The County Fair

Yesterday afternoon, Charlene and I went to the County Fair, next to downtown Ventura.  Just a couple of miles away and all roads that lead to it are closed, one-way the wrong-way for us or clogged with swat team guys waiting for something to shoot at.  Just kidding about that last one....  Anyway, we spent about 4-5 hours walking around, sampling stuff you would only eat at a 'fair', riding rides, petting horses and goats.  I took some pictures throughout the afternoon and have included them here.  Overall, it was a lot of fun, period.  And that's what it's supposed to be, isn't it! 
If you click on the photos, you'll get a bigger uncropped version.  Then, use your 'browser's ' Back button to return here.

On the way to find a close parking spot, I took a pic of my Fair Ticket.  If you're over 62, you get a $3 discount.  Old People Rock!  As Charlene handed me my ticket, she ask, "Senior or Child"?  I said, "Yes, that describes me perfectly....Senior Child.

Once we made it past the ticket takers, there was a plethera of garbage 'fair' food booths as far as the eye could see.  Once a year, you're allowed to eat this crap in the name of fun.  Don't bother figuring out the fat content or calorie count.  You shouldn't come to a fair if you need to watch what you eat. 

As we worked our way toward the 4H and FFA animal section, there were way, way too many really cool garbage fair food booths.

Of course, there were some with 'catch-phrase' wording like, Best Buns in Town!  But 10 lb. buns?

One thing for certain.  We do not come to the fair for Cookies and Hot Chocolate.  Even though this is a cute little A-Frame booth, please, Grease and Lard Only!

Here's one of the main reasons to come to a county fair:  Funnel Cakes.  Hopefully fried in bacon grease, turned a powder white with the 'Snowstorm Powdered Sugar Shaker'.  Calories?  Animal Fat?  Who cares, it's the once a year county fair, deal with it.

Oh, My God, they had Foot-Long Corn Dogs!  Twice the nitrates and lard.  Mmmmmmm!

As we work our way to the livestock pens, the food frenzy goes on......Austrailian, Italian, Indian and so on....

We finally made it through the garbage food gauntlet and first up were the horses.  Such beautiful animals.  Here's a gaggle of pics from the 'horsey set'.

Then, on to the rest of the animals.  The best were the goats.  Their noses were no where near as soft as horse noses.  But one had a really cool Turtleneck sweater on, the other really cool dreadlocks.

You simply must put some kind of 'fair' garbage in your stomach before you go on the rides.  We started off with potato chips.  With a few onion rings.  These are fresh made while you wait.  Sliced, boiled in fat, hit with the 'Snowstorm' salt shaker, cups and cups of Heinz Ketchup.  Almost a pound of chips per basket.  Mmmmmmm, grease!

Then, it was on to the rides.  We did the Ferris Wheel, the 'Swings', the 'Bobsled' and the giant rocking pirate boat.  The swings was the worst, more centrifical force on stomach that the other rides.  I took pictures from the Ferris Wheel in honor of Ferris Bueller. 

Here's a pic of the Pacific, right next to us.  There's a guy sitting on his 'board' in the bottom left corner.  You're looking at the Oxnard / Port Hueneme coast from the Ventura Fairgrounds.

Here's a couple more taken of the fair itself from atop the Ferris Wheel.

Now, we had some garbage in our stomachs, swirled it with rides, saw the animal displays, it's off to the other buildings full of gems, plants, paintings and other 'fair worthy' crafts.

We stumbled upon an Oxygen Bar.  Bar?  Different flavors of Oxygen?  You Betcha!

  Just before we left, I saw a sign I couldn't resist.

YES!  I had to have one of them.  Damn it, too many choices.........O.K., I went with the deep fried  Snickers.

Of course, smothered in powdered sugar......

The first bite was just the dough-ey end.  Like a corn dog only sweet.  Then I hit the Snickers and everything was well and good with the world.

If you haven't been transported to the ER  with an overdose of sugar and cholesteral, here's the parting signs as we were leaving the fair.  Kind of reminds me of the morning D.J.'s "Pat and Wags"  (before Wags and Elliot) when they were at the Ohio State Fair, years ago, and were raving about 'Pizza in a Cup' on the midway.  Here's the updated versions:

and of course,

Yes, indeed, nothing says if finer than Chocolate Covered Bacon........ Bon Appetite!