Keokuk Gate City Daily, IA
07-11-06
Lee County Fair concludes Sunday
By Robin Delaney /MVM News Network
DONNELLSON - New events and additions combined with the traditional blue
ribbon exhibits at this year's Lee County Fair in Donnellson.
The traditions included the crowning of Trisha Vandenburg as the 2006 Lee
County fair queen; the endless tables of produce, crafts, woodcarvings and other
4-H projects accompanied by a blue or red ribbon; and the rows of tractors on
display.
But the days of fair action beginning after 5 p.m. are long gone, and the newest
events are predominantly aimed at children, teens and young adults, scheduled
throughout the days and evenings.
For example, the American Outdoors Sporting Goods Paintball Challenge saw a
steady stream of youngsters wanting to shoot and be shot with paintball guns in
a semi-dark obstacle course. While “Monster Arm Wrestling” is a 26-year
tradition at the Iowa State Fair, it made its debut this year Sunday at the Lee
County Fair.
One feature at this year's county fair was a last-minute addition and didn't even
make it on the fair schedule. The Iowa State University Solar car and five ISU
engineering students explained the design of the car, answered questions and
told of their driving in recent competitions.
The car and students were near the new Youth Learning Center on Saturday and
at the grandstand Saturday evening.
“It averages 40 to 50 miles per hour, but under the right conditions it can run up
to 80,” explained ISU senior Justin Clegg of Clinton.
The solar car project began in the summer of 2003, with construction beginning a
year later and completed in 2005.
“I suppose during the design phase I was working 50 some hours a week on the
project in addition to class work,” Clegg said.
To date, the ISU Solar car team has received several awards, including a firstplace finish in the qualifying Formula Sun grand Prix and a third-place finish at
the North American Solar Challenge.
“Yeah, the Grand Prix was quite a haul - 2,500 miles over 10 days,” Clegg told
the crowd gathering around the unique-looking car.
“But what do you do on a rainy day, or when there is less sun than you need,”
One person asked.
ISU senior Amanda Helgeson, also majoring in mechanical engineering, too over
then, and lifted up a lid at the front of the vehicle.then, and lifted up a lid at the
front of the vehicle.
“This is out battery backup. We could go 200 miles exclusively on batteries if we
had to,” Helgeson said.