Friday, September 03, 2010

Doin' the Fair: Day Two, Part One

Rick and I got up early to do chores yesterday so we could be at the Fair by 8:00 for Rick to check in. The beautiful sunrise hinted at the hot, sunny day to come; quite a change from Monday's weather! I should have put sunscreen on my bare arms....

High on Brian's agenda for Thursday? DIRT BIKING! There's a dirt bike course and a BMX course at the fairgrounds; we saw it Monday and learned that using both is free when you bring your own bike and helmet. So we came prepared, and I think Brian would have spent all day there if allowed to. He started off on the dirt bike course
but quickly switched to, and remained mostly dedicated to, the BMX track:
"Look, Ma - AIR!"

I went prepared, too. I had finished spinning and plying the last of the four samples Kara sent me, but decided I needed a fifth color for the Fair Isle tam design that is dancing around in my head. So I measured out a half-ounce of Valentine's lighter fawn roving to take with me:
Between waiting at the bike tracks for Brian, visiting with Rick's clients, and walking around the Fair, I finished spinning and plying it long before we left last night. Here it is in the stands during an illusionist show:

When I wasn't watching Brian, I walked through the FFA and 4H areas (admiring dairy goats) and the animal barn again (where the sheep had been replaced with Boer goats and pigs), and watched more of the Ironjack competition, including an event that we didn't see on Monday - boom running:
There was also practice time for the other half of the Stihl-sponsored Dogs & Logs World championships. Coming up next: It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a dock dog!

More to come from Thursday . . .

2 comments:

Leigh said...

I have to tell you that I'm really envious of your state fair. I mean, how cool is a dirt bike course! I haven't been to our "big" fair at the state capital, but last year Dan and I went to the "upstate" fair. I was so disappointed, just a bit carnival really. They did have chickens, but the rest of the animals was a petting zoo. The exhibits were all vendors. I'm looking at all your photos and thinking, "now that's what a state fair ought to be like."

Michelle said...

I agree, Leigh; we have an AWESOME state fair! I think the dirt bike and BMX courses may be a permanent feature on the grounds. We spent two days at the fair and didn't go near the carnival section; Brian didn't even ask. I think THAT'S cool, too!