nerdflood

So, yesterday AND today we hauled the entire family — myself, my wife, our two boys, and our brand new (1 month old) daughter — to the Iowa State Fair. It’s a trek we take every year, though not always twice. This year was slightly more problematic than in previous years, though not necessarily for reasons you might expect. The brand new baby was probably the simplest and easiest to manage element of the entire undertaking, which is really saying something. Though please don’t take my language to mean that we had a bad time this year. The experience taken as a whole was definitely more positive than negative. I guess I just wasn’t prepared for how difficult the boys would be this year now that they have become more opinionated than ever before. I also wasn’t prepared for how poorly I would react to their combined grating irritation. But we survived! And that’s something that can definitely be said. With gusto.

And now, here are some of my general observations and tips about the Iowa State Fair.

• Park at the Park & Ride at 7th and Center downtown. Free parking on the weekends, and a nearly empty shuttle to and from the fairgrounds. Only $2 per adult and $1 for kids 5 and up. Pretty good deal if you ask me.
• If it looks like it might rain — even if you think there might just be only the slightest chance — bring your umbrellas, ponchos, galoshes, and ceremonial rain sticks, because let me tell you; there is NO WHERE to go when it begins to downpour and several hundred-thousand people make a mad dash for every available enclosed space within the entire fairgrounds. Yes, this happened. TWICE.
• The night before, take washcloths and soak them. Store them in a Ziploc bag and toss them in the freezer. Fill a couple of water bottles half-full of water and put them in the freezer, too. The next morning, throw them in your bag. The washcloths are awesome for applying to the back of your neck when it gets hot. Put some fresh water into your ice water bottles to enjoy cold, refreshing water the entire day.
• You’re welcome.
• Kiss your wife for how awesome she is if she is as prepared as my wife is.
• “On-a-stick” food is not necessarily as good as “eat-with-your-hands” food. I didn’t have any food on a stick, and quite a few foods that were wrapped in wax paper. And even more cup-based foods (generally referred to as “beverages”). The difference in quality is negligible.
• While I’m on the topic of food: steak sandwiches at Butcher Boys.
• You’re welcome.
• Last thing: if there’s any one thing that the Iowa State Fair does well, it’s would have to be its uncanny ability to make you feel like you really need to diet and exercise.

Will we go back next year? Of course we will! It’s an annual tradition. Harlyn will be more alert and potentially mobile than she was this year. Caleb and Alex will both be … well, Caleb and Alex. I might just have an aneurysm! Wouldn’t that be fun to watch? Tune in around this time next year to see how we do at the Iowa State Fair 2010!

It’s that magical, sensational time of year. That’s right, it’s FAIR TIME! Tomorrow morning, at the absolute crack of dawn, the Iowa state fairgrounds will awaken and begin a sensory overload the likes of which haven’t been seen since…well, last year, I suppose.

I’ve taken the day off so that we can arrive by 8:00 am. Why so early? Well, how else can you be a part of the historic Corndog Chomp (and get in for free)? And then there’s funnel cakes and deep fat fried Twinkies and lamb burgers and various “-on-a-stick” items that require ravenous consumption. There’s a butter cow and (apparently) a butter Shawn Johnson to behold! And there’s music (I think). And, of course, more food! And lots and lots of PEOPLE! EVERYWHERE! Adorned in clothing they rightfully should not be wearing in public.

And the smells – oh, goodness gracious, the SMELLS! Scents that truly you cannot find anywhere else – natural or unnatural.

Sarcasm aside, the fair is quite simply an annual event that absolutely, unequivocally MUST be attended, regardless of how far beneath your place in life you might consider it. It is not a fair; it is an experience. One that I am more than happy to indulge in once (or twice) every year. If only for the wonderful memories our children gain while trapped within the confines of the concrete fairground jungle. And I suppose I can be convinced to enjoy it, too.

So long as I get my lamb burger.

Last Monday, Amanda, myself, and Amanda’s mother all gathered up the boys and several backpacks filled with supplies and trekked out to the Iowa State Fair. It’s a yearly pilgrimage, and a welcome one at that. I feel as though this year we didn’t get to see everything we would have liked. While we got to check out the butter cow and the butter Harry Potter, sample many exotic fried fair foods (as well as my annual lamb burger), and even watch a concert on the Bill Riley stage, there were a few things left off the list for the sake of the children. We never even managed to get up the giant hill this year, so the Pioneer hall remained untouched by our presence. No brief glimpses of the fantastic photography, pottery, or other artistic efforts nestled within the confines of the Cultural Center. No Pork Producers tent. No wood and/or ice carving exhibitions. No lions, tigers, OR bears. Just lots of smelly animals (that I used to take care of myself, back in THE DAY), arms covered in tattoos, hot sweaty faces, ice cream, and sore feet. And the general good feeling that Amanda and I are doing what we can to keep the boys familiar with their small farming community roots.

Oh, and Dan Wardell. Caleb has an unhealthy fascination with that man. Photos of our day can be found at Flickr.