Our USA Adventure – ABQ Balloon Fiesta, Carlsbad2, Origami Gardens, Santa Fe

USA Adventure – ABQ Balloon Fiesta, Carlsbad, Origami Garden, Santa Fe

Well, we are now 2 weeks from our last post, which ended at Elephant Butte, NM.  We elected to post every two weeks, when we stay at one location for a long period, and we were at Elephant Butte 1 month!  Hard to believe how that time went by, and we do believe it were to our new pals Gayla and Jim Burnett.  My what fun we had with them, and our times together were rich in conversation … just the best!  AND, their “pack-pal” Gus,  was really fun for Lili (and us too).  Lili would give Gus a “bark out hello” and Gus would interpret that as “game on”, which pleased Lili to no end. 

The World Balloon Fest, we 4 spent a spectacular lift-off at the world attended Balloon Fest, in Albuquerque, NM.  We were up at 4:00 am!  I honestly didn’t plan on going, thought it would be a much over-rated event. You will find the pictures for this adventure, and honestly, they don’t do this once a year event, justice!  There were over 650 balloons, from all over the world; you could walk the grounds right up to these objects; touch the guide lines, touch the baskets ….. well, if you have never been, THIS IS A MUST!  We were all truly moved to tears.  Breathtaking!!!

              We 4 made a decision and did our very first 2-Airstream Caravan!  First, we headed to the best Farmer’s Market, in Las Cruses, NM; then we gang member’s went on to Roswell, NM for an overnight stay.  Jim had prepared a home-made chicken soup for us to have for dinner, upon our arrival, and I swear Gary and I were in bed by 8:30 pm.  Next morning, a very fun fabulous breakfast was our destination, at the Cowboy Café.  This is a Roswell locals place (awesome omelets, biscuits and gravy, and pancakes!) Got back to our RV park, said our good-byes to great new buddies, Gayla and Jim, who were heading towards TX, and we headed back to the Carlsbad Cavern’s, to hike into the caves (rather than take the elevator, as we did the first trip, down to the bottom.)  Yep, we were missing our buddies all the way to the bottom of the caverns. We traveled down and down, marveling at the sites we had not seen before.  (You will see these pictures.) So glad we went back!  It was awesome, and a long way down. Exiting the caverns, we began the next part of our adventure to Santa Fe.  Traveled 205 miles, to Vaughn, NM and stayed in a truck stop, at 10:00 pm.  We were happy to find a spot next to the big-rigs!  Next morning, our legs let us know that the hike down to the bottom of the caverns is NOT FOR SISSIES!  We got ourselves up, with the big-rig drivers, and off we continued to our RV park in Santa Fe. 

              Our boy, Michael, had sent us a wonderful text about the Origami Garden and Sculpture Garden, outside of Santa Fe, and we made a decision to travel there.  It is about 20 miles S. of Santa Fe, and we were so happy we decided to stop!  We met the primary artist, and owner of the Box Studio, Kevin Box and his wife Jennifer. Truly a beautiful gallery, and we were blessed to see Kevin’s new work to soon be delivered to Washington DC.  I came away with 2 new pieces of sculpture ….. I’m so lucky!!! Our boy really sent us to a fabulous place!  Kevin’s artwork begins with paper Origami, then he translates the work into metal work.  I have a bronze acorn, and an equally fabulous blue bird.