Balloons and Varooms

[jamsto]

We just returned from this two day event in Ridgway, Co. It is a combination hot air balloon rally and car show.

Fri. night we did a car show in a city park and at dark, there was a balloon glow in the park next to the cars.

This morning the balloons inflated in another city park and when they were standing, they let in the car show cars for photos with the balloons. When the balloons launched, they parked the cars for the car show.

We took both XLRs and they got a lot of attention. I won first place in our class (1982 to present cars).

Jean did okay also. We purchased $15 worth of raffle tickets and she won two $25 certificates at the liquor store. We picked up bottles on the way out of town.

The local celebrity for the event was C.W. McCall, famous for his trucker song "Convoy".

The drive to and from the event was spectacular since Ridgway is up a 2 lane mountain highway north of Durango and you go through Silverton and Ouray. There is still a lot of snow on the peaks above 9000'.

Jean got some photos and will post them when she has some time.

Can't believe we are only just over a week away from the San Antonio trip.

 

[standby-V]

Robber Duck

Funny you should mention Convoy. The movie was made just down the road from you in San Bernadino and out on I-25.
Charlie Pride was holding a golf tournament at Rio Rancho, I lived on the course and was asked to play host at one of the check points to the country club and my wife and mother in law where at the pool with a big table and umbrella. God it was hot.
When I walked into the bar I ran into Earnest Borgnine who asked me if I knew anyone at the club that could get him and his director something to eat before they Tee off. Told him to go sit out by the pool with the two ladies with the umbrella and said I would get them something. Come to find out, my mother in law told Ernie that he couldn't sit in the chair that was in the shade because that was for her son-in-law who had been out in the heat all morning
In no time we had four waitresses waiting on us hand and foot. Earnie says, "boy, you sure must know somebody here. We all had lunch and told stories, what a great guy he was.
So we are getting ready for another Convoy and Rubber Duck is leading the Convoy out of Las Cruses.
Ali Mcgraw and Rubber Duck, AKA Cris Cristopherson where no shows and probably smoochin down by the Rio Grande.
I stopped a car and told the gentleman where the parking was for the viewing people and he showed me his badge hanging around his neck and said he was in the tournament, and who was it but Andy Williams. Remember "Moon River"? Boy did I feel like an idiot. See if you remember this scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qodnx4hmeDo
NO PANTIES.............Great movie!

 

[Lola's Mom]

We just returned from this two day event in Ridgway, Co. It is a combination hot air balloon rally and car show.
Fri. night we did a car show in a city park and at dark, there was a balloon glow in the park next to the cars.....

Jim ... that is a very unique event to attend for sure .... I remember last year when we drove over to meet you guys, in the morning at breakfast the skies above Albuquerque had a number of them skimming across .... stunning. I would have loved to have seen all of those balloons standing .... I bet it looked amazing.

'Glad you guys had a good trip ...
It will be good to see you again ... yep ... really soon!

 

[one blue bunny]

We just returned from this two day event in Ridgway, Co. It is a combination hot air balloon rally and car show.

Fri. night we did a car show in a city park and at dark, there was a balloon glow in the park next to the cars.

This morning the balloons inflated in another city park and when they were standing, they let in the car show cars for photos with the balloons. When the balloons launched, they parked the cars for the car show.

We took both XLRs and they got a lot of attention. I won first place in our class (1982 to present cars).

Jean did okay also. We purchased $15 worth of raffle tickets and she won two $25 certificates at the liquor store. We picked up bottles on the way out of town.

The local celebrity for the event was C.W. McCall, famous for his trucker song "Convoy".

The drive to and from the event was spectacular since Ridgway is up a 2 lane mountain highway north of Durango and you go through Silverton and Ouray. There is still a lot of snow on the peaks above 9000'.

Jean got some photos and will post them when she has some time.

Can't believe we are only just over a week away from the San Antonio trip.

Here are the pictures of "Balloons and Varooom". The first 2 are from Friday and the rest are from Saturday! We also met some really nice people and saw some people that we haven't seen is about 6 years!

 

[FLVGuy]

Great photos. Thank you so much for sharing. We don't have mountains like that here in Indiana! George

 

[XLR-V Lover]

Beautiful shots!!! They could be used in an ad for the. . .er, never mind. . .

Floyd (BB)

 

[one blue bunny]

Beautiful shots!!! They could be used in an ad for the. . .er, never mind. . .

Floyd (BB)

Thank you Floyd I thought about the commercial thing when I shot them and I know, I feel the same way.
Jean

 

[standby-V]

George,
What mountains? There speed bumps out here in the west. Now let's talk about Colorado, now there are some mountains.

Great photos. Thank you so much for sharing. We don't have mountains like that here in Indiana! George

 

[standby-V]

Sure do love that black Cherry, it was going to be my next one even if I had to take the gills off myself and have them filled and painted.
Try to get a modification from any of these banks we have shelled out money to Via the government, which is our money and see how far you get. There squeezing every dollar and not giving any interest for CD and adding on fees like crazy. Anyone want to open up a bank so we can be rich as thief's too?

Thank you Floyd I thought about the commercial thing when I shot them and I know, I feel the same way.
Jean

 

[HOMEGAMEROOM]

I'm glad you finally won, Jim!

Great pics - looks like it was a fun event! See you SOON!!!!

 

[Cadillac Tech]

Great photos,it looks like you both had a good time. I hope you can get rested and the cars cleaned up before you leave for SA. Drive careful.

 

[Little Woman]

Great pictures.

 

[mtrocket]

Looks like a fun event... what dates are next years??? Maybe we would be able to come down... How far is Ridgeway from Denver; Denver is only 8 hours from me... a nice leisurely drive.

 

[jamsto]

Ridgway is about 80 miles north of Durango on Hwy 550. According to Expedia, it is about 292 miles from Denver. It was about a 285 mile trip for us from Albuquerque.

This year it was good because the daytime temps were about 70. We have seen past years when the road north of Durango through Silverton and Ouray was still snow packed until after Memorial Day and the Durango-Silverton Railroad couldn't run due to snow.