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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1981)
J, Thursday, October 1, 1981 Dallas: State Fair of Texas They're also a good idea if anyone has a test the next week. A short break is better than none at all. Weekenders, on the other hand, usually take an entire week to recover from. It's best to plan a weekend excur sion so it begins on payday. Finding accommodations at your destination can be a problem. High school friends come in handy here. Do not stay with relatives of the parent variety. WHAT TO TAKE Beverages: Riding makes one very thirsty. This is where the cooler comes in. Small ones fit in the front of the car. Large ones may have to go in the trunk, which makes for more frequent pit- stops. Choose your size according to how thirsty you get. Food: It's not a good trip if you don't spill crumbs in the upholstery of the car. Plan to alternate something sweet, like cookies, with something salty, like peanuts. You will never get just the right taste in your mouth, so take a wide variety of munchables. Clothes: Take along some nice clothes, just in case you get adventur ous and feel rich. Pack extra duds, since anything that could possibly hap pen to spoil your wardrobe, will. And no matter how hot it is here, take along something warm just in case. Money: Is the root of all evil, and the necessity of fun. Since you're probably looking for the two rolled into one, take money. Other: If you're a former Boy Scout or ultra-prepared, you'll take along Band-aids, sunburn spray and insect repellent. But if you're one of the more average, unprepared types, you won't remember any of this paraphernalia. So take more money. WHAT TO EXPECT Murphy's Law and all of its corollar ies are in effect. The primary rule is not to let anyone bring a camera along, especially if there is film in it. Take a head count every hour and before leaving any place that has a cov er charge. You can't afford to go back in looking for lost sheep. If you lock the door at night, strag glers will show up knocking at the door at 4:30 a.m. If you leave the door un locked, strangers will wander in and crawl into bed with you. So don't wor ry about that. Something will go wrong with the car. It's just the rule of road trips, and if nothing happens, you're lucky. Wait till next time. Never plan to meet people any where, because they will not show up. Something will get broken during the weekend. Bones, glasses (drinking or seeing variety), shoes and feelings are all fair game. Somebody will do something indis creet with someone they normally wouldn't do indiscreet things with. Then they will act like it never hap pened. They are your friends, so play along with them. There you have it, a basic guide to road trips. Have fun, be careful, and don't get caught. The State Fair of Texas brings this year's theme of “Going Places, Doing Things," to Dallas October 9-25. The 17 days of festivities in clude a mixture of new and old- fashioned fun including a rodeo, an automobile show, a Broadway musical, and the Uvestock and produce judging expected at a fair. The fairgrounds are located two miles east of downtown DaUas off 1-30 East. Admission to the fairgrounds is $3, special events have sepa rate admission prices. The State Fair Rodeo is one of the nation's top ten, and runs nightly from October 10-18. Over 500 cowboys will try to buck their way into the record books. In conjunction with the fair, George M. Cohan's musical “Little Johnny Jones” runs from October 6-24. Also during the run of the fair, the University of Texas- Oklahoma football game in the Cotton Bowl will draw thousands of gridiron fans to town. Daily enjoy livestock events, and the stiff food and fashion competition legendary at state fairs. Livestock activities range from dairy cattle judging and horse shows to the World Con gress of Santa Gertrudis Breeders. In the women's building, sample ethnic foods or amble over to the Food and Fiber Pavi lion for a look at Texas agricul ture products. On the midway, scream on one of the sixty rides, eat corny dogs and cotton candy and show your skill at throwing darts and baseballs. Daily, enjoy free country and western concerts; every Satur day, free street dances. Magnolia: Renaissance Festival Lift up your cares at the seventh annual Texas Renaiss ance Festival, which begins this weekend in Magnolia. The fes tival is a celebration of Medieval England, and the dancing, drinking and cavorting that went on then. Modern-day revelers can en joy performances by acting com panies and dancers, or watch arts and crafts demonstrations. Enjoy the 300 artisans, with their handcrafted knives, stained glass, clocks, weaving and pottery. One of the most popular arti sans at the fair is the blacksmith, set up in a covered shop sur rounded by railings to keep spectators away from the fire. Blacksmiths create and sell wrought-iron items such as bar becue utensils, candlesticks and decorative pieces. Try being adventurous and ride one of their four elephants. Enjoy the booths abounding with tempting food and drink of the period sold by costumed maids and gents of the period. Sample a turkey leg "a la King Henry VIII" or tickle you tongue with apple dumplings, home made bread or sausages, or any of the other delcacies served. Admission to the fair is $8.95. To reach the fair site, take High way 6 south to Navasota and turn east on Highway 105 to Plantersville, then south on FM 1774. The fairground is about six miles north of Magnolia.