Tam and I rode our bicycles to the Indiana State Fair yesterday. I took the day off work for it.
A quick tram ride* had us at Pioneer Village, home to a couple-three† dining tents run by various Hoosier meat producers. Lunch! Tam and I had meat (look, I'm not going to say what kind, for reasons that will become obvious) sandwiches and soft drinks. I added a condiment from a big pump jug; Tam did not.
Once we were fed, we ventured out to look at steam tractors -- one running a sawmill, with the sawn hardwood boards offered for sale -- a one-cylinder gasoline-powered field tile machine, old quilts, chipped-flint knives and other delights.
About fifteen minutes after lunch, I suffered, ahem, "acute gastrointestinal distress." The fairgrounds are very well supplied with washrooms, no problem there; but it kept happening, every twenty minutes or so. Our general route was toward the exit anyway, so I made frequent stops while Tam enjoyed the fair and we left early.
The bike ride home was a character-building experience for me. Once home, I changed into my nightgown and took to my bed. By this morning I was well over it.
Not at all fun and I'm blaming the condiment (which happened to be one that didn't contain a significant amount of vinegar). Other than a different choice of soft drinks, it was the only thing we didn't both eat that day.
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* Indiana State Fair trams are a remarkable institution, consisting of medium-sized tractors (running on soy diesel!) pulling three or four trailers that consist of outward-facing wooden benches with footrests on each side. A narrow aisle between the seat backs leaves room for a conductor, one per trailer; it's a dollar per ride, no matter how far or short you go. With a top speed of perhaps ten miles an hour, they run a big loop through the fairgrounds, making frequent stops at marked locations. It's about as Hoosier a mass-transit system as could be, and it's both effective and popular. Each tram train -- there are several -- runs at or near capacity, with trains being added or removed from circulation as demand warrants.
† Usefully, a number between two and six depending on how you parse it. We did not try the mutton.
BUILDING A 1:1 BALUN
4 years ago
2 comments:
Oy.
Alas, the local fair(s) seem to be mostly excuses to bring in hucksters of various wares, useful and un-. There doesn't seem to be a Washington State Fair as such, although what was billing itself as the Western Washington State Fair when I first attended (on one our first dates) has gone through several name changes and is now calling itself "the" state fair...
We aren't interested in carnival rides. The crafts displays often seem secondary, although it can be fun when we turn a corner and Mrs. Drang discovers friends that the often hasn't seen in years.
Sorry your day was spoiled by a bad experience with the food tents. Normally of course, those are one of the high points of fairs. I guess until they are not, and then they could take over, and become the low point.
I myself turn around, and see that summer is nearly over. Here in our city we have a huge Christian music festival, which brings in tons of people from all around, except for me. My wife and I are not the type who like to stand in long lines, for hours, for the chance to go sit on the grass to listen to music. I did that once with my older daughter, when she won tickets to see Raven Symone, and that was just being a good dad. Never again.
I wish you calm skies and everything else. And enjoy the rest of the summer.
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