Car Identification

Hi 

Spotted this photo in a shop in Madrid, NM

The front doors open backwards like cars from the 30's but it is much lower and sleeker than cars I remember.

Anyone know what this is?

Thanks,

Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Side Trip to Santa Fe ??

Hi All,

It was too windy and rainy for balloons today so we headed for Santa Fe, about 60 miles north. Instead of the interstate, we took a scenic byway called the "Turquoise Trail". Along the way, we stopped at the little town of Madrid, a former coaling mining town now taken over by about 250 hippie artists and crafts people. It is a delightful, funky town with a mining museum and great shops. We spent the whole day here, Santa Fe will have to wait for another trip ;-).

Ancient petroglyph section

Thoughtful resting spot for guys

Best looking Trash Truck We've ever seen

Most of the buildings are barely hanging on

How about a 7' Cowgirl

Rail Car from the Coal Mines

Museum in nearby Cerrillos-note the insulators lining the roof

Tomorrow we head back towards Arizona for our volunteer assignment.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

No Glowdeo

Hi All,

After this morning's balloon flight we went back to the coach for a brief nap and some lunch. Our friends Bernita and Ron Poutney, who we first met at Okefenokee, came for a visit. They told us stories about their volunteering on a balloon chase crew and the two balloon flights they got as a result. It all sounded exciting though hard work.

In the evening we returned to the launch field hoping to see the special shapes balloons light up after dark. There was a substantial crowd filling the "Main Street" of vendor tents. 

Unfortunately, a gusty wind caused cancellation of the "Glowdeo". The only glow we saw was from the beautiful sunset.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Special Shapes Day

Hi All,

This morning's program was dedicated to the unusually shaped balloons. We had seen many already and wondered if we would see any new ones. You bet; there were lots of new ones. Our only disappointment was that many just inflated on the ground but never took off. Still, it was a great sight. We even bought a program to learn all the names.

Red Bird- Unlike Darth Vader, the owner of this balloon does not have permission to use the copyrighted name so Woody Woodpecker is just "Red Bird"

Sea Fantasy- this was one of the most complex balloons. The main section is an octopus. There's a fish on the right side, a seahorse on the left and two dolphins on the back.

Bud E. Beaver

Arky

Crazy Crab

Miss Daisy & Paddy

Squawk

Reach for the Stars. Sponsored by the Make A Wish Foundation, this balloon depicts a boy in a wheelchair, reaching for a star. This was one of our favorites; it would have been great to see it fly.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

After the Balloons

Hi All,

After most of the balloons flew overhead this morning, we went back into the coach for breakfast. Suddenly, the sky darkened and we looked out in time to see a low flying balloon that had just passed in front of the sun.

The hamper was bursting so we did laundry at a local laundromat before we headed for lunch in Old Town. We ate at the Church St Cafe in the large courtyard of a home built in 1706 and occupied by the same family until 1991!  Good food and great atmosphere.

Next we went to the NM Museum of Natural History.

We were greeted by this life size T-Rex. This is an outstanding museum that starts with the Big Bang, continues through displays on the formation of stars and planets, the development of single cell life through the evolution of dinosaurs and mammals. All very well done.

Here are fossil replicas of a T-Rex attacking the biggest Dino ever found in NM, the seismosaurus (as in making the earth shake).

This fascinating fossil is Archeopterix, an evolutionary step towards modern birds 

This exhibit pointed out the fact the beetles are the most numerous animals on earth (400,000 species or 25% of all known life forms)

On the Old Town Plaza, these brass cannon revealed two interesting facts. They were cast in Boston and they were used by the Confederate Army during an attack on New Mexico. We did not realize there were civil war battles in NM.

Also in the Plaza were a group of Native American dancers performing, bringing an end to a wonderful, diverse day.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Balloons Come to Us

Hi All,

Our plan today was to sleep late, skip the balloon launch and visit some museums. One look out the window at 7:30 changed all that.

With wind from the North, the balloons were flying right towards us and some were very low.

After the first wave passed, we began to see the effect called the Albuquerque  box. Surface winds were from the North but at about 500 feet the wind was from the South so after flying passed us, they would climb above 500 feet and fly back towards the launch field. We even recognized a few balloons that made several laps around the "box".

Here comes the yellow fish.

Humpty Dumpty

This one was designed by a quilter

Many came over very low!

But the Zebra stayed high

Several balloons landed in the RV parking area.

Maybe we'll get to the museums 

later ;-).

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone

Old Town & Sandia Peak

Hi All,

Today we took a break from balloons to do some sightseeing although even from the coach the sky was full of balloons at 8 AM.

Old Town Albuquerque is an area of nice adobe shops full of tourists. Sandy now has to decide how to make room for her new stuff.

Sandia Peak rises about 5,000 feet above the city. The tram carries folks to 10,400 feet.

Here comes our tram car

Great views on the way up

And once at the top

Here comes the next tram car.

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the "High Finance" restaurant at the top then hiked along the nature trail while waiting for sunset.

Sunset was worth the wait 

Long after sunset, the lights of the city twinkled brightly.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 

Living & Traveling in our Motorhome

Volunteering across America

greenbaum2@gmail.com

617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone