Albuquerque NM

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On Monday, March 15th, we pulled out of Casa Grande, Arizona, and headed for Albuquerque, New Mexico, to attend the FMCA International Rally and a Newmar pre-rally. Day 1 we drove to Holbrook, seeing quite a bit of snow on the ground in the Flagstaff area. After so much time in the desert, we had forgotten it was still winter. If we had known what was coming, we might have turned around! Day 2 we drove to the west side of Albuquerque and got all setup in our rv resort site with about 30 other Newmar motorhomes. The pre-rally is really just an opportunity to reconnect with folks you've met on the road and get together for fun, food, and drinks. Tuesday we had happy hour at 4:00 followed by a bar-b-que dinner at "Rudy's". Wednesday we met for lunch at the Indian Pueblo Cultual Center followed by a tour of the museum. Learned lots about the 19 pueblos (towns) of New Mexico. Then happy hour at 4:00. Thursday we toured the New Mexico Museum of Natural History followed by happy hour at 4:00 and a Brazilian dinner at "Tucanos". Do you begin to see a trend here? Friday we had a catered breakfast, a tour of the Museum of Nuclear Science, happy hour and a catered dinner at the resort. What diet? On Saturday we woke to a skiff of snow on the ground and more falling. By the time we formed our caravan and started the move to the Balloon Fiesta Park Expo grounds for the main rally, the snow was over an inch deep and still falling. I-40 closed on the east side of town. I-25 closed going north. Every exit/on ramp lined with truckers waiting out the storm. But we head out anyway... me driving the motorhome, Terry following in the car. The 12 miles took about 45 minutes. By the time we got settled, the snow had ended, skies were clearing, temperature was 45 degrees, and the wind was howling. Brrrrrrr!!!!! What a week to be camped without electricity. More to follow from Albuquerque... assuming we survive the first freezing night!

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