Summer 2014 - Day 8

Early in the morning, K2 opened the door and announced that D was also going to work early, so I could sleep in. I'm not quite sure why him not going in early would have prevented me from sleeping in, but it wasn't that important, so I kept sleeping until about 10. Galahad was my morning companion as I got ready to shower.

Galahad was just being shy. He's a real sweet doggie.

The shower curtain was the Periodic Table of Elements, which I brushed up on while washing. Then I used the wrong towel to dry myself - K2 had put out a red towel on a rack that I did not see. Instead, I grabbed the green towel that was folded in their mini drug store/bathroom storage area.

Galahad stayed with me as I got dressed, packed all my stuff, and took it downstairs. It was planning time: planning for the fair, planning for the Meat Raffle, planning to see people (or not), planning for my Surprise October Vacay, and planning to send post cards.

At last, I packed my car up and took off for the fair at 12:30. The State Fair lot was already full, so I found parking at a yellow house on Frankson for $15. I got two bottles of water for $1 from two guys on a corner as I walked toward the fair. One was wearing a Vikings shirt, and I forgave him for that, then mentioned that "at least [he wasn't] a Bears fan". He gave me a pretty strong high five and his friend groaned because he was a Bears fan. SMH

I kept on a walkin' down the street until I was there - the entrance to The Minnesota State Fair.

Come to the fair!

I took a quick selfie while waiting to cross the road, then I bought my discounted ticket ($11 instead of $13) cuz it was 'Thrifty Thursday', and was in the gates! The KARE 11 barn was my first destination, to see P, so I made a beeline to the Information booth, got a map, then found out where my destination was. I was on my way when I got distracted by the DFL tent and started walking in the wrong direction. After a couple blocks, I realized how lost I was and started a course correction. Unfortunately, like most other places in Minnesota, there were not always street signs on the corners. The guys at the Direct TV (I think) tent gave me some help, then we chatted for a bit before I went on my way.

Soon, I was back on Dan Patch and passing by people eating roasted sweet corn. I followed the bend in the road and kept on a walkin'. Down one street was the Deep Fried Candy Bar stand. I made a note of it as I decided that it would not be one of "the things" that I had pledged to "eat all of". Nor was roast sweet corn, for the record.

I arrived upon the KARE 11 barn and delighted to see a smashed souvenir penny machine. It turned out that not only did KARE 11 not charge for this machine, they provided new, shiny pennies! Just so I could make myself a promotional item for their station! Sarcasm aside, I was super excited and did make one because I collect souvenir smashed pennies. Then, I asked a guy if I could visit P Y, mentioning that we were college buds. He took me back, behind a curtain and to the producers' trailer!

And there she was!

We chatted, and I even talked a little with the KARE 11 political reporter about the use of information in the energy industry. Some weather reporters came up to chat and I thanked them for the nice weather during my trip. I had to leave to see more of the fair, but did ask what I should eat. I remembered "Aussie Fries" and "Food Building". P also told me to photograph all of my food, which was a great idea. Sadly, I couldn't hang with P after her show was done at 4:30 because I had plans to go to a Meat Raffle. We did get a photo.

P then took an Important Producer call from a band, telling them that she had planned to interview them, then they would play into and out of commercial breaks. I took the photo of her and the trailer, and was off for more fair. First, I went to the Dairy Barn where I got a photo of a butter sculpture. There was also ice cream in the Dairy Barn, but there appeared to be a long line, so I skipped it.

I left the Dairy Barn to see a little parade going on. I just walked about, looking at things and trying to decide what to eat. A corndog sounded good, so I got one.

Corndogs: Ain't nothin' wrong with that.

I noticed the Minnesota Territorial Pioneer building, so I ate my corndog, then took a photo of the big ol' lady statue - built to honor the Women of Minnesota, 1857-1957.

The inventor of "Hot Dish".

After going in the Territorial Pioneer building, where I mailed my post cards, then bought more post cards and post card stamps, I came out and saw more of the random parade.

Then, I saw a Root Beer Barrel and snapped a photo for a friend that works in them in Milwaukee.

I just kept walking, and then I spotted Bacon Ice Cream, so I had some. The Maple Ice Cream base was really good, but the bacon was just a distraction. It also made me sort of wish I had gotten my Flurry from Belts' with the maple, since it was available.

If you never eat this, you didn't miss much.

So I kept on a' walkin', back past places I had been to before. I got some photos of food stands with interesting foods that I wouldn't be eating. There was the Deep Fried Candy Bar place, a place to go get buckets of cookies, and some cereal bars that I've only ever seen in Minnesota.

Seriously, no Special K bars? LAME

I snapped a photo of the Grandstand building, found The Food Building, decided I didn't want to eat much in there, and got some Lefse because, you know, Minnesota. There was also a nice tile mural outside of the building, where I stopped and chatted with someone wearing a Green Bay Packers shirt for, you know, solidarity.

It was lefeselicious

I've read that Wisconsin has more lakes.

I walked down the street and saw more things, including the ever famous Deep Fried Twinkie. The stand smelled horrible - like really, really bad - but I braved it for this abomination.

I can't believe I ate this. It was delicious, but never again.

There was also a children's section with one of those singers that sings children's songs to remind me that I don't want children. I ambled along, finding the 4-H building and the bathroom, more crowd, and a vendor that was not selling things on sticks.

JD is anti-stick.

It was getting close to when I had to leave for the Meat Raffle, but I still had not gotten churds. There was a place in The Food Building with churds, but there was a line for that, and I cannot abide lines. Soon, I found some mouse place and got my churds really quickly.

They were disappointing and cold.

I had a sit to eat some of them and people-watch. I ended up talking to a nice lady who worked in a place that promoted literacy. It was sprinkling just as I left.

I got a "hand stamp" on my arm, just in case I wanted to come back later in the day, then walked to where I parked. A man came out of the house with a black and white beard - or maybe it was his hair. It turned out that I had misplaced my keys in a very strange place, but it was all okay. I gave him the sweet corn my parents gave me the day before. I had already distributed copious amounts of cheese to several people, and figured that the sweet corn would be overkill, but someone needed to eat it. I hope the family enjoyed it.

Then I followed my Google Maps directions to the Meat Raffle, which inexplicably took me through an apartment parking lot. I found myself on the right street, in Dinkytown.

But it wasn't the right place. After parking and walking part way to the supposed address, I realized that I left my phone in my car, so I went back to get it. Then I walked to where I thought Jimmy's was, but it was not there. A random guy on the street had never heard of a Jimmy's either. When I looked it up, I realized my error - I was at the Southeast part of 4th St, and Jimmy's was at the Northeast part. I walked back to the car, paid $3 to the U of M for parking, and drove to the right location, just a half hour late.

I parked out back and walked in to find a dark, dingy neighborhood bar, full of various people. This review sums the place up well, and I really wished I had read it first so I could have gotten a beer stick. As soon as I got in, I asked how the Meat Raffle worked and declared my newb status. At first, I was there to observe, but at the bar, I bought a ticket. A regular chatted with me for a bit, and was surprised that they did not have Meat Raffles in Texas.

I did not win, but 13 did come up during another round. I went up and tried to claim a prize, but some other guy also had 13. I think I should have won because I was a newb, but I didn't, and that was okay too.

I hung out for a little while longer, then drove back to K's house. I unpacked all of the things from my car (and there were many things), then moved it off to 98th street since the curbs were being put in on Friday. Back in the house, I had pizza and chatted. Later, K and I watched The Craft* as I planned to send more post cards and blogged before bed.

* K's Review: How did they make this with a straight face?
   My Review: What if all of the stupid games you played at slumber parties when you were 15 were actually true?