Oct 5 – 8, 2011  At 7:30 p.m. we finally stop in Grants,  New Mexico at The Lavaland RV Park ($19), about an hour outside of Albuquerque.  We have to be up at 4:30 a.m. to make the 5:30 a.m. start.  The Festivities are all day, but the balloons need cool air. Balloon times are 5:30 – 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.   We need to catch the morning activities because we are now heading east and there is some funky weather coming in behind us.  Albuquerque is still high in elevation, 7,000 +.  When we left the North Rim they were preparing to close the campground in anticipation of the first snow fall.  Yellowstone campgrounds were  already closed.

Oct 6, 2011  The early bird catches the worm.  It’s cool, but unfortunately it’s too windy for the balloons to go up. They have to stay tethered.  It was Specialty Balloon Day. There were over 100 balloons. Some balloons were from far away countries, like Brazil and France. David  had never been to a balloon festival. I had been to Balloons over Bristol.  No comparison.  This was over the top!  There was a Darth Vader balloon and the crew were all dressed as Star Wars characters.  Noah’s Ark was pretty cool. There were just all fun. The atmosphere  was VERY festive and upbeat.  Who knew people could look good and have fun that early in the morning!

We had to leave at 8:30 a.m.  The wind was picking up.  The plan was for me to drive some on  I 40  through NM, TX, OK .  Straight, Straight, Straight … it was time to head home and we thought we were pressing our luck with the weather.  We were in a wind storm beyond belief.  I told David to call me Dorothy.  Needless to say, poor David was stuck driving until he was exhausted.   We finally stopped in Texas at a 5 star campground with an indoor heated pool and hot tub.  The Amarillo Ranch RV Park in guess which town?  We rock and rolled in the camper all night . It felt like I was a baby being rocked in a cradle.  Unfortunately, it was not comforting.

Oct 7, 2011 More wind.  We’re on the road early, and see the sunrise  as we cross into Oklahoma.  It’s funny how the Texas pan handle is so barren, but when you cross over to Oklahoma you get color and some trees.  Still you can see for miles.  Today we’re headed for Camping World.  We have a broken toilet seat, shower hose, leaky skylight and we’ve lost our poop hose cover, again.  Mr Fix it’s list never ends even on the road. Maybe Old Bessie is telling us she’s ready to go home.  We didn’t do anything in Oklahoma except drive and stop at an unmemorable campground.  Next Stop Hot Springs, Arkansas.  We will take a break here.