BOATS & TRAINS

Part of the Lake Havasu City Marina

During the month of March for the past several years, we have rented a boat slip at the marina. Yesterday, I reserved a parking space for our boat, and it will go in the water on March 1. Call me lazy, but when the boat is at the house, these are the steps that I have to take when we use it for a few hours. 1. Take off the cover. 2. Hook up to the truck. 3. Stop at the gas station. 4. Launch at the marina. 5. Pull it out of the water & wipe it down. 6. Back it into the yard. 7. Put the cover back on. So, guess what? I guess I'm lazy because I've only gone through that process once since we returned home from working at the Grand Canyon last summer. When it's in the water, we drive down, jump in and go. The added incentive to pay the $180 monthly rental fee is that most of spring break takes place the later part of March. I can almost guarantee there will be some interesting photos on the blog during that time period!

Bob Tucker and Patty watching, and listening to one of Bob's excellent slide shows.

We invited one of our Golden Spike RV Chapter members, Bob Tucker, over for dinner last night, as he and his motor home are parked here in Havasu for the month of February. We last saw Bob at the January Indio RV Rally where we made tentative plans to get together when he came to town.

One of Bob's hobby's is photography, which he takes to another level when he incorporates music with a computer slide show presentation. The music and other sound effects are blended to synchronize with the displayed images, and the end product is exceptionally well done. We watched several presentations, one of which was his photos of the Indio Rally last month. Of particular interest to me, was a slide show of the Tehachapi Loop between Bakersfield & Mojave. This railroad engineering marvel has fascinated me for years, and Bob had some great pictures of the loop, and of the new depot/museum in the town of Tehachapi.

We had a nice visit with Bob, and hopefully, we'll get a chance to get together again before we leave for Tucson next week. Our annual work gig at the Tucson Rodeo begins in a little over a week, and we'll be arriving there a little early, so we have some free time to visit with Marc, Chandra and our Granddaughter Laila.

BUY AMERICAN

Since returning from our week in Quartzsite, and a short, two day motorcycle trip, things around the home front are pretty routine. As I've said before, writing about trips to the grocery store, or other day to day stuff is not worthy of the effort, certainly not on the readers end.

When we do make a trip to the store, particularly to shop for other than grocery items, we are making more of an effort to buy products that are made in the U.S.A. In the last week, I've been hearing radio advertisements from two local business's that promote their use of U.S. made materials. One of those companies, Craig Plumbing, encourages the public to buy American made products. Their ad says if we all increased our made in the U.S.A. purchases by only 10%, it would go a long way toward bringing back some of the manufacturing jobs that are now in foreign countries. Even on a local level, it's encouraging to hear this subject being promoted in a more public way. In Stitches, another local company, that specializes in boat covers, and bimini tops, is publicly touting their use of American made products. Last year, I had them build a custom mooring cover for our boat, and all of those materials came from within our borders.

Rather than look for the cheapest price for an item, (wholesale & retail), if we all placed more of an emphasis on quality, particularly those products made here in our own country, it would be a huge boost toward putting a lot of people back to work. Just imagine if large companies like WalMart would place a higher priority on their purchasing of U.S. made products, and less priority on the cheapest price. Unfortunately, many products are only available through foreign made manufacturers, and the issue of choice is completely taken off the table.

As long as the business environment here in the U.S. is such that companies can't compete against cheap foreign manufacturing, the flow of "made in china" products will continue unabated. There's no simple answer, but I personally think that our Federal Government has a legitimate responsibility to make it easier for American companies to compete. On a level playing field, American workers & products will win the ball game every time. Given choices, if we would all buy "made in the U.S.A." products, it would make a huge difference!

DESERT BACK ROADS

Since the feds started bailing out everybody, I wonder if this little watering hole scored some of our taxpayer bucks.

My internal alarm clock started buzzing at it's usual time, which was around 5am yesterday. The slight problem with that was it was actually 4am, as I had picked up an hour when I crossed into CA, and my body was still on AZ time. That, combined with a harder than normal motel mattress, precluded dozing back off for a few more winks. So, now what do I do? Any more sleep was out of the question, so I found a newspaper, made some of that wonderful motel room coffee, and tried to kill some time. By the time I read the paper, including the classified section, and watched the TV news for awhile, I was up to speed on everything from foreign affairs, to who the locals were that got picked up for D.U.I. Finally, the sun peeks over the eastern mountains, and I'm ready to go.

The ride west on Hwy 74 out of Palm Desert is a series of curves and switchbacks that rapidly ascends into the mountains west of the Palm Springs area. By the time I had reached the 5,000 foot level, the temperature had dropped considerably from where I started at almost sea level. The ambient temperature gauge on the bike was reading about 35 degrees. With a lot of my cold riding gear on, the only thing I kind of wished I had brought was one of my full face helmets.

With the morning becoming a memory, the temperatures started rising, as I headed west, then south on several back roads that would eventually put me back into the desert near El Centro, CA. When I'm on one of these rides, I truly get lost in the moment, and it's all about the ride, the wind, what's around the next corner, or over the next hill. I don't stop a lot to take pictures, usually only getting off the bike about every 150 miles for gas.

It was about mid day, when I decided that rather than subject myself to another night on a tortuously hard motel mattress, I was about 3 hours from home, and that sounded like a better way to end a great 2 day ride. When I take off on these rides a few times a year, I never know exactly where I'm going, or how long I'll be gone. Usually, after 2-4 days, I've ridden enough miles so that I'm good for another few months. It's always good to get back home.

ESCAPE

Some of my motorcycle trips are planned, where I do a great deal of research regarding roads, places to stay, and stuff to see. And then, there are the spur of the moment rides, where one minute I'm washing the car, and 30 minutes later, I'm on the Harley, heading off toward an unknown destination. Such was the case this morning, when in an instant, I decided to escape from my normal at home activities, and catch some wind on the bike. Unlike a lot of my friends who ride motorcycles, I'm one who cherishes the open road by myself, where I have no responsibilities to anyone but yours truly. Some might call that selfish, but I really don't care, because it's an escape, and a true sense of freedom that has worked for me, for a very long time.

Fortunately, I have a life partner who recognizes and accepts my need to get away from everything, and for a lot of years, that escape has been on the Harley. There's a saying in the Harley world that goes something like - "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand".

Amboy, CA is on old Route 66 in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

So, this morning, without saying much more than "I'm going for a ride", Patty knew that I would be gone for a few hours, or perhaps as much as a couple of weeks. The one rule we have is that I call every evening, and tell her where I am. Many years ago, when we lived in CA, I remember calling at the end of a first days ride, and telling her that I was in Wyoming. That trip was one of 10, where I rode to the big motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D.

Today, I took off in a westerly direction, and veered off I40, west of Needles, and picked up a section of the old "Mother Road" that is still intact between Needles and Barstow. At Amboy, I put a few gallons of gas in the tank, and turned south off Route 66 toward 29 Palms. That's where I entered Joshua Tree National Park, riding south toward Palm Springs. This road through the park is one of the few roads in CA that I have never traveled. The road through the park is a great motorcycle road, with a speed limit under 45 MPH, and lots of curves.

Roy's in Amboy, CA has seen better times, but at least it's still open for gas, and a few conveniences.

When I left the National Park, I was near the north end of the Salton Sea, and I made a right turn toward Palm Springs. I ended up in Indio near the Riverside County Fairgrounds where we recently spent a week in the motor home at an RV rally.

Tomorrow, I'm going to head west over the mountains, and hopefully travel on a few more new roads that have eluded my quest for complete dominance of all major highways in CA. I'm getting close!

DESERT BAR PART II

Patty, Del, & Diana in front of the metal church at the Desert Bar

If you could close your eyes, and magically transport yourself to the Desert Bar, the scene would be similar to many rural watering holes around the country. However, you can't simply wave a magic wand, and instantly appear at the Desert Bar. You have to know where to turn off Hwy 95 onto a dirt road that winds its way out into the desert. Then, you have to slowly bounce along on a bumpy, dusty road for over 5 miles before you arrive at this very unique oasis in the middle of nowhere. The Desert Bar is a place like no other!

We stopped at Bob & Diana's house, where their friends, Randy & Del were visiting. This would be their first visit to the Desert Bar. We left Lake Havasu a little before noon for the hour drive to our destination near Parker, AZ.

Upon arrival, the parking area was already getting full, and the crowd was much larger than the last time Patty and I were there. In the blog archive, on November 7th, I wrote about some of the history of the place. All of the tables were taken near the bandstand, so we went down to the lower level where we found a table.

At 1 pm, the 3 piece band started playing some classic rock tunes, and they were pretty good. From where we were, we couldn't see them, but the music had us tapping our toes, as we continued our conversation, along with some food and drinks. Patty and I shared a root beer float, a first for us in a very long time.

Diana & Patty soaking up the 70+ degree sunshine.

It was mid afternoon when we joined in the parade of vehicles leaving the Desert Bar on the return trip back to the pavement. On the way home, we stopped at the London Bridge, where Randy got some pictures of the worlds largest antique. Before leaving, we agreed to meet at Casa Serrano for dinner, a local Mexican Restaurant. We capped the day with a short visit to our house, and we vowed to once again visit the Desert Bar before the hot weather returns.

Note: There's a glitch somewhere, as this is the 3rd time I've written the narrative. When I clicked publish the first 2 times, the text disappeared, so hopefully, that won't happen on this third try.

1,000 TRAILS HOT IN HAVASU

No, not the ambient temperature hot, but rather my temperament became rather hot yesterday afternoon around 1:30 at the London Bridge Resort, where Patty and I were attending a Thousand Trail membership meeting.

This 1pm meeting was advertised as informational regarding the recent change in ownership of Thousand Trails, and the impact of that change on the members. When the first letter came in the mail, I had a suspicion that this so called information meeting was nothing but a disguise for an attempt to sell members an upgrade to their current contract. In fact, I promptly threw it in the trash can. A few weeks later, a postcard came in the mail reminding us that we had not responded to this important request for a get together regarding the changed ownership structure of 1,000 Trails. At that point I had enough curiosity to call the toll free number for more information. I was told that there were significant changes that affected all 1000 trails members, and a face to face was necessary in order to explain everything. When I asked the person to give me the information on the phone, I was told that wasn't possible, and we would both have to attend this meeting that was moving from area to area around the country. Still skeptical, I asked point blank if this was an attempt to sell members an upgrade to their existing membership. I was told that there would be information at the end of the meeting regarding upgrade options, but that was not the focus of the meeting.

Our Thousand Trails membership costs us a little over $600 a year, and our contract (there's over 100 different contracts) allows us 50 days of free RV spaces in all 60 or so 1,000 trails, NACO, & Leisure Time RV parks. If we camp over 50 days, then we pay $5 a night. We're limited to 14 days in any one park, but we don't have to stay out of the system for any length of time. We can go right to the next park. Our membership works well for us, and we have no interest in paying several thousand dollars to upgrade our contract.

When we sat down, there were 4 other couples present, and within 15 minutes, it was obvious where this was going. It was a slick presentation, with a couple of short videos, and the typical half truths, all geared toward relieving us of a bunch of money. The two fellows who were making the presentation were from another company, and contracted by 1,000 Trails to do these meetings. They were just doing their job, but as the presentation continued, my temperature was rising. About 20 minutes into the spiel, I leaned over to Patty and said "this whole thing is just a sales pitch for an upgrade".

For those that know me, I don't have short fuse, but I'm not shy about letting my feelings be known. Not wanting to make a scene in front of the other folks, I sat quietly, only challenging the presenter on a couple of occasions. When it was over, I walked over to one of the two guys, and took him outside of the room. In a nutshell, I told him that I had specifically asked on the phone if this meeting was focused on selling members an upgrade, and was told "no, it wasn't". If fact, the meeting was entirely about an upgrade, and there was no important information regarding the new ownership of 1,000 Trails. I told him I was angry that my time had been wasted, and that I was not a happy camper. Apologies were gushing, and I was assured that my sentiments would be made known to the corporate office. Yea, right!

I should have trusted my original instincts, and if I had, we would still be parked in the desert near Quartzsite with our friends. As they say, "live and learn".

A SHORT DRIVE HOME

By the time I packed everything up, and lowered the 3 solar panels, it was around 11am before we pulled out of Quartzsite. We said so long to our friends Jim/Megan Stebbins, Len/Ellie Meacham, and Dave/Betty Buxton. Jim & Megan, and Dave & Betty are hanging out in Quartzsite until they head for Pomona next week, and the first NHRA Drag Race of the season. Len/Ellie are transitioning from the IRL Racing circuit, to NASCAR, and will start the season with the race in Phoenix. We wished everyone a good year, and safe travels around the country.

We enjoyed our week in Quartzsite, and probably would have stayed a few more days if we didn't have a meeting scheduled today with our Thousand Trails camping membership organization. There's been some major changes with the ownership structure of Thousand Trails, and this meeting is supposed to address all of that. I have a suspicion that the focus is going to be more towards selling members an upgrade, and if that's the case, I may just walk out.

If our animals could talk, I'm sure they would have told us that they were glad to be back in the big house. I know it sure is a lot easier to just let Sami out into the backyard, rather than hooking up the leash, and taking her for multiple walks during the day. Gracie has a lot more space to run from room to room, and our water cat spends a lot of time near the sink, just waiting for one of us to turn on the faucet.

Sitting around the campfire day before yesterday.

While I was lowering the solar panels, I snapped this picture of the crew. The motor home on the left is Jim/Megan's, center Dave/Betty, and Len/Ellie's house is on the right.

It's always good to get together with friends in Quartzsite, but, no matter where we travel, it's also good to get home. We'll be here for a couple of weeks before we head to Tucson for our annual gig at the Tucson Rodeo. More tomorrow on the Thousand Trails meeting.

LEAVING QUARTZSITE

Today marks a week parked in the desert about 5 miles south of Quartzsite, AZ, and this morning, we're heading back to Lake Havasu. While here, we didn't browse through all of the flea markets, and we didn't look at any new motor homes, but we did most of the other things that were on our list of things to do.

Yesterday, we rode into town with Jim & Megan in their new car, and spent most of that time in the big tent. We solved a problem with the fitment of my new flag light, when Flag Pole Buddy gave both Jim & I a new plastic adapter that fits better than the original did. The crowd was still large, but not as bad as the first couple of days.

When we got back to the camp area, we all sat around and solved most of the world's problems, while the girls found some snacks to compliment the happy hour. As the sun began to set, I built a campfire, using the rest of the wood that we had brought from home. As the wood ran out, and the fire began to dwindle, we all retreated to our houses on wheels.

Pictures will not load today, so hopefully, this text will make it onto the blog, and when we get home, I'll be able to post a few photos.

MORE FRIENDS ARRIVE

Diana is one of my hero's, still riding her own Harley.

It was around 10am when we got the prearranged call from Bob & Diana, to let us know they were at the Shell station in Quartzsite, and how could they ever find us in this ocean of RV's? I gave Diana directions to drive south on Hwy 95 about 5 miles , then turn right on La Paz Valley Rd, where I would meet & guide them back to where we're parked. When Diana turned the corner a few minutes later, she drove right past my truck into a sea of RV's. Bob stopped on his bike, and I asked where in the heck was she going? He said that he had no idea, as she disappeared down the dirt road, heading into the area where hundreds of RV's were parked. Bob quickly chased her down, with them both returning to where I was parked. Diana said she was looking for the black jeep, not the white truck. Good thing I wasn't a giant rattlesnake Diana!

When we got back to our campsite, we piled in the truck, and headed into town. We walked through the big tent, and over to Tyson Wells, where we had a Walla, Walla burger for lunch. I think the grilled onions were thicker than the meat, and they sure smelled good, simmering on the outdoor grill.

When we got back to the motor home, it was mid afternoon, and Jim & Megan had arrived. Their 16 year old Kitty - "Millie" was recovering from major surgery, and thankfully, seemed to be doing well. It was good to reunite with our old Skagway buddies, and catch up with all of the latest. They had just purchased a new Honda Fit, which replaced their Ford Explorer of many years. After the hit to the bank account, the good news is that the Honda weighs about half of what the Explorer weighed, and the Honda doesn't have to stop at every gas station.

We were surprised with an unexpected visit from some other Alaska buddies, Dave & Louise, who drove their jeep from where their motor home is parked in the Phoenix area.

A little later, part of our old race family, Dave & Betty pulled up in their motor home. Along with Len & Ellie, they had just completed working the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction, and were glad to not have any more of those long work days for awhile. We only worked that event once, so we can relate to the stories of the long work hours, and lack of a good nights sleep.

This is our last day here in Quartzsite, as we have an appointment in Lake Havasu tomorrow. I'm not quite ready to leave, but we have been here a week, and we've seen most of the stuff that's here. For some reason, the Internet connection was a little faster this morning, as the pictures loaded much faster. Nope, I have no idea why that's the case.

A night shot of our flag, with the new solar light, and the moon in the background.

IT'S SOOOOO SLOW

One of the things I like about parking here in the desert is that there's no hurry to do much of anything in the morning. There's lots to see and do, once you get into town where the big tent, and all of the flea markets are located, but there's no urgency to get there. I'm still an early riser, usually getting up somewhere around 5:30. Patty isn't far behind, and we've both been watching the beautiful Arizona sunrise through the motor home's windshield.

This morning, I'm still trying to load a picture with not much success. As I write this, it's been 27 minutes and counting, as a picture of Sami & Gracie is trying to make its way from my computer to Goggle, then back here to the motor home, so I can post it to the blog, then send the whole shooting match back to Goggle. Sound confusing, well it is! When you stop to think of the technology involved, it almost blows your mind! I have no idea how that all happens, particularly when it all happens through the air. I suspect folks thought that television was magic when that technology was developing over a half century ago. Hey, the picture just made it back, and it only took 36 minutes! To say that my Internet connection is slow would be a classic understatement.

Yesterday afternoon, we finished walking through the Tyson Wells Flea Market, and came home with a few fleas that needed a home. This morning, our friends Bob & Diana are riding their motorcycles down from Lake Havasu, and we'll introduce them to the Big Tent, plus a few other happenings here in Quartzsite.

Patty talked to Megan yesterday morning, and their 16 year old cat Millie was recovering from surgery. Everything seemed to be going well, and if nothing changes, they'll drive here from Phoenix this afternoon.

CHANGING WEATHER

Like many parts of the country, the weather in the desert can change pretty quickly. Yesterday morning started out with sunshine, and ended with small amounts of rain. The weather system that moved through the area is supposed to be gone today, with a forecast of warmer temps, and sunshine for the rest of the week. This morning, I'm watching the sunrise with not a cloud in sight.

Our physical location is about 5 miles south of town, and my Sprint data card is working, but only marginally. We've parked at this same spot for several years, and this is the one downside to being several miles out in the desert. Yesterday, I was able to load a few pictures, even though it took quite awhile. This morning, no such luck. I don't understand all of the techno stuff about how the entire Internet can be floating around in the air, and accessible to millions of folks with wireless computers and other electronic devices. Just the fact that we've had access to the Internet all over the country with this little data card that plugs into our laptop, is beyond amazing to me.

After I fixed another mega breakfast here in the motor home, we drove into Quartzsite, and walked through about half of the Tyson Wells flea market before the dark clouds started rolling in. Rather than risk a long walk in a downpour, we headed back to the truck, and as we were driving out of town, raindrops started to appear on the windshield. The rain didn't amount to much, but later, enough came down to at least settle some of the dust.

Later in the afternoon, our buddies, Len & Ellie arrived in their motor home, after working at the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction for the last week. After over a week of 14 hour work days, they were wiped out, so we had a brief visit, and then they caught some much deserved peace and quiet. Of course, Patty had to say hi to their two Pixie Bob Cats, Ruffles & Sambo before we retired for dinner and some TV.

Our other friends Jim & Megan, who were supposed to be here yesterday, called to say that one of their cats, 16 year old Millie was at the Vet with some health problems. They were playing it by ear, and hopefully everything will be OK. If so, they were hoping to join us in a day or so.

DOIN THE "Q"

This was the sunrise that we watched unfold yesterday morning.

Our first morning parked in the desert at Quartzsite was a bit on the lazy side, as we took our time getting going. Patty read while I posted on the blog, and did some other computer stuff. Then, I fixed one of my mega breakfasts which included bacon, fried potatoes, and fried eggs in bacon grease. Yea, I know, not exactly the healthiest of breakfasts, but it sure was filing, and mighty darn good!

We left the motor home around 10am, and our first stop was Root Farms for a 4lb bag of raw almonds. The Modesto based farm has the best almonds, and they're here in Quartzsite every year. While we were parked in the Rice Ranch area, we made a loop, and checked out all of the vendors alongside the frontage road. That's where we saw this dude with the cutest Australian Shepherd Puppy. He picked up his baby from a cart, and I took this picture. If you have to bring your dog to an area with large crowds, this was the way to do it. We saw lots of folks dragging their leashed dogs through the crowds, and to echo a fellow bloggers sentiments, Dennis Hill wrote that these folks just don't have the best interests of their dogs in mind. I agree completely.

Our next stop was the "Big Tent" which covers a huge area. By then, it was mid day, and even though the crowds were still large, it wasn't as bad as I've seen in years past. Many of the vendors were the same as previous years, but there were many new ones as well. While browsing through the tent, we ran into our buddies, Bill & "D" Hall, who we just spent a week with in Indio, CA. at the FMCA Western Regional RV Rally. They are parked at the Ameri-Can RV park in town, and after a short visit, we agreed to catch up with them later at their motor home.

One of the items on my "must purchase" list was no where to be found. I've been wanting to procure a Campfire in a Can, the one that burns regular fuels, not the propane version. I discovered from one of the vendors, that the traditional model is no longer made. Perhaps I'll be able to find one on EBAY, or maybe at a garage sale. I did find a few things that I simply couldn't live without, (happens every year), like a new flag, and a couple of other things.

Geezers sure do love their ice cream. I think I took this same shot last year.

When we finished at the big tent, we drove over to Bill & "D"s, and continued with our visit. They have the two cutest Westie Terriers, Bitsy & Sofi, who I would steal in a heartbeat if I thought I could get away with it. Bill offered me one of his solar flag lights for next to nothing, and if you can believe this, I actual negotiated the price upward. Did I just say that? Even at the higher price, Bill practically gave me the light, which I intend to put on my flagpole at home. Thanks Bill!

By the time we got back to the motor home, it was time to watch the end of the Patriots - Ravens game, then the second game between the 49ers and the Giants. Great second game, except for the outcome. In between, I BBQ'd some steaks, and we ended a great day.

QUARTZSITE 2012

We pulled away from the house mid morning, and set sail south bound on Hwy 95 toward Quartzsite, AZ. The distance from Lake Havasu City to Quartzsite is only about 80 miles, so after a fuel stop at Smith's ($3.76 for diesel), we arrived in the "Q" around noon.

This is the height of the season for this little town on Interstate 10, and many of the businesses have to make it during this couple of winter months. I've read all kinds of estimates on how many people flock to this small western AZ town during the month of January, but there's really no accurate way to make that guesstimate. The numbers that have been printed, range from tens of thousands to half a million. I know if you try to drive from point A to B, the traffic often borders on gridlock, and if you're trying to get a loaf of bread at one of the small grocery stores, be prepared to wait in line. Having said that, there's a certain amount of electricity and excitement in the air, and with all of the vendors in town, and at the big tent, there's lots to see and do. Just parking out in the desert for a week or so, is probably the favorite part of Quartzsite for me.

After passing through town, we continued about 4 miles south of town on Hwy 95 to mile marker 99, where we turned onto La Paz Valley Rd. and then an immediate right into the desert where we park every year. Once I got a few things set up, I climbed up on the roof and tilted the three solar panels toward the south. During the peak sunlight hours, these 3 panels (320 watts) put 18-20 amps into the battery bank, and they keep the batteries topped off very nicely. In a little over a month, our home solar system will be installed, and just as a comparison, it will have a capactiy of 4700 watts.

The wind was blowing pretty good yesterday, but it's dead calm this morning, and our temperatures for the coming week are supposed to be in the low 70's. Today, we'll brave the crowds at the big tent, and see if there's anything new that we just can't live without. If not, there will be lots of reading material, and I always make a few comments to myself like - "why didn't I think of that". This is only the second day that the tent has been open, so I'm sure it will be wall to wall elbows, and you know what!

IT'S A BALLOON INVASION

We arrived at Bob & Diana's house yesterday morning at 8:30am, then drove down toward the lake and the 2ND annual Lake Havasu Island Balloon Festival. When we got to the downtown area, we started seeing hot air balloons being inflated in several parking lots. Our timing was almost perfect as we moved from one parking lot to the next, watching the balloons lift off into a partly cloudy sky, with almost no noticeable wind.

This was the first balloon we watched being inflated, then ascend into the wild blue yonder.

These 3 balloons were all touching each other on the ground, then one by one, they lifted off.

Members of the public can buy tickets that allow them to go for a ride, and the cost is $185 per person. We saw lots of people climbing into the wicker baskets before the balloons left Terra Firma. I've never flown in a hot air balloon, but according to most of the folks we talked to, they say that if you can imagine floating on a cloud, that's what it's like to fly in a lighter than air contraption.

The variety of colors on these balloons is a photographers dream world.

Based on this balloon's design, my guess is that the owner lives somewhere in the desert.

When we parked at the old airport runway on the island, as we looked back over the city, there were balloons everywhere. It was quite a sight, and not one that you see everyday. After a short walk, we paid the $7 admission fee, and began to check out all of the attractions within the festival grounds at the Nautical Resort & golf course.

In addition to the normal, multi colored balloons, there were several themed balloons. Here's one that depicts Humpty Dumpty.

Speaking of themes, here's Diana showing us a Volkswagen Bug Limousine.

We were a little early for lunch, but the smell of what I call "Fair Food" was almost enough to make you hungry. We later had BBQ'd Tri Tip sandwiches that were pretty darn good. In addition to the food vendors, there were dozens of other vendors, and it took us awhile to check them all out. The Aquarius Casino in Laughlin had a booth, and they were giving away prizes based on a wheel that you spun. Diana won a free nights stay in one of their Hotel Rooms, and I won two free tickets to a Johnny Tillotson Concert. Does anyone remember Johnny Tilloltson? It turns out that Patty and I will be in Tucson on the date of the Tillotson performance, so I gave the free tickets to Bob & Diana. Not bad for a couple of fortune wheel spins.

These guys had quite a setup for mobile, food vending.

I wonder if this Panda balloon has the dreaded "Made in China" disclosure?

This balloon was coming in for a landing, and except for brushing against a palm tree, it was pretty smooth. Several times during the day, we watched skydivers landing in the festival area, and many of the jumpers were in tandem. Diana & Patty are talking about doing a jump between their birthdays in a few months. I'm sure it's quite a thrill, but I just can't get past the question - Why would anyone jump out of a perfectly good airplane?

As the day progressed, the crowd kept getting bigger and bigger. Since this entire event is put on by the local Lions and Rotary Clubs, all of the profits go back into the community in the way of local projects and charities. Everything seemed to be well organized, with lots to see and do.

One of the attractions was the opportunity to walk inside a partially inflated balloon.

Here's Patty, Diana & Bob inside a balloon.

The Mohave County Sheriff's Department put on a demo with one of their K-9's.

This dog is attacking the victim, and is just about to bite.

We watched several dogs chasing frizbees, and doing all kinds of tricks.

In addition to all that I've described, there was a carnival, tethered balloon rides, remote controlled cars & airplanes, a classic car display, and vendors that included boats, side by sides, motorcycles, RV's, and new cars & trucks on display.

We spent 4-5 hours checking everything out, and I went away with the thought that this is a fantastic event for our city, and one that we will not miss in future years. Just before dark, Patty had to make a quick trip to the grocery store, and as she turned onto S. Palo Verde, there was a hot air balloon that has just landed in the middle of the road. She was able to drive around it, and I suspect that with all of the balloons in town this weekend, that wasn't the only one that came down on a street.

This morning, we're back in the motor home, with a short drive down to Quartzsite, where we'll join thousands of other RV'ers for the annual gathering in the desert.