Experiences, Travel

Iowa State Fair 2018

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Enjoying ice cream from the Dairy Barn!

I grew up going to the Iowa State Fair. It’s a tradition. When I moved out of state, it was difficult to make it back in August. I actually missed four fairs. Fortunately for me, my mom broke her ankle skydiving, and I had an excuse to hang out in Iowa for a month. She managed to wheel herself around the fairgrounds, and I got to be a kid again.

If you’ve never heard of the Iowa State Fair, I feel bad for you. It is actually really well known. It’s listed in a lot of “must see in America” lists or what have you. I can’t describe to you how much fun it is.

The state fair always happens in the middle of August at the Iowa State Fair grounds in Des Moines, Iowa. This year it is from August 9 – August 20.

This year was the first time I went on opening day. It was a Thursday and very hot. It may not be the most pleasant conditions, but it means the fair isn’t jam packed, which I greatly appreciate. There are several air conditioned buildings, so when you need some relief you can have it.

Ever since I was a little girl, my favorite thing to visit at the fair has always been the barns. I love seeing all the animals. Horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, all the animals. They’re usually there for shows and competitions. There are usually baby animals there with their mamas. There used to be an area where you could pet the calves, and they would suck on my fingers. Fun fact: cows don’t have upper teeth. Now there is a whole building for baby animals. Chicks hatch. Baby ducks swim in a tiny pond. Pregnant cows, does (goats) and sows (pigs) give birth to calves, kids, and piglets on site throughout the duration of the fair. They’re so cute!!! I would love to have goats someday.

The 4H building is very cool. Kids from all over the state enter their projects in competitions ranging from sewing to photography to cooking to woodwork and more. It’s really impressive, and the kids come up with some really ingenious ideas. Pioneer Hall, The Varied Industries Building, Agriculture Building, and Exhibition Center are other can’t misses.

Butter was a movie made in 2011 starring Jennifer Garner, Olivia Wilde, and others. It is about carving butter in Iowa. Surprise, this is a real thing. The Butter Cow is a must see for most fair goers. What is it? It’s a cow carved out of butter. No joke. There are several other butter sculptures featured at the state fair in the Agriculture Building, but if butter art isn’t your speed, there are tons of flowers to look at.

The fair has a giant slide, which I have done every year, and it never gets old. There are tons of fair rides. Lots of stages for entertainment. The grandstand was redone this past year. Every night of the fair, a band or singer is featured.

Food. Fair food is its own kind of strange. At the Iowa State Fair, you can find literally anything on a stick. No longer is the corn dog king of stick foods. No. You can find cheesecake on a stick, salad on a stick, mac-and-cheese on a stick, butter on a stick, and so much more. I always get a pork tenderloin because it’s Iowa and I love them. I also have to get a funnel cake. Funnel cakes are disgusting, and it is important to just embrace the diabetes when eating it. I also always need to have fresh squeezed lemonade in hand. It’s the best at the fair.

Anyways, this is a basic rundown of the state fair. If you’re in Iowa, you need to go. If you’re not in Iowa, you should plan a trip to enjoy it.     

Iowa State Fair
E. 30th Street & E. University Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50317
Instagram: @iowastatefair

 

Experiences, Travel

Hiking Mount Werner

I grew up going to Steamboat Springs, Colorado because my grandparents own a condo on the mountain. In the three decades I have been visiting, the town has changed drastically, but Mount Werner has stayed the same. I hear mountains don’t change very quickly.

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The beginning of the hike!

My family is very outdoorsy. I, myself, have waffled between outdoorsy and hermit. The last time I was in Steamboat with my family, my allergies were at an all time high, and I was suffering from an undiagnosed heart condition. Suffice to say, that trip earned me a non-adventurous-curmudgeon award within the family unit. (Also, during that trip I ended up in the hospital on a completely unrelated thing, so I wasn’t feeling real great.)

This trip was completely different!

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Half way up!

I am now older and more mature… I also am completely aware of my physical impairments, so hiking is no longer viewed as the soul sucking activity it used to be.

The second full day in Colorado, I convinced my partner-in-crime into a hike up the mountain by way of small lies and a lot of “It will be an adventure!” and “You can do anything! You’re a Marine!”

Here’s some back story: My grandparents’ condo is located on the mountain. You walk out the back door, and voilà there’s the hiking trail. There is a gondola that will take you up the mountain for a small price of $25 per person per day. I’m a big ole cheapo. I like spending money, but I much prefer saving money. Why spend $50, when we can just hike? Exercise and savings! Plus it’s free to ride the gondola down the mountain. From the gondola drop off point, it’s another 1.5 miles to the peak of the mountain. The views are stunning, by the way.

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We started our hike at 10:30 am with an expected arrival time of 1:30. The last gondola down the mountain is at 4:30. So there would be plenty of time to hike up to the peak and back down. I would convince my P.I.C. of how good of an idea this was on the first leg of our hike. Our four mile hike to the gondola ended up being seven miles because of a wrong turn. We managed to find a bike path that lead us the last half mile. My P.I.C. carried the backpack full of camera equipment, and I hauled a heavy backpack full of water bottles and a book. I’m a book blogger; a book is always necessary.

Altitude really is a kick in the ass.

We made it to the gondola drop off point at 2:00. Two realizations dawned on us: 1. Look at all the people! 2. Dark clouds.

As we made our way up the mountain, we passed several people hiking down the mountain. We saw one biker going up the mountain, but he turned around at the two mile mark. I don’t blame him; he’s a winner in my book. All the people were at the top of the mountain. They were in hiking clothes, but not the sweaty, gross, wheezing blobs of former human beings my P.I.C. and I were. These athletic appearing beings were walking around with cute hair and makeup, taking pictures, and saying things along the lines of “So beautiful!” “What a hike.” and “This is going to look great on Instagram.” A few started on the trail down the mountain (cheaters). Most hopped back on the gondola they so obviously rode up on. LIARS!!! All of them liars. They did not earn those social media posts because they cheated and spent the money to ride the gondola. We were the real hikers! We earned the pictures we were never able to take because……

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I made it!!!

At 2:00, we still had time to hike to the peak. BUT!!! As the trees started to open up into the clearing, I saw the dark clouds. On top of a mountain, dark clouds are never a good thing for hikers. Storms roll in with frightening rapidity over the mountains. Being caught in a storm on a mountain let alone at the peak is not only scary but down right dangerous. We decided to stop to refill our water bottles and grab a snack. I have been in the unfortunate desperate sprint from peak to gondola because of a storm before. It was not a position I desired to be in again, but I was hopeful the clouds would roll pass.

Mount Werner is a skiing mountain in the winter. In the summer, it is a biking and hiking haven. Where the gondola is housed on top of the mountain, there is a bar and restaurant for those wanting to eat with views. There’s an indoor area and a large patio. It’s not cheap, but it is pretty. As I ordered my french fries, the bartender said, “Do you have anywhere to be in the next several hours?” I replied, “I’m on top of a mountain, so probably not.” “Well, that’s good because they just shut down the gondola without warning due to lightning. You could maybe make it if you ran.” I’m not a runner, so I made myself comfortable waiting for my fries.

I took literally a handful of pictures waiting for my fries and sandwich. Thank goodness I did. Right after our food arrived, I felt a thud on my head. Hello hail! We quickly stuffed all our belongings and the very expensive camera away before running inside. It was official, the gondola would not be starting back up. A bus started its way up the mountain to pick up everyone who didn’t make it onto the gondola.

I have to tell you, almost nothing about that day went as planned. It was definitely an adventure. I really loved seeing the storm come in over the mountain. The sky was dark. There was lightning and thunder and hail and a ton of rain. It was an afternoon I will never forget.