The ABQ caravan group.
D.K. Loo
October is the month when Albuquerque (ABQ) hosts its famous annual International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico. So, with Jamie and Deanna Slack and DK and Pam Loo as wagon masters, it was the destination for sixteen Rovin’ Pebbles RV Club families for a nine-day caravan.
On the morning of October 7, twelve of the sixteen RVs departed PebbleCreek in three groups with an overnight stop at OK RV Park at Holbrook. The next stop was Route 66 Casino and RV Resort in Albuquerque. Being just 26 miles away from the Fiesta, this resort was chosen as a staging point in order for the caravan to roll into the fairgrounds and park together the next day. Jamie and Deanna hosted a nice welcome hamburger dinner complete with all the fixin’s.
With everyone’s cooperation, DK was able to lead the other 15 RVs onto I-40 fifteen minutes ahead of plan. It must have been quite a sight to see a convoy of 16 RVs rolling on I-40.
Since the caravan joined the second half of the Fiesta as planned, the Fiesta events were in high gear. In front of thousands of attendees, there were dawn patrols in the morning to gauge the weather followed by Morning Glow, Flight of the Nations Mass Ascension, Competition Balloon Flying, Special Shape Glowdeos, Sky Divers, Laser Light shows and AfterGlow Fireworks. On Saturday morning, October 13, the mass ascension filled the ABQ skies with hundreds of balloons in all different sizes, shapes and colors. It was simply amazing.
During the stay, many attendees provided pleasant surprises. Cindy Hix and Mike Kramer made waffles one morning with blueberry and/or corn topping. Ken and Carole Schumacher flipped many more pancakes (with bacon) than the group could consume on another morning. Bill and Barb Van Trump whipped up a great beef stew at one Happy Hour (HH) while Allen King, Susie Nash and son, Nate, served beef and chicken quesadillas in another HH. Concurrently, Deb Doyle taught several members Mah Jong while others worked on a couple of puzzles under a new 10×10 canopy brought by Susie and Allen.
The group did encounter some weather. Nevertheless, there were many happy faces along with talks of a repeat trip in 2020!