Yuma AZ and a big get together.

They kindly invited us to stay with them next time we visit UK and we’ll certainly take them up on the offer.

The reason for US to be in Yuma is the Shanty Shakers Rally for the Yuma Balloon Festival. We were here last year and it was our first Rally. It’s just amazing how far we’ve come along the RV road since then!

Last year we didn’t know what a “Happy Hour” was. Now we’re experts!

Last year Barbara was still scared riding her trike. This morning she loaded 2 bags of clothes on it and rode over to the laundry with them!

Somethings don’t change. Last year the balloon launch got cancelled on Sunday due to high winds. 

This year the balloon launch got cancelled due to high winds.

The whole of the Shanty Shaker contingent went to Lutes Casino for dinner. 

It’s an interesting place down on Main Street old town. It’s not even a Casino although apparently it used to be. Now it’s a restaurant with some strange and unusual stuff hanging on their walls.

After dinner we went for a walk around the North End Art Walk on Main Street. Lots of art and artists. I noticed one of them shared our surname Downing. 

Neil Downing and I talked for about 20 minutes about our relatives and our love of art. Very cool.

Another e-mail this time from our Goldwing/Motorcycle friends Tammy and Dan who are in town for the Balloon Fest. We’ll hook up with them at the launch field. We sure are doing well for visitors!

We made a trip to the Arizona Marketplace which is a must do for RV’ers in Yuma. Lots of good RV stuff at great prices. We bought some stuff we needed. (And some we didn’t!)

Saturday night was a Barbecue/Pot Luck at the clubhouse with the whole SKP Chapter. The guys got a big fire going in the huge barbecue pit behind the clubhouse while the ladies got an amazing assortment of delectable dishes ready for the big event. 

And BIG it was! We sampled as much as we could but there was far more than we could do justice to.

Eventually we all staggered off to the fire ring back were we were all camped and spent the rest of the evening talking about places to go, things to see, rallies we are planning on attending. Stuff we all love.

And suddenly it was Sunday. The wind was down so Barbara and I rode over to the balloon launch area and watched 3 brave pilots launch before the wind got up again and they cancelled the rest of the flying.

Back at the park people started packing up and leaving. The place got emptier and emptier until there were only about 4 of our chapter rigs left. I picked up my paintbrushes and worked on a painting while Barbara quietly read a book. 

Slowly we drift back into our full-timer’s lifestyle.