Portage County Randolph Fair

One of the things I look back fondly on from my youth was the annual county fair that came around each August. It was always fun to go to the fair each day and walk around looking at all the exhibits, seeing friends from school, riding the rides, and of course...fair food!!! For those who may read this that have never been to a county fair, or perhaps more accurately a count(r)y fair, you don't know what life is.

However, the fair was also a harbinger of summers eventual end, and the inevitable back-to-school grind. But those days could wait, the fair was in town!

I decided today to take my daughter to the fair and see what she would think about it. Maybe she would ride some of the rides and get a kick out of the animals. This would be a nice cover for me to sample some of the food I so fondly remember.

We went in the gate nearest the animal stalls and had to walk through them to get to where the rides and grub were. Walking through the livestock area was not for Katie who cared not in the least for the aroma permeating the air and didn't want to stop and look at said animals.

We completed a circuit of the rides and I asked if she would like to ride some herself. That was greeted with an enthusiastic "YES" so I ponied up the $10.00 for 10 tickets since each ride cost 2 tickets, I thought 5 was enough.

She rode the child's roller coaster, Ferris wheel, a ride called the "Crazy Bus", "Bat Flyer" and of course the venerable merry-go-round. Each one by herself and with no hysterics, which made me very happy. The Ferris wheel and Crazy Bus each went up in the air and I wasn't sure if Katie had my fear of heights, and so far she doesn't. Which is a good thing!

After the rides I asked if she was hungry, and again a rousing "YES"! So I was a little worried the food there wasn't really the best for her, but what the heck its the fair. I asked if she wanted a hamburger or hot dog or french fries, her usual "comfort" food, but surprisingly she didn't. I opted for my best memory, a hot sausage sandwich, fried on a open grill with onions and green peppers. Not a damn thing healthy or redeeming about it, but boy are they good!!! As I was trying to eat that without making a huge mess(did I mention greasy also), Katie asked "Whats that"? Rather than try and explain the wonder I held in my paw, I over-simplified it by saying "A hot dog". Well, since it was Daddy's she decided it was okay for her to eat too. So I broke off a bit of the sausage and bun, gave it to her and waited for her to spit it out. After a couple chews I got a "MMM delecable", which I assume is a cross between delicious and delectable.

Hmm, what to do now? Like I said, this food isn't the best for an adult, let alone a growing 3 year old...So I did what any Dad in my shoes would do...broke that thing in half and totally dug the fact that my baby girl liked another thing that her Dad does!!!

We left after we finished eating and on the drive back home as I looked in the mirror and saw my sweetheart fast asleep in her car seat, I couldn't help but think the next years fair will be even better.

I forgot to take my camera, so I used my phone for the pictures I took. Not bad for a 2mp LG enV phone camera. Fair pics.