Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

Well, it is Friday of the Balloon Fiesta with rain and drizzle, and the sun slowly peeking through...lol...We went to the park, hoping to see some of the balloons inflated, and we were rewarded. They will not fly today, but we are hoping tomorrow we will see them in the air. Even though they are on the ground, it is a grand scene....You can even see a rainbow on the upper right hand corner...all is well...

Balloon Festival October 2011

Rollie and I arrived on Tuesday the 4th just before it started raining....what luck....There were 21 rigs in our group.  We dry camped across from the Balloon Museum and Field.  Next day we went on a tour to Sante Fe where we visited the Loretto Chapel, which contain the staircase made without nails...
Thursday and Friday were cold and windy and rainy, but it was nice to visit with the other RV'ers. and then Saturday was the great day.  Here Rollie talking to his sister Norma for his birthday on Thursday.

We finally went over for the mass ascension, and walked around the field.  We could see how they blew them up and some of the special shapes.  Some were also remote control as well..a beautiful site...
On Sunday was the final mass ascension, but we stayed in the RV park.  It was great  because they all headed our way, and many landed right around us.
Here are a few of the pictures we took.  It was so much fun that we took over 400 balloon pictures...you''ll have to come see them on my digital frame..lol...

We left shortly after that and headed to Lakewood, NM for a couple of days.  We needed to warm up, and undust ourselves..lol...we will head home by the end of the week.  It has been a great couple of months.

Goshen, IN

We have spent the last two week here in Goshen, IN at the MOC rally, short for the Montana;s Owner's Club.  We went to a factory tour of the 5th wheels at the Keystone factory, and met a lot of the suppliers that are used in making these great touring vehicles.  There were also lectures back at the campground, as well as crafts, computer lessons, and lots of good food. There was also women's driving school.  We drove with a unit behind us.  We backed up, and learned to hook up.  The Keystone volunteers were great, !!!!!
During the time here at the fairgrounds, the Mennonite relief sale happened, where they auctioned off quilts and various items to send money to hurricane, tornado, and flood victims.  Love to see the horse and buggies rolling down the road!
During our free time, Rollie and I toured the area.  There was an apple festival in Nappannee.  Nothing like fresh apples almost right off the tree.  There was a cheese factory in Middlebury, and of course Shipshawana for shopping.  The Amish make great furniture for the RVing world.  We have lots of changes and improvements to consider, maybe.

This is one of the flower quilts around the region that you can enjoy.  They are very beautiful, even in September.

These are stalls for the buggies outside the Walmart for the Amish to come shopping.

Now it is off to Albuquerque, NM for the balloon festival starting on October 4th.

It has been raining here for a week, so it will be good to see the sunshine.

We arrived in Goshen, Indiana on Thursday.  We needed a tune up from Morryde, and added an undercarriage storage at Lippert.  We found a great breakfast restaurant at Grandma's in Elkhart.  Then on to the fairground in Goshen for a two week stay.  We have already met some nice people coming in with their Montana's for the rally.  We of course put our texas flag up to locate our unit...lol..
Saturday we headed to the Apple Festival in Nappanee.  Fresh apples and cider..yummy,,

The Escapades August 2011

We have just moved over to Sturgis SD, after having a great week in Gillette, WY.  WE went to boot camp to learn all the things we have been doing RVing better.  We learned a lot about safety, and maintenance, as well as getting weighed so that we can travel more safely.  The seminars were all very interesting and hard to choose from.  Rollie to went to boondocking of course, and I learned about cleaning with microfibre, and less chemicals.  So good by soap, and hello alcohol, vinegar, and peroxide..lol...
We also representative Chapter 11 at the ROW, where we told other of our chapter doings, and gave out travel literature.
There were also some craft classes I got to do....bracelet making...it was fun...we made new friends and will see some of them at the balloon festival when we go in October.  Overall this last week was great

Last Week in Sturgis

These prairie dogs were outside Devil's Tower.  They were cute, and would pose for a picture..lol...and then jump back in their holes.  Just what you would want in your yard..lol...

We had a great week, using Sturgis, SD as a base.  We went to Spearfish Canyon, where there were several beautiful waterfalls, and lots of pine trees.  Just a great drive.  This brought us through several small towns like Deadwood, where the gold rush in the 1800's, caused them to develop.  Now they are tourist stops, where you can eat and gamble in a picturesque setting.  The Saloon #10 was a great lunch spot, for example.


Another day we drove down to Mt. Rushmore, which took us through Keystone, where we ate lunch at Ruby's.  Another old saloon with old photographs, and a motif of the 1899's.  You could also take a train ride on a steam engine train to Hill, but we drove instead.

Another day we headed toward Rapid City, and went to the Air and space Museum, where there were lots of airplanes, and of course the Minute Man Missile.  We took the tour, and were taken to one of the silos...very small, compared to the Titan Missile tour.  With improved technology, i can see why they became extinct.



Back in Sturgis, we heard about the Full Throttle Saloon, and decided to ride by.  They are only open for about 10 days a year, during the biker rally, where 15,000 people a night come and here music, etc..The place is huge!

Now we are off to Goshen Indiana for a rally with other Montana 5th wheel owners

This was the design for the Escapades 2011 in Gillette, WY.  The rally was full of great seminars, new products, and food.  We spent 10 days in the region, and met lots of great people.  I learned about blogging, and facebook. Picasa is a great program to use with your photos too....