Sore Feet, Too Much Food, Too Many Bands, Too Much to See

A Day at the Wisconsin State Fair- August 9th.

It was Illinois Day. Show your license, pay $8 admission and get one free. We also saved the $9 parking charge by finding a spot on the street about 2 blocks east of the fairgrounds.

Steady drizzle most of the morning, but that didn't dampen our spirits. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to keep too many people away so had to fight crowds the whole day, but only one long line.

Met up with Rick and Chris at the Old Style Heartland Pavilion, as we always do. We tend to get separated so meet on the hour. However, we now all have joined the CELL Revolution so Old Style not as necessary.

The first thing I did was get one of the famous Wisconsin State Fair cream puffs, which were still $3, and worth every sweet bit. I just couldn't go to the fair and not have a cream puff. However, one is my limit as they are VERY filling. I once saw someone eat three of them. Perhaps we should make this the newest stop in competitive eating.

The Old Style Heartland Pavilion has food from the Major Goolsby restaurant. Definitely one of the largest burgers at the fair. This year, they also had a $1 brat shot, so had to try that. It came in a small cup and smothered in a special sauerkraut, some of the best I've ever had. Later, I had their sweet potato chips. The way I look at it, anything made with sweet potatoes is mighty good eating.

Across the street, Slim McGinn's Irish Pub had a bagpiper. Enjoyed that. Sure beat the deejay at Old Style who was practically asleep.

WISCONSIN PRODUCTS PAVILION

Without a doubt, my favorite place to go at the fair. As you would conclude from the name, this place features all things made in the great state of Wisconsin. I literally graze my way through here. They have reasonable prices and most offer small samplers.

I started with a $1.25 ostrich snack, essentially a Slim Jim. Then it was a $2 blackberry sundae, a large $3 brat slathered down with sauerkraut. Definitely have to try the cranberry offerings, and a cherry pie. A fairly new and, judging by the line, popular spot is the one with Wisconsin baked potatoes which you can load to your satisfaction.

THE MILK GUY

Outside, and closer to the midway is another must-stop for me to get my milk-fix, US Senator Herb Kohl's Superb Milk House. This place always has a line of people waiting to get the 25 cent flavored milk. They have finally gotten to the banking wait lines to prevent cutting, which happens a lot here. Even then, I saw one lady in her sixties and appearing healthy hop a line and move up. Nice lady.

A word here on lines. I avoid lines as much as possible. I don't like to wait. There are enough times in my life where I HAVE to wait so if I have any choice, I choose not to wait. So, if I elect to stand in a line, it's gotta be something special.

The line at Herb's was long, but as I was making my way to the end, more and more people were beating me to it. At least twenty people got into the line before I could get to the end. It went fast, though, and within five minutes, I was trying to balance small cups of mocha, chocolate, and strawberry milk. To spill a drop was not an option.

We took a seat at a picnic table, something the fair should really make more of an investment in. There just aren't many places to sit unless you're at a restaurant of bar, and then they want you to buy something. We were right across from a state fair staple sideshow featuring 40 Live Reptiles on Display. Mighty good milk.

WISCONSIN EXPOSITION CENTER

Next went to the huge fairly new Wisconsin Exposition Center while walking past the booths offering items for sale under the grandstands. A plaque outside the Exposition Center said that the fairgrounds at one time was Camp Harvey, a Spanish-American War training camp. The Wisconsin National Guard was established in 1879 to improve the existing militia system. A total of 5,469 men trained here and were organized into four regiments. Two of them saw action in Puerto Rico.

The commercial building was really packed with people. You had to pay as much attention to the people as the booths. It was like being a human pin ball. One guy in a wheel chair almost ran me down. We got out of there about three quarters of the way through.

THE MUSIC

One thing we always enjoy doing is checking out the bands. Usually, we just listen to one or two songs and then move on, but we have some favorites where we'll sit for a set. One of them was Hat Trick, playing at Miller Lite Park. This is a band that is stage-challenged. Other than the drummer, you never know where they'll be. What stage? We don't need no stinkin' stage. Great band and a lot of fun.

We also saw a set by the Rhythm Kings at Bob-A-Linda's. They play a lot during the summer at Captain's Quarters on the Chain of Lakes. Michael Drake and the No Tan Lines Band had the house rocking at the Tropics at the Fair.

Polka Mania was playing at Cracovia, Andrea & the Mods at Saz's Ribs, and Coventry Jones was playing Irish music at Slim MgGinn's.

PRICES

Unfortunately, prices at the fair have been on the rise the last several years. A beer is generally going to set you back $5 to $6. If you try to get around it and have pop, that is usually in the $3 to $4 range. Most sandwiches are $4 to $7.

My Feets Have Just about Recovered. --RoadDog