IOWA STATE FAIR 2012

 

 

EVER SINCE WE WERE HIRED FOR ADVENTURELAND FOR THE SUMMER, EVERYBODY THAT KNEW IOWA TOLD US TO  NOT  MISS THE IOWA STATE FAIR... THAT .IT WAS SOMETHING TO SEE.
 WE LOOKED FORWARD TO IT ALL SUMMER, WE HAD NEVER ATTENDED A STATE FAIR. THE FAIR OPENED THURSDAY, AUGUST 9. ON SUNDAY AFTER WORK, WE DROVE OVER TO SOUTHEAST POLK HIGH SCHOOL AND CAUGHT A BUS OVER TO THE FAIRGROUNDS TO SEE ELVIS IMPERSONATOR, TRAVIS LEDOYT ON THE BUDWEISER FREE STAGE.

 

 

HE WAS VERY GOOD, EVEN BETTER THAN THE ONE WE HAD SEEN IN BRANSON IN APRIL. WE REALLY ENJOYED HIS SHOW.

 

 

 

 

WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO LOOK AT ANYTHING. WE DID NOTICE THERE WAS EVERY KIND OF FOOD AND DRINK IMAGINABLE.  WE WANTED GOOD SEATS, SO WE GOT TO THE STAGE PRETTY EARLY.  IT IS SO HUGE AND THERE WERE ALOT OF PEOPLE!

 

 

 

 

WE WENT BACK TO THE FAIR ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, OUR DAY OFF. WE WENT IN THE AFTERNOON, RODE THE BUS AGAIN, BUT HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO LOOK AT ALL THE STUFF WE WANTED TO LOOK AT.

 

 

 

 

ROWS AND ROWS OF CORN ENTERED IN THE FAIR!

 

 

 

 

AND WATERMELON!

 

 

 

 

WE HAD READ ABOUT THE "BUTTER COW"

 

 

 

 

AND SNOW WHITE......ALL CARVED OUT OF BUTTER!!

 

 

 

 

IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING!!

 

WE ACCIDENTLY FOUND THE MASTER GARDENER'S GARDEN, WHAT AN OASIS!!  NOT ONLY BEAUTIFUL, BUT THE KIDS WERE HAVING A BALL!

 

 

 

 

WE ENJOYED WATCHING THE CHAIN SAW ARTIST.

 

 

 

 

COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT HE WAS CARVING.....AND THEN....

 

 

 

 

THERE IT WAS AS PLAIN AS DAY....A FROG SITTING ON A TOADSTOOL!!!

 

AT 7:30 WE WENT TO A BEATLES TRIBUTE... ANOTHER FREE SHOW....IT WAS OK, BUT WE DIDN'T STAY FOR THE WHOLE SHOW.

 

 

 

 

WE WERE TIRED AND NEEDED TO GET HOME TO MAGGIE AND MARLEE....AND TOMORROW ANOTHER WORKDAY.

 

ON SUNDAY AFTER WORK, THE LAST DAY OF THE FAIR, CHRISTINA INVITED ME TO A RASCAL FLATTS CONCERT, HER DAD HAD FREE TICKETS AND SHE COULD INVITE 10 FRIENDS. I RODE WITH HER MOM, ANDREA. THE MUSIC WAS AWESOME!!! AND IT WAS A SOLD OUT CONCERT!!

 

 

 

 

AGAIN, LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE!!

 

 

 

WE WERE SURPRISED AT HOW LARGE THE STATE FAIR WAS......THE SLOGAN FOR THE FAIR  THIS YEAR WAS "NOTHING COMPARES"....WE CERTAINLY WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED!!

 

 

ANOTHER CHECK OFF "OUR BUCKET LIST"!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PLAYING AT ADVENTURELAND

IT WASN'T ALL WORK AND NO PLAY AT ADVENTURELAND.  WE ENJOYED THE ACTIVITIES THAT ADVENTURELAND PLANNED FOR THE WORKAMPERS. ONE DAY WE ENJOYED ICE CREAM AND MILK SHAKES.

 ANOTHER DAY A WATERMELON FEED.
 

 

 

ONE OF THE PERKS WORKAMPERS ENJOY AT ADVENTURELAND IS FREE ADMISSION TO THE PARK FROM MAY 19 TO AUGUST 19.SEVERAL TIMES ON OUR DAYS OFF WE WENT OVER AND RODE SOME RIDES.

 

WE LOVED THE RAGING RIVER!!!

 

WE GOT SOAKED EVERY TIME WE RODE IT!!!

ONE DAY, WE RAN INTO PAUL AND NANCY AT THE PARK, FELLOW WORKAMPERS, AND THEY TALKED ME INTO RIDING THE SPACE SHOT. THEY TOLD ME IT WASN'T BAD, THEIR 85 YEAR OLD MOTHER RODE IT. 

 

 

I WAS SO SCARED, DARRELL STAYED BELOW AND HE COULD HEAR ME SAYING THE WHOLE TIME......."OH MY GOD!!!" I DECIDED I'M VERY GULLIBLE, AND WILL BE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE. THEY TRIED TO TALK ME INTO ANOTHER RIDE, BUT I  TOLD THEM THEY HAD LOST ALL  ACCREDIBILITY WITH ME.

AND ONE EVENING  ADVENTURELAND HAD A BINGO NIGHT FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES.

 

 

 

 

AND I WON!!! I WON $20.00 IN COMMISSARY BUCKS AND 4 MOVIE TICKETS.

WE FINALLY MADE TIME TO GO OVER TO ADVENTURE BAY, THE WATER PARK, AND WE HAD A BALL!! WE RENTED TUBES AND JUST FLOATED AND RELAXED ON THE LAZY RIVER.

 

 

ADVENTURELAND  HAD PLANNED AN IOWA CUBS GAME FOR US, BUT DUE TO NON-PARTICIPATION, IT WAS CANCELLED. WE WERE DISAPPOINTED. BUT THE DAY BEFORE THE GAME, JOHN AND NANCY, FELLOW WORKAMPERS, TOLD US WE COULD GET FREE TICKETS TO THE GAME COMPLIMENTS OF HYVEE SUPERMARKET.   JOHN AND NANCY INVITED US TO GO WITH THEM.

 

WE HAD A GREAT TIME! WE ATE SUPPER THERE..................

 

 

 

DID A LITTLE SHOPPING...........

 

 

ENJOYED THE IOWA CUBS MASCOT.........

 

 

AND THE IOWA CUBS WON THE GAME!!!!!