Bank of America 500

We also went to the Bank of America 500 this past weekend at the Lowe's Motor Speedway. We had great seats on row 7 between turns 1 and 4. I'm not a NASCAR fan but it was a lot of fun to be so close to the race track. At one point we got splattered with oil form a wreck right in front of us. I know that someone reading this is thinking, how scary. But it is exhilarating to have the cars going past at 180 MPH so close together. The fans are protected by a mesh fence that is about 20 feet high and hangs over the track. We paid $85 (really $95 after the fees) but the seats were well worth it.

We left for the race at about 4 PM and after about an hour of traffic to actually get a parking space, we walked about a mile to the stadium. It was a beautiful day and the traffic was not as bad as I expected. Lowe's Motor Speedway sits 220,000 people. That is not a typo! 220,000 people is a lot of people. Its crazy how people park everywhere and anywhere to include the medians and shoulders of the primary roads.

Once we got there, we checked out the experience booths outside the stadium. I got shaved with a Gillette razor, we checked out the Dell plasma, got free toilet paper (no idea why), looked at the Jack Daniels tent, and so on. If you go to the All Star Race (May), the Coca Cola Race (May), or the Bank of America Race (October), go early in the day to experience the whole carnival like atmosphere. Its amazing how many locals come out for this event too!

Carolina Renaissance Festival

We went to the Carolina Renaissance Festival this weekend. What a cool place. I was pleasantly surprised by how much stuff they have going on. It really is geared toward kids and I am looking forward to our son being old enough in a few years to really enjoy the place. It is amazing that the organizers are able to get that many characters and actors in once place to make the whole event neat.

We tried the crepes, the king size turkey legs, and the bakery near the entrance. The town drunk was funny and the tree (like a character from lord of the rings) was great. We all though the tomato insulter was the best. Basically, you pay a few dollars to throw tomatoes at a guy hanging out of a wall while he hurls insults at you. Its harder than it looks and the guy in the wall was hilarious. He tortured this poor soccer mom.

Anyways, if you get the chance, definitely go to the Renaissance festival. The Carolina Renaissance Festival is a medieval amusement park, a 10-stage theater, a 20-acre circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament and a feast -- all rolled into one non-stop, day-long family adventure! It is on Poplar Tent Road between Huntersville and Concord, just North of Charlotte. It is open from 10 AM to 5:30 PM and it runs on weekends through the middle of November.