October 7, 2006 We got to the Balloon Campgrounds around 9:30 am yesterday and met the couple that were in charge of the Ozark Schooners get together, Dick & Ardith Wilkerson. They seemed to be a pretty nice couple and welcomed us to the group, and told us about the dinner that we were all suppose to go to tonight. Them and another couple showed up on Thursday and the rest of their group was showing up later in the morning. Dave had work to do so I went walking around the balloon grounds, watching them setting up all the food and vendor booths. When I had gotten back more of the Ozarks had shown up and were gathering outside of Dick's coach. Dave was making us name badges so I walked over to the group to meet them, Dick said this is Jeri and everyone can introduce themselves. A few of them said "Welcome and it's nice to meet you" but only a couple of them even said their names. Right after that they kind of turned their backs and went back to talking among themselves. I just took off and started walking Valley around, I didn't go to far because Valley still doesn't seem like she wants to walk, Dave said she is probably sore from yesterday, hard to believe that but who knows. Later Dave and I went walking around the field again, then came back and played on the computer and watched TV.
At 3:30 everyone in the Ozark group were to meet outside and drive to the Sandia Mountains to take the tram up to the restaurant, at least that's what Dick had told us. We got ready and went outside at 3:25 and the last car was pulling out of the camping area. Dave yelled at me to back up the car and lets get going, they were leaving without us and not one person came by to say anything to us. We managed to follow the last car but the van they were following just ditched them it seemed like. That van ran the 1st left hand turn light onto the freeway, but we had caught them. Then the 2nd time the light had turned red before the van had even gotten to the crosswalk and he still ran that red light. Thank goodness we weren't in that car, anyway, we all managed to make it to the tram at almost the same time but the winds were blowing too fast and the tram wasn't running. They said give it an hour then they would know if the tram would open back up. In the tram waiting area is a Mexican restaurant so Dave and I went to the bar to get a drink and there were 4 men from our group already in there. We sat down at the bar with them and talked, they were nice enough. About 45 min. later the tram opened up and it took up 1/2 of the group the other 1/2 to follow. The view was unbelievable, we went from 6000 elevation up to 10,000 elevation. The weather was about 20 degrees difference too, I was so glad that I had worn long pants. Dinner was good we had sat down with 2 other couples and had nice dinner conversation, they all still worked and were heading back after the fiesta. When we were leaving one of the guys, Ronny, mentioned that Dick and Ardith were having BBQ sandwiches tomorrow night at their place, incase no one had mentioned it to us, which of course they hadn't. This group sure isn't the friendliest, we sure do miss the Monaco Group, Dave and I will probably be to busy to join them, even though Dick is 1 coach away. Most of this group is from Oklahoma, maybe they just aren't friendly people, who knows.
At about 8:30 pm the fireworks show started, you could tell it was far away because you would see the stuff in the sky and the sounds you wouldn't hear for another 5 seconds it seemed like. Real weird to watch a fireworks show like that.
This morning we got up at 5:00 am to watch the Dawn Patrol Show, which didn't happen. It was drizzly and windy, but when you turned on the local news they were showing the balloons glowing so Dave's like hurry we have to go. We went out to the field, in the dark, 5:30 in the morning and there were no balloons. Assholes on the news were showing the day before we guess, but to you believe the place was getting packed with people already, in the dark the booths were starting to open up already and the freeways were backed up for miles. Thank god all we have to do is walk across this small bridge and we are on the field, and we are in the 2nd row from the bridge. As a matter of fact we are one rig from the road where everyone in the VIP parking drives by, so we get to view all the rigs coming in. Of course yesterday it was a nonstop line of cars and rigs, someone even brought in their boat, one that was big enough that it had a bedroom and bathroom in the hull, who would have thought.
Back to the air show, since the Dawn Patrol didn't fly we came back to the coach to get coffee and listen to more of the local news. At 7 am they had the opening ceremonies, which was the Albuquerque hot air balloon that lifted up with the American Flag and then Lynn Anderson sang the National Anthem then the balloons starting getting set-up. We finally found the people we had met in Albany and Dave started helping them get their balloon set-up. I was the picture taker, so I didn't help out, plus, they had enough people. The wind started picking up again so Bill Woodhead, the pilot, decided not to take the balloon up, you could see there were a lot of balloons having problems, better safe then sorry. Bill said they would try again tonight at 5 pm for the Fiesta Challenge. Dave helped them pack up everything, then we said we would see each other tonight at 5. Bill said he was hoping we would stay at least until Thursday for the Special shape balloons. He flies one that is called "ARKY" which is Noahs Ark, he said we could follow them in and act like their chase vehicle that way we wouldn't have to wait in the miles of traffic like everyone else does.
That's it so far for today, the next event is at 2pm which is the America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race inflation, tonight for entertainment is "BEATLEMANIA" which is suppose to be a 2 hour show. That's it for now, check out the website, altonsystems.com, because Dave has posted pictures already. (hope they are good, I haven't seen them yet, and god knows I'm not a good picture taker)
Bye