Category: Campgrounds

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta – Wednesday October 5, 2016

More balloons:

I started out by editing my pictures down to 50 pictures I wanted to post however I’m only going to show seven.  I might post them when we get a wifi connection.
Before sunrise 12 balloons are inflated and lite by the burners.  When the winds are good they will lift off.

One of the challenges of these night pictures is focusing in the dark.

Most mornings Yoda and Darth Vader came our way.
We picked up an extra traveler at Bluewater Lake State Park, he just decided to leave.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta – Tuesday October 4, 2016

Again this morning balloons came our way.  They didn’t start up until after 7:30 a.m. because of the wind at upper elevation.
Each morning one or two of the first balloons show the flag.
The “Orlando Balloon Rides” balloon had two people from our group on it.   Thirteen people on this balloon.
These two balloons are at the same distance the Orlando balloon is one of the biggest balloons of the day.
One of the cool balloons landing.
Looking up into a balloon.
Some came in real close.
Looking up into a balloon.
Sunday evening the Balloon Event people came and asked if we would allow this guy from Canada park in our reserved area because the park was full and he know we had a couple of no shows.  Last night way after dark we saw him down by the back of his Airstream trailer dumping his grey water out onto the ground.  We have lost our belief in the common good and do what is best for just us, what an a-hole.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta – Sunday October 2, 2016

This morning we stayed in the RV camp to watch the balloons.  It worked out really great because all the balloons came our way and may went right over the camp.  Also, many balloons landed in an open area right in front of us.  Deciding which pictures to post has been a challenge.

Here are some balloons:

These balloons are from a set of balloons sent up just so they can be lite up in the morning before dawn.
Here they are opening the top of the balloon to let the hot air out.
In the evening we went to the launch field to be part of the balloon evening glow:
Asking some people’s kids not to touch to balloons is a waste of time.  The pilots are let people damage a lot of their equipment.

The balloons air filled with air, tied down to the ground and then lite up in the dark of the night.
The glow was followed by some great fireworks, this has been quiet the experience.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta – Saturday October 1, 2016

We got up at 5:00 a.m. to get the bus to go and watch the Dawn Patrol and the first Mass Balloon Ascension for 2016.  It is dark here in the morning and we really didn’t know where were going other than north.

The bus picked us up just 5 motor homes from our sight and dropped us off 50 feet from the launch field gate.   The RV parking field is right across the street from the festival area they have bus lanes so getting to the park and return is rather quick.  I understand to walk from where we are is a mile or a mile and a half depending on who you talk to.  I’ll look on a map and figure it out or walk it later in the week.  Oh, by the way all questions have at least two answers, depending on who you talk too.

We were on the balloon field from 5:45 to 9:30 and only got to see a few of the balloons.  You get to stand on the launch field right next to and between the balloons.  It is really neat event and we are glad we came.
Street maps of the festival area.
You can see where we walked.
Stayed on one spot and watched balloons going up around us.
This is where we are parked.

This is a great location, we seem to have more space then many other areas of the RV park.

Here are some of the balloons lit up in the morning.
Group of balloon pictures from the launch field.
Here is the campsite Richard and I set up between our motor homes.

 

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta – Friday September 30, 2016

Today was our arrival at the balloon festival.  As we drove into town this morning you could see balloons flying across the valley.

Campsite pictures, site 3894C

Saturday we will be going to the Dawn Patrol (balloons lit just at dawn) and mass Ascension  of all 600 balloons.  We I say going l mean going a mile north to the field where the balloons are assembled and lift off.  Our current understanding is we will be able to see a lot of the events from where we are parked. 

Lees Ferry, AZ – Thursday September 22, 2016

We left Sand Hollow at 7:15 this morning, wanted to get on the road before the bad weather moved into the area.  It worked out well at we got here about 10:30 local time.
Here is today’s drive.
Lees Ferry area.

Our campsite, we set in the middle area for a while before moving over to a canyon edge site.

We are in site 41 at $9.00 a night with old guy pass.   We may be here until Wednesday or might move on sooner.
View from my chair in the shade setting next to the motor home is below.

This is looking back towards the campground from the river.

At 8:30 this evening the wind picked up and by 10:00 it was blowing 50 and 60 miles per hour. We put the large slide in around 9:30 and then put the bedroom slide in around 10:00.  The wind was blowing over the bedroom slide topper however the weather app shows rain coming this way and I don’t want rain coming in under the slide topper.  Getting the wind from the driver’s side rear quarter panel and it is sure raising hell with the old satellite dish.  It is designed for wind to come from the front and not the rear.  It is really banging.  10:45 and starting to RAIN big drops. Update at 11:00, rain quit after a few minutes wind is still blowing. 11:21 wind has stopped. Man is it quiet.

We keep a thermometer in the refrigerator to make to easy to keep track of the internal temp.  This afternoon I looked to see what the outside temp was and the refrigerator was at 50 degrees.  We went through this several years ago and I finally figured out that if I shut off all the power to the house side of the motor home for 30-60 seconds the refrigerator will reset it’s self.  I reset the power turned on the internal fans and an hour later the refrigerator was back down to 38 degrees.  Those internal fan can move some air.

I like traveling in warm weather not hot but warm.  One of the advantages is the motor home’s batteries last forever.  This evening we had the TV on using the 12 volt DC to 110 volt AC for several hours and the battery voltage never got off 13.0 volts.  With a light it went to 12.9.