Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - check it off the bucket list!

We have always wanted to go to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta and this was the year.  It was an amazing experience - so very hard to describe - you just have to see it for yourself.

This year there were 550 balloons flying.  We went to the Special Shapes Rodeo Friday morning and the Mass Ascension Saturday morning.  The only bad part was getting up at 4:30 am to get there.  We took the shuttle bus from west of town and it worked perfectly.  No traffic, no crowded parking.  The bus dropped us off right at the front gate.

No words - just fun pictures.

Fall in Creede

Since last fall was so beautiful in Creede CO, we returned there for this September.  Jean and Dave (and Yogi and Max) spent the month with us.  We had lots of company including Dottie and Jerry (Sandy's sister), Ken and Betti and Tom and Kathy (Alan's kind of cousin!).  There was also an EXCEL rally during that time.  Lots of fun things to do.

View of Creede from the hills above town.  The Mountain Views RV Park is at the base of the mountain on the far right.

This is a pretty typical view of what we saw each morning when we walked.  It sure makes it easier to get out there.  The town of Creede is between the two big rocks sticking up on the far left.



We did lots of sightseeing.  The is North Clear Creek Falls.  I am always amazed at how it falls from flat ground down into the canyon.

Alan and Sandy with Yogi and Jean and Dave with Max at the falls.



Rio Grande Reservoir, the beginning of the Rio Grande River.



Alan and Tom at the Pine Crest Ranch, the collection of small cabins where they both spent time as kids.



Bachelor Loop drive.  A beautiful drive above Creede to view some of the area's mining history.



We had some beautiful drives to check out the fall colors.

We ate a lot, of course!

Jean and Dave enjoying burgers at Freemon's.



Dave, Jean, Alan, Sandy and Dottie at Cottonwood Cove enjoying ice cream.



Tom, Dave, Jean and Kathy at Southern Vittles in Lake City.  The VERY best chicken fried steak.



There were some fun community events.

The hot air balloons on Labor Day weekend.  It is so much fun to see the balloons fly right over the RV park.



Every other year they have a big quilt show in Creede.  There were over 150 quilts.  Impossible to pick a favorite.













We saw lots of animals, including moose (!), mountain sheep and deer.







This was taken on September 29, time for all of us to get out of  Dodge.