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| SUNRAYS JANUARY 2015
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
By Ken and Mary Lou Stubert
The Sun City RV Club enjoyed a spectacular trip to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in late September and
early October. Their RVs were camped directly under the take-off flight path of hundreds of balloons.
Right: Along the trail at Tent Rocks National Monument, Sante Fe, New Mexico.
C
an you be both wide-eyed and
bleary-eyed at the same time?
Ask the 31 Sun City Texas
RV Club members who attended the
2014 Albuquerque Spirit of the Winds
International Balloon Fiesta, and the
answer will be a resounding, “Yes!”
In those quiet, pre-dawn hours, just after
a rare lunar eclipse, the dramatic Dawn
Patrol - a small group of balloons that
light up the dawn - ascended to assess
winds and weather. Suddenly, a green
flag was waved, and the infield became
a beehive of activity as crews scurried
about, inflating hundreds of balloons.
Quickly, the morning sky began to fill
with vibrant displays of magnificent,
multicolored balloons of all sizes and
shapes. For the next two hours, we were
captivated and bedazzled as balloons
from the “Flight of the Nations Mass
Ascension” brightened the New Mexico
skies.
But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
The trip began on September 30, when
fifteen RV rigs independently arrived in
Amarillo, TX. The group bonded over a
pot luck supper, then spent the next few
days touring the Amarillo area. Many
RVers enjoyed a beautiful day at Palo
Duro Canyon, one of the treasures of
Texas. The RV Museum, antiquing and
shopping were also among the popular
activities. Of course, no visit to Amarillo
would be complete without an obligatory
dinner at the Big Texan Steak Ranch,
home of the free 72 oz steak! In spite of
much coercing, we couldn’t convince any
of the group to take-up the challenge -
especially after learning that the world
record is held by a 120 lb young woman
who demolished the steak in under five
minutes.
Travelling on to Santa Fe, the group
took a tram tour of the Old Town which
PHOTOs BY ken and mary lou stubert
Continued on page 60
