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This post if for my Uncle Glen & Aunt Mabel. I had heard they did their annual Turkey Run trip the weekend before I went to Tent Rocks. I thought we could compare trips.
While I love Turkey Run, especially in the fall, I think Tent Rocks - well rocks. Even without fall foliage to liven everything the rocks formations are amazing. And they seem to change depending on the light. You also notice different things walking back.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words so I'll be quite now and let you enjoy these. I highly recommend the trip if you enjoy hiking.
October 17-18 we went to the Mountain States Relief Sale in Rocky Ford, CO. Liane and Kate had never been to a Relief Sale or auction before and Tim hadn't been to one in a while. Eric and I are kind of spoiled by the Michiana Relief Sale in Goshen because it's so big.
We camped out on Friday night. For some reason the tent poles for the guys' tent did not make the trip with us so while the Kate, Liane & I slept in a tent, Tim & Eric roughed it in the van.
The first item to be auctioned is a loaf of bread. The bread was bought for $1,850. It's then sliced and each slice is sold with a jar of apple butter. The slices sold for a combined amount of $2,400. Between the loaf itself and the slices earned $4,250. Crazy.
We didn't really do a lot during the day. We had volunteered to help clean up after the sale so much of the day was waiting and eating - which is a mandatory activity at a Mennonite gathering. Kate, Liane, Eric & Tim did get a ride in the barrels.
More pictures.
Balloon Fiesta. Even though this is my second one, it still amazes me.
Susan, the Service Adventure Director, visits our unit the first weekend of Balloon Fiesta. Saturday morning we got up around 4:45 a.m., met several friends, and left around 5:30 a.m. to make it to the park to see the balloons take off. Balloon Fiesta Park is about 15 minutes from the unit house. The first balloons of the morning lift off around 6:30 a.m. There are so many balloons taking off that even though we had to wait in traffic for about 2 hours, we still saw hundreds getting ready and taking off.
One of the things that makes Albuquerque an excellent place to hot air balloon is the location. Because of the mountains on one side and the valley on the other, when the wind conditions are right, balloons can head towards the Sandia Mountains at one altitude, drop to a lower altitude and the winds will carry them back to Fiesta Park. This was the first year I saw it and it was crazy. About an hour after the balloons left, they were returning really close to the ground. That day they did a bean bag drop - trying to hit a target as they pass. It's very bizarre to see balloons going two different directions when they look like they a few feet apart.
I volunteered at the fiesta five days this year at the Balloon Discovery Center. It's an interesting experience and I learn a lot about ballooning. Plus I get in free, get free breakfast and get to see all the balloons. Liane volunteered Sunday with me. She was going to be there Saturday night as well but the event was canceled due to inclement weather.
The entire unit got up early on Sunday morning - Liane and I to volunteer and the rest of them to visit the Discovery tent as a learning component. The unit is ready to recruit for Service Adventure in space now.
Here are some more pictures from the whole week of Balloon Fiesta.
