Friday, September 23, 2022:
After a 2 week trip to the Algonac rally in Michigan & the Niagara Escape Wine rally in Niagara Falls, Ontario, I spend less than a week home, then headed to Glens Falls, NY for the Adirondack Balloon Festival. I enjoy hot air balloon festivals, and even rode in one at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in 2018.
We (myself and friends the Guidos) are in Moreau State Park about 8 miles from the festival. About a 191 mile drive on secondary roads. It would probably be quicker if I took the Thruway (I90) but I am cheap & prefer non interstates even if they are free. I'm in site 106 and the Guidos are in 104. Dry camping on dirt with too much shade for my solar panels to do much good. It is going to be a cool night - the furnace is already running off & on when set at 60°F, and the predictions are for the low 30's.
I have a blank for the Guido's site photo - by the time they got through registration & we finished dinner, it was too dark for a photo.
Dinner was turkey burgers, stuffing & Bush beans and a croissant for dessert.
Saturday, September 24, 2022:
Well, the night didn't go well - my furnace stopped working around 2:00AM. Definitely the furnace rather than the usual thermostat problem - neither thermostat would run it. Hopefully, it is something simple like the sail switch since I have a spare. The problem is I have to shut down the gas to pull the furnace. The newer Escapes use a version of the refrigerator that lets you get at the control board & sail switch from a door on the outside of the trailer. Unfortunately, my 2017 requires removing the furnace to get at the switch. If I had 120V hookups, I could keep the refrigerator running, but without it stuff would get too warm.
By morning, it was 42°F outside, and 53°F inside. I had no problems under the covers, but getting up & dressed was chilly.
We headed to Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport for the festival around 5:30AM. The only traffic we hit was at the entrance to the festival. The festival and parking was free, and we ended up parked a short distance from the field. While we arrived a little early for the 6:30 - 7:30 launch time, the balloons were late and didn't get started until after 7:30. Quite a few, although once you have been to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, all other mass launches pale by comparison. Still, lots of balloons:
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| Me at Site 106 |
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| The First in the Air |
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| More Balloons |
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| More Balloons |
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| And More Balloons |
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| One of the Theme Balloons |
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| And Two More |
A couple of theme balloons, but while they filled, none of them lifted.
A huge line for breakfast, which we declined to join, and even though there were large banks or Porta potties near the food area that were mostly empty, the one unit near the parking lot had a line.
Back at the trailer around 9:00, it was down to 48°F in the trailer, so blame any typos on frozen fingers!
I thought about staying since it was already 52°F outside with 62°F predicted, but still in the 40's at night. So, while I enjoyed the balloons, I packed up the trailer around 10:00 and headed home. I decided with my lack of sleep (I've been up since 3:00AM), I'd take the interstates to get home. A bit longer at 212.2 miles compared to the secondary route of 191 miles, less time at 3 hours vs 4 hours for the back roads and a 2 MPG hit on gas mileage.
In any case, I'm home, the trailer is partially unpacked, and I'll tackle the furnace tomorrow.
