Iowa State Fair-Day 9

Today I rode the Ferris Wheel and the SkyRider at the Fair.  This year I discovered there are two SkyRiders, an East and a West.  I rode the East SkyRider with two friends last Wednesday on Senior Day at the Fair. Seniors got in for $12, rather than the normal adult entry price of $16.  

Then on Thursday after the Wednesday Senior Day I went again to the fair this time by myself.  I rode the West SkyGlider.  I think the two SkyGliders are about the same length.  The East one goes from Pioneer Hall (near Gate 5) to  Ye Old Mill near Thrillville (aka the old Midway).  It is the one I have always ridden.  Then JW mentioned the west one.  The West one goes from Thrill Town  (kiddy rides) near Gate 10 to the Bill Riley Stage.  The East SkyGlide is pretty neat  because you go over several trees and feel a certain union with nature as you travel over the many treetops.  The West SkyGlide is neat also because you go over Thrill Town and can look at the neat rides that are designed for the kids.

I bought a round trip ticket but only used half of it on Thursday, so today I stayed a couple hours after my volunteer shift and used the second half of my ticket to go back to the Bill Riley stage so I could see that one man band again.  But I couldn't find where he was playing his 3 pm gig, so walked back to the transit area because I was tired by then.

The morning shift 9 am- 1 pm at the water station went quite well.  The three other volunteers were very amiable and we worked well together.  I got to wear the money apron and collect the cash payments for the water which was $3 each for an ice cold 20 oz(?) bottle.  Plus we were located right in front of the Bill Riley stage and could watch the Talent Sprout show when we weren't busy!

 Last weekend I worked at the Blue Ribbon Foundation Iowa State Fair souvenir shop in the Varied Industries Building.  The souvenir shop had T-shirts, refrigerator magnets, cookbooks, stuffed animals, money pouches, stickers, socks, even jars of salsa.  And they accepted payment by cash or credit card.  Some people paid using a bank app on their phone.    It was fun seeing all the souvenirs.

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Other fun things:  Root beer float at the A&W stand.  VEGAN corn dog at the Veggies stand was delicious.  Found a reasonably priced John Deer hat!  Listened to some great music by a one man band.

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Attending the fair this year brought back fond memories of the times I attended with my cousin and his partner.  For 2 or three years we came out and sat in the bleachers of one of the free stages to listen to music.  My cousin loved gospel music.

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Handling all that money was fun.  It was like playing store when your were a little kid.  It also reminded me of being a security guard and being stationed in the Bank of America building.  I had the keys to all the offices in that 12 story high rise including the bank vault combination to let the cleaning ladies in at night.

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Of the years I went with my parents to the State Fair, our home was only 7 miles away, I don't remember seeing any live animals.  This year I went to a couple of the animal barns and looked at the pigs, cows, horses, chickens, catfish, rabbits, even a deer.  As we continue to tear down natural terrain to build buildings, interacting with this aspect of nature will get rarer.  All parents should take their kids to the animal barns.  Animals are fascinating, some ugly, some beautiful,   different from us, yet with the capacity to feel fear and love, they in their natural habitat are growing extinct.  Farm kids (and the adults) develop a relationship to animals that non-farm folks never experience.

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Thrill Town (amusement rides for kids) is ten times cooler than Thrillville (previously called The Midway).  1) the Thrill Town rides are newer, colorful and humorously designed. 2) Thrillville needs some new rides or a paint job.

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At future fairs I think I will focus more on the 4-H projects,  Bill Riley JR famous talent show, and the many many contests and competitions. These things over the food vendors and product booths.

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