Tuesday, October 4, 2016

DAY #32 - Albuquerque, NM to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma....

moving closer to home sweet home!

We started our day off super EARLY by getting up at 4:30 a.m.  We wanted to try and catch the launching of hundreds of hot air balloons for the Annual Hot Air Balloon International Festival.  This is the largest of its kind in the world.  We were NOT disappointed.  After these 5 'dawn patrol' balloons were tested to make sure the weather conditions were good, the rest of the balloons were ready to be launched.  On Monday the event was CANCELLED due to high winds.  We were very fortunate that we were able to watch the event because the winds were a little 'iffy'!!

Once the decision was made to 'start the event for the day', these two balloons with the American flag floating in the air were hoisted up!  While the National Anthem was being sung.  It was wonderful.

We could then see hundreds of hot air balloons start the inflation process.  It was so cool.  There were hundreds of hot air balloons......everywhere you looked there were more and more.

As soon as a bunch would take off, the next round would lay their balloons out on the ground and start to inflate them.

That process kept on going for well over an hour.  We just simply had to leave because we had an 8 hour drive ahead of us today.  But, we were able to watch them more as we were driving down the highway.  The skies were filled with them.

We made a little pit stop at one of the many Route 66 rest areas along the famous route.

We finally made it to TEXAS...and it seemed to take for-ever to get there too.

But pretty much this was our view for most of the day.  Like Steven commented earlier on instagram, "look, a hill"!!  That was a nice change to have a hill!!

We had heard about CADILLAC RANCH, a privately owned field somewhere around Amarillo, TX where some rich guys didn't know what to do with their 'old' Cadillacs so they decided to make an 'art display' out of them.  They invited people to stop and see them, free of charge, and spray paint anything they wanted on them.  We had no spray paint with us, so Dad wrote a little love note with the sharpie he had in his pocket!!

And here is the note.....

It was a fascinating sight to behold!

AND....we finally made it to OKLAHOMA!  Yea....one state closer to home.

And, true to our schedules, we made it to yet another temple just a sunset!!!  OKLAHOMA CITY TEMPLE.  Yes, there is a temple here!

And with that, we are pooped and ready for a good nights rest!  At least longer than last night.  We will not be getting up at 4:30 a.m. tomorrow.  We will have a shorter travel day....only about 7 hours! Love y'all.....