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Frank&Mike · 03-25-2010, 08:29 PM

Charles,

Thanks very much for your offer to caravan from Tucumcari together. We were excited with your offer ... then we realized we are coming in to the west of where you are located (we are planning to spend our first night in Pine Springs, TX to see Guadalupe Peak N.P.). Leaving Pine Springs and heading to Albuquerque takes us a little off your path. But we will be anxious to meet you both at the Fiesta!

M & F

Ken J · 03-26-2010, 08:07 AM

Next week I will be in contact with the Balloon Folks and will try to extend the deadline for sign up - but I can't promise anything at this point - so if you have been thinking about attending this great event and want to make sure you have a seat, I need to know in the next few days.

We have lots of folks signed up, so it should be another great rally.

Ken J.

6PackCharlie · 03-26-2010, 09:14 AM

Sounds good Kingfisher:
We will have to leave a little earlier that 7:00 am to get to Alb by 10:00 am. It takes about 3 hours to get to Alb from Tucumcari. We will be looking forward to it.
See you at the Fiesta Frank&Mike.
Charles

kingfisher24 · 03-27-2010, 06:15 AM

I think we will be in palo duro canyon prior to the baloon festival...but we will leave there and be in your area and contact you so that we may silver streak to the festival.....

thanks

66Overlander · 03-28-2010, 07:30 PM

Sign Us Up!

Lorrie and I have decided to attend the 4CU Balloon Fiesta Rally! The check will go in the mail tomorrow!

We will be coming from Michigan by way of Utah and Arizona. Will that put us in the running for the "long distance" award?

Seriously, we are just in the preliminary planing stages and are wondering if any of you have recommendations for "don't miss" sights to see in southern Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. We are just starting our research, but are considering trying to fit some or all of the following into our itenerary: Arches National Park (NP), Canyonlands NP, Natural Bridges National Monument (NM), Valley of the Gods, Brice Canyon NP, Zion NP, Grand Canyon NP, Painted Desert, Pertrified Forest NP, Petroglyphs NM.

I am sure some of these sites are better than others (at least for those with time constraints) and there are probably other sites we haven't even heard of or researched yet. Any recommendations you have would be greatly appreciated. To keep this thread on topic, just drop me an email or IM with your recommendations. Thanks.

**azflycaster** · 03-28-2010, 07:54 PM

Glad to hear that you will be making the trip this year. In the past years we have had folks join us from Florida, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Canada. This is a very popular event. Once you see the balloons take off on the first morning, you'll know why.

Phoenix · 03-29-2010, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank&Mike

We will be arriving from Austin, TX. Our plans are to arrive as close to Albuquerque as possible the night of Thurs. Sept. 30th so that we have a reasonably short/easy drive (within a couple of hour drive time to Albuquerque) the morning of Fri. Oct. 1st to meet up with the Caravan.

I checked RV Park Reviews for places within an hour or two of Albuquerque to stay the night of Thurs. Sept. 30th ... but I'm not finding many favorable comments on locations to the South and East of Albuquerque.

A couple of questions:

1. Does anyone have any suggestions for Campgrounds / RV Parks that would be South and East of Albuquerque?
2. RV Parks near Albuquerque indicate they have a 3 night minimum stay (and inflated rates) when reserving near the Balloon Fiesta dates. Are others that are trying to get as close to Albuquerque also staying in the outlying areas away from Albuquerque the night prior?
3. If "Yes" to # 3, where are you staying?
4. Is there anyone else going to the Balloon Fiesta from the Austin area (or traveling to Albuquerque from our same direction)?

Thanks for any input that anyone can offer.

If you don't mind a little detour over towards Alamagordo, Valley of Fires state park is a nice campground that has water and electric hookups, a dump station and nice showers. I think the restrooms, etc., are only a few years old.

By rerouting a little, you'll pass White Sands Missile Range (public missile museum just inside the entrance, and the space shuttle has landed here), White Sands National Monument (great photo op with your Airstream), a space museum with I-Max in Alamagordo, which also has a great miniature train park, and the Valley of Fires campground has an interesting boardwalk that goes out over the lava bed.

The road is well-maintained two lane highway (four lanes in places), and the route goes northeast out of Las Cruces and rejoins I-25 just south of Socorro. Not sure, but it is probably only a couple of hours drive from Valley of Fires campground to Albuquerque. There's lots to see and do on this side trip, and there are interesting sites and activities for kids and families.

If you don't make it this far north before dark, the KOA in Las Cruces is nice; and there is an interesting little Mexican village in Mesilla, a suburb of Las Cruces, with a town square and old church. Great, authentic Mexican food at reasonable prices, too.

Happy trails!

Ken J · 03-29-2010, 09:30 AM

Hey Joe

That sounds great! Got your voice last night, but seems like you had everything ready to go! As the VAC historian, bring some goodies with you........

Looking forward to meeting you in person..

Ken J.

sailors · 03-31-2010, 09:43 AM

Sheri and I have decided to attend the party as well. We are here at Roosevelt with Jimmie and Min and it just sounds like too much fun. Our plans change min.by min.but we are firm now for the summer and fall. See you there..Mike

Ken J · 03-31-2010, 09:46 AM

Thats great - the problem with this rally is once you attend, you have to come back each year!

Look forward to seeing you....

Ken J.

kingfisher24 · 04-11-2010, 01:40 PM

hopefully my check was received

and i have a spot...cause i'm on my way...fulltiming...house sold and we are on the road to this festival ...via the long way...we have headed up thru east texas stopping at the TAHI texas airstream harbor at lake sam rayburn...they are wonderful folks and a great place... and made the dogwood spectacular around rusk and palestine...then up to arkansas and where we are now...atop mt magazine, arkansas' highest peak at a rather small 2753...but is beautiful and great weather..we are dry camping at 2700 ft and it is great....
any way we are headed in and out of arkansas headed up highway 61 and the mississippi river and then to Rend lake Ill for a rally with forum members...just kicking around until it is time to head to the Balloonnnnnnnnnnn

Festival
se ya

Ken J · 04-12-2010, 09:32 AM

I did get your check - thanks...

GoldFever · 04-12-2010, 06:25 PM

So I guess I will ask the salient question: When will the remainder of the fee be due?
You did get our check, right?

Ken J · 04-13-2010, 02:45 PM

The remainder of the fee will be due at the end of July - I should be depositing all checks next week.

BAB BMRZ · 04-14-2010, 09:51 AM

Ken

If it's not to late, we would like to be a part of this great event, again this year.

Lyle & Margie

Charlie M · 04-14-2010, 04:04 PM

Lyle & Margie; Do you remember Charlie & Dorothy from last years Fiesta? On the way to the 2010 Fiesta we are going to stop for two nights at Williams, AZ and the Grand Canyon RR RV Park, take the train to the South Rim of the canyon. We have done this a couple of times and it is a fun day. When we depart we will head to Grants NM for one night. From Grants early a.m. departure to Albuquerque, NM to park at the rally site.

If you are interested, you are most welcome to join us. In fact, anyone heading to the fiesta is welcome to join us.

Anyone joining us will be responsible for their own reservations at the C.G. and the RR.

gail · 04-14-2010, 08:59 PM

OK count us in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there is a smaller rv park up the road in Williams that we liked. The train sounds good we have never done that. what is in Grant? gail and bill from Mardi gras the King and Queen.

BAB BMRZ · 04-14-2010, 09:10 PM

Charlie:

Good to hear from you, thanks for the invite. We're still working on our travel plans.

Lyle

Ken J · 04-15-2010, 10:17 AM

BALLOON FIESTA UPDATE:

Once again this year I am pleased to find out we have an extension on reservation requirements - I can now take reservations until June 1st - so anyone who wants to attend who has not yet signed up, just send me the deposit check AND your e-mail address.

I will be sending an e-mail to all of you who have sent deposit checks to this point - I will be putting those into the bank and sending the balloon folks our first check - my next deposit will be around June 1st. We will need to get our final check to them in early August.

Looking forward to seeing everyone - each year our rally grows a bit - we have more signed up this year than previous years - so I think will have a GREAT time.

Ken J.

Charlie M · 04-15-2010, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gail

OK count us in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there is a smaller rv park up the road in Williams that we liked. The train sounds good we have never done that. what is in Grant? gail and bill from Mardi gras the King and Queen.

Hi Gail & Bill; Great to hear from you. I'll post later (today I hope) with dates and train info. As for Grants many of the Airstreamers stay at the KOA the night prior, the party begins at Grants. It is only about 80 miles to Albuquerque.

The Grand Canyon RR has economy to deluxe, check out their Web site and let me know what you prefer. I think the Web site is "Grand Canyon Rail Road.com." We will stay at their RV Park it is walking distance to the depot.