2016 September 5, Saturday, Sweet Tater Festival @Smith Lake & Labor Day Actives

Started the morning with a call out to work with Hubby. It only took about fifteen minutes to reset the alarm. 
While at Red Stone Arsenal, we stopped at a couple of new buildings so I could take pictures. 
The first building was glass, and the entrance had a metal winding staircase that led upstairs to the top level, with high ceilings. 
On display in the lobby were rockets, the Space Shuttle, the mini Apollo Lunar Module, a globe of the Sea of Tranquility from July 1969, and a table made from a rocket exhaust nozzle.

Tabletop
Base made from Rocket Exhaust Nozzle

Table made from Rocket Exhaust Nozzle 

Space Shuttle

The next building held the Space Launch Systems.
It had a life-size space suit, an Orion Spacecraft, and a mini NASA building with a launch area.
There was a half-circle orange bench where people could sit, not very comfortably. 

There was a life-size model of the Space Launch System (SLS) at a 1.25 scale.
The Space Launch System is going to Mars. 

Lifesize Space suit with an arm around a woman 

Space Launch System will be the next rocket to go to MARS.

Smith Lake at the Sweet Tater Festival was our next destination, about an hour away.
As we got closer to the park, we saw signs that said, "This way to tater festival. Have money ready." The entrance fee was $3 per person, and children 5 and under were free.

There was plenty of parking, with no one directing traffic. We found a nice, close spot and parked. 
I took my camera with me and started taking pictures. 
We picked the hottest time of the day to visit the festival, the sun was blazing hot,
and sweat was already pouring down the back of my shirt.
The aroma of barbecue, hamburgers, & french fries filled the air.
There was a lemonade stand for the thirsty. 
I could see Smith Lake in the distance. I wanted to take off my shoes and wade into the lake. 
The sound of music filled the air coming from a staging area.
There were people with their children and many with their dogs. 

They had carriage rides for five dollars. I wanted to ride, but it was too hot.

Smith Lake 

Carriage Rides

Inflatables for kids

Band

Mechanical Bull riding

Food Vendors 

Several people brought their dogs.

In the wooded area was the Hot Rod Car Show.

We saw Corvettes, Fords, Chevys, Mustangs, Camaros, Trans-Ams, Firebirds, and Cadillacs.

Thunderbird

Ralph Lane st 1927 Rat Farm 

Most of the car show was in the shade.

Cadillac

Corvette

Oldsmobile 

Orange Ford truck Hemi Powered

the red car 

Two hours was more than enough fun in the hot sun.
We exited the park and took I-65N to Cullman.
We stopped at Logan's Roadhouse for a late lunch.
I was still wearing an orange wristband when I went to the restroom at Logan's. There, I meet a family also still wearing their orange wristbands. I asked them if they had been to the festival. They said yes.
As we were leaving, we met a man carrying a large camera case and wearing an orange wristband. I asked if he had been to the festival. He replied yes. I laughed and said that Logan's must be the stopping-off place for many people who had been to the festival.

We ordered 1/2 rack of ribs, fried apples, broccoli, salmon, and rolls.
For dessert, we ordered three slices of sweet pie.
One peanut butter and two strawberry cheesecakes.

A bucket full of strawberry cheesecake

Arrived home around 4:00 P.M.
At 5:30 P.M., we rode to Tennessee to buy lottery tickets.
Stopping at Roger High in Greenhill to watch our grandson play football.

The first team lost to Rogers 0 and to Lauderdale County 28.
When the first team played, the sun was still blazing down, and I could nearly see the boys play. By the time the next team played, the sun had set, and it had cooled enough to enjoy the football games.
The boys took several cool-down breaks, which they needed; several looked very hot.
The next team won 27 Rogers, Lauderdale County 17.

There was plenty of activity going on in the bleachers with our great-granddaughter.
Had a full, fun day.