GREEN COVE SPRINGS - A day at the fair turned into an education on pigs, kids some high-flying rides and listening to an band that still sounded a little cool.
At the Clay County Fair, the Spin Doctors record hit "Little Miss Can't be Wrong" got me into the Fairgrounds arena for a little music after some time passing through the rides and then some time with the pigs, goats and cows.
First stop, was a little education from ranch guy Matthew Kelley, a Clay High and U.S. Navy guy, who had a daughter, Hayden Kelley, that cared for a 300-pound pet named King; a big pig.
"We got this guy when he weighed just 35 pounds and he's been with us all the way to 300 pounds," said Kelley. "Hayden is the main caretaker, but when she is at school, I'm the caretaker; feeding, cleaning, exercise, it all counts to have him ready for show and auction."
Kelley's best advice for prospective pig families is to make the commit with full heart.
"It's a family commitment because of the care needed," said Kelley. "It's also a great tool for parents who have kids because the care of the animal is a big responsibility. It's a great learning experience for life."
Kelley was successful in a Jaws-looking feeding of King with some Graham crackers.
Next to King was a pig named Legacy, owned by Middleburg student Kaylee Smith who was inquisitive as to the snack action next door.
On one corner of the pig pen was Keystone Heights High's Amelia Eenbarger, a petite sized student who was a third-place finisher, but was not as successful in moving her 300-pound pig Maximus (with some influence from the Gladiator movie, she said) to a position for a ribbon photo. We wound up getting a drinking water shot.
Down the road, goat guy Rylan Rice, a Lake Asbury Junior High Future Farmer, had his corral of goals, led by Hector, and among a whole bevy of inquisitive little goats.
"They are curious, and they like to chew on clothes," said Rice, as one of his smaller cadre nibbled on my shorts hem.
As I attempted to get a pic of Rice and Hector, the rest of the crew decided that it was to be a group photo, with each trying to get a nose up on the other.
Two booths down, Clay High's Tyler Booth and friend Emily Cunningham of Keystone Heights High, tangled up with five of their goats Dublin, Brooks, Clover, Anya and Grace in an attempt to get a family photo. Grace, far right, got a little anxious during the photo session.
Oakley, a pig owned by Lake Asbury Junior High's Jade Lane was also not very cooperative for a team photo, but Lane was successful on a final attempt.
Next was a walk to the opposite side of the arena where some very big animals were in final preparations for the Steer showings.
First, watching little Ella Heck belt out the National Anthem was an amazing display of lung power and maturity in the big arena as the little sister of Clay High's four-time girls weightlifting champion and now a USA National Arm Wrestling champion, Emma Heck, rolled out America's Anthem with enough power to fill a Clay High football stadium soon.
With a possible 120-145 pound high school student in charge of showcasing a near 1,000 pound animal capable of moving wherever they want, the Steer Show was an amazing show of grace and intensity, with the head judge explaining that the process looked for animal direction, owner eye contact and direction smoothness when walking the  big animals into judging formations.
The rides came next. First up was a Go Pro filming on the Hydro Spout, I think, by former Clay High baseball athlete Ethan Williams and a handful of friends taking on the spinning, revolving, rotating monstrosity.
(See Ethan's short film documentary of the ride on Clay Today Sports Instagram).
A series of photos from a falling tower ride, a spinning Himalaya speed spin, a flying triple Red Bull looking ride, some chairs on chains way up in the air and a host of fast-moving, vomit-inducing rides that challenged the hardiest of Fair Ride Goers.
The final stop was a chance meeting with Fleming Island High students Riley Pittman and Karalyne Halstead who took to the Space Port ride; a near 80-foot tower with spinning vessels at both ends at it spun at top speed with a great view of the entire fairgrounds.