To be perfectly honest, there are always many things that puzzle me.

For instance, just how does my little smart watch actually work? How are huge jet planes able to fly? Why are athletes and actors paid millions of dollars for what they do?

Another thing I puzzle about is vandalism. I just don’t get why some people want to do something like knock the head off one of the Sprouts. Was it just for ‘fun?’ I mean, what did the cute little Sprout ever do to them?

Did their mother make them eat Green Giant peas when they were young, and now they are taking it out on the Sprout ­- because the Giant is too big to go after?

And then there is another puzzle I wonder about, of why there weren’t more people at the Faribault County Fair on Saturday.

Granted, earlier in the week it was mighty hot and humid. I could pretty well understand folks wanting to stay home in air conditioning when the heat index is over 100 degrees.

But Saturday? It was a really darn nice day. That wind on Friday night blew through as a weather front brought cooler air temps into the area.

Saturday was just plain nice. Summer in Minnesota just does not get much better.

Perhaps it was too nice, and people had other things they wanted to get done. Golfing, boating, camping, maybe.

Now don’t get me wrong. There were people at the fair on Saturday, it was just that I expected lots more folks to be there. There were small crowds at the free entertainment, but it certainly was not packed.

At the Trinity Lutheran Church Food Stand, workers were waiting for the big rush Saturday evening, but, while it was steady, there never was that usual Saturday night huge crowd, when the stand usually runs out of their famous hot roast beef commercials.

And, if you were not at the Grandstand on Saturday night, you really missed something. That ATV Big Air show was pretty astounding.

I remember about eight years ago when there was a motorcycle/ATV race at the fair, and the riders were flying around over jumps in front of the Grandstand.

But, this was something else. There was only one jump. And the riders took off on that ramp and soared 75 feet into the air, higher than the roof of the Grandstand. They did tricks in the air and then somehow got back on the vehicle and gained control of their machine just before it landed on a big ramp.

I was puzzled how they did it. I was really puzzled why anyone in their right mind would want to do it.

If you were there, you know what I am talking about. If you were not there, then I can tell you that you missed quite a show.

I have always thought that those men, and women, who are in the rodeo and ride broncs and bulls are crazy. But those young men who rode the cycles and ATVs way above the Grandstand are REALLY nuts.

Don’t get me wrong. There were people at the fair and the Grandstand did have lots of folks watching the show on Saturday. But it was a long way from being packed.

Which puzzles me.

Is it because there was not a carnival this year? Does that really make that big of a difference?

Perhaps so.

But in my opinion, there is a lot to do, see and eat at the fair without there being a carnival. But then again, I am not a kid. I’m just a puzzled old guy.

Maybe next year will be better. And if those crazy ATV boys are back, I suggest you don’t miss them.