroller stops suddenly in front of you, and causes a bottleneck of people behind you, plus people coming from the opposite direction blocking you from getting around. We got halfway through a building when I called it quits. We had so much anxiety from the crowds. A few years back, the powers that be had toyed with the idea of single-streaming all of the aisles in the buildings so that all aisles ran in the same direction. Might not be a bad idea to re-visit that concept.

We stopped into the animal birthing center to see what was going on. They have a wide assortment of cows, pigs and lambs that are on the edge of giving birth. We were able to see a live cow birth last year, and it's pretty cool to see. All was quiet in there, nothing happening, but it looks like from Monday on, it could get interesting. They close at 8pm, so if you're planning on visiting this place, which is nestled among the barns, catty-corner from the petting zoo, be sure it's before 8pm. 

I was excited to see that the Cliff Hanger, which has been absent for quite a few years, has returned. This ride is similar to a hang-glider, except that it's connected to the chassis, and you won't fly away. This was one of my favorite rides, as it gave me the sensation of flying. However, as I looked at it this evening, it actually kind of scared me. It looked wilder than it used to, and I also thought about the fact that it was on a truck in pieces on the highway a few days ago. I'm debating. I still plan on a trip on the big Ferris Wheel for our annual selfie from the top.  

We had a good time meeting people. Julie and I both love seeing people, and it's fun to see our kiddos from church and school out there. We saw former students that were glad to see us, plus many of our adult friends. We got to stop and take a selfie with the Gastineau family, who thought it was fun to look for.... and find us at the fair.  We visited with my friend Vinnie, who is manning a Christian Motorcyclist booth in the Grandstand. Stop by and see them for a cup of cold water and they'll even pray with you. We ran into Lourie, one of our co-workers, and had the chance to chat with her for a while. We even had a nice conversation with one of the carnival workers running a game. It's the game where you have to stand the bottle up with a loop on the end of a string. Julie is bound and determined to win this game, and she has been studying the arm motions of the vendor as he demonstrates how to win. He was a very friendly and cordial guy, unlike some of the other vendors who scream at you to come and play their game. Will Julie win a giant stuffed animal? I'll keep you posted, as you keep your fingers crossed. 

Other highlights included seeing the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, the scale-busting largest pumpkin ever to the state fair, weighing in at just over 1,300 pounds, and the butter sculpture, which is still in progress. Looks like it will be a cow this year.  Fun fact: The first-ever butter sculpture was a cow. 

What adventures await us tomorrow? What will we do? What will we see? You'll have to tune in to tomorrow evening's blog post to find out. Remember to comment or like when you read my post.  It helps me to gauge how many people are reading, and helps me to determine if there's enough interest to keep it going. If you have a question, feel free to drop it in the comments, send it via FB Messenger, or ask me if you see me at the fair. Chances are, I'm probably there somewhere. It's my happy place, and I'm so glad to be sharing it with Julie again this year. Many of the things I blog about come from her point of view as well. Thanks for reading, and God bless you!!