The Virginia State Fair

Stefan and I went to the State Fair yesterday with our good friends, Sam and Dave. Let me just say, we had so much fun, we shut the place down! We didn’t get home until 1am this morning, so I’m wrecked today. But wrecked in that good way.

The weather was absolutely perfect. It had rained during the night, so the sky yesterday was completely blue, and a slight breeze kept the rays from getting too hot as we walked around. We visited the goats, sheep, pigeons, pigs, cows and rabbits. Stefan got up close and personal with a baby goat, and we took a bunch of pictures of the baby pigs.

Then it was on to the tropical animal display, where folks could get their picture taken with a boa constrictor. Sam, Dave and I chickened out, but Stefan went right up and got in line. For $5, they wrap the snake around your shoulders and snap a polaroid. Of course, I was right there with the digital camera, snapping away free pictures as well. Stefan has this huge grin on his face in the photos.

Stefan and I also went for a ride on a Monster Truck. There was this huge truck, all pimped out with wheels about six feet tall. Again, for $5, you could get in the truck and the crazy driver would go around in circles, making hair-pin turns. Where else do you get to do this?

We ate a corn-dog because I had never had one before, and we sampled a fried Twinkie, since neither of us had had one before. We probably won’t have one ever again, but it was a fun experience.

We walked around the exhibition hall for a while, and checked out this huge candy booth, where they carried vast amounts of all kinds of candy we used to have as kids that we never see anymore. Dave bought about 2 pounds of black licorice. I’d say he got enough to last him until about this time next year. We still couldn’t find the candies that Stefan’s grandfather used to share with him. They are molasses disks, and are two-toned. One half is molasses and the other half might be maple. If anyone has any idea what the name of this candy is, please let us know. It might help us to someday find it.

By this time, we were all getting pretty hungry, so we stuffed ourselves with over-priced, over-salted fried fair food. A huge cloud rolled in, and seemed to be sitting right over the Ferris Wheel, which we had purposely waited to go on until it had grown dark. So after we ate, we made a bee-line for the Ferris Wheel, thinking maybe we’d get a chance to on it before it began to rain. By now, it was dark, and lucky for us, the rain never made an appearance. A lot of making out and groping happened at the top. What’s a Ferris Wheel ride without getting felt up? Ahhhh, reminds me of when I was a teenager....!

Dave and I went on this ride called the Cliff Hanger. Sam and Stefan stayed planted on the ground. We had never seen this ride before, but the basic concept is the same as the swings, except in this ride, you lay down on your stomach, just as you would if you were to go hang-gliding. Waaaaay more fun than the swings!! Although, the prostrate position leaves you feeling rather vulnerable and your dignity gets a little tarnished and you wonder why you chose to wear your “nice butt” jeans, knowing all those grizzled fair workers probably fought over who got to run this ride. Have you ever noticed that the folks running the rides are some of the most grizzled people you’ve ever encountered?

Then we all went on a ride that is the equivalent of the Bobsled. This is the classic ride that goes at a pace suited for just about everyone, and it’s just not the Fair if you don’t go on this ride.

Then, Dave, Stefan and I went on this ride that is a smaller version of the Drop Zone at King’s Dominion. Basically, you sit in a seat and the ride takes you straight up, and then drops you to the ground with no notice. It happens so fast that it is a mostly quiet ride. There’s little chance to scream or think and it’s scary, scary scary! I, of course, break the silence and scream the entire 1-second down (the ride only lasts 1 second). Stefan can’t keep his eyes open to watch, and I can’t shut them. Just can’t do that. So I got the see the ground whooshing up, and our feet flying towards our face. We go on this ride again. I scream again. I subsequently have little to no voice today and my throat hurts.

We rounded out the night with a root beer float, and the purchase of several candy apples. Stefan bounced around like a kid, and it was great to see him so fully experiencing a childhood memory like the State Fair. That, right there, was worth the price of admission.

Can’t wait to go again next year!!