Another First-time Ride --What a Day!

We had just left the hot air balloon launch field in Riverton, Wyoming, and we still couldn't wipe the smiles off our faces. We had just spent an hour in the air on a free balloon ride! After waking up at 4:45 a.m., we were ready to head back to the motor home for a nap. But as we passed this parking lot, we saw orange cones and a long line of cars. What could possibly be going on here? 

We made a u-turn and parked the pickup. We walked up just as the person in charge of this event was giving the drivers their instructions. Mark talked to one of the drivers, and found out that they were getting ready to start an auto-cross race. He asked the perfect guy for information, because Dave goes to events like this frequently. He was a great source of information--and he drives a very cool car!

The hosting car club had laid out a unique course in an empty parking lot. Drivers with all kinds of cars showed up to test their skills at cornering and slaloming around those orange cones. They used electronic timers, and each driver got five chances to record his best time on the course. We saw the times vary from 32 to 50 seconds. We sat with Dave's wife and watched most of the cars make several laps.

When Dave stopped by between his driving laps, he asked if we wanted to ride in his car for the next lap. Denisa loves fast rides, but she always screams on the amusement park roller coasters. She thought that might not help Dave's driving time. But Mark would be a great passenger, so he strapped on the passenger safety helmet and they were off! He was in the passenger seat as Denisa snapped a picture when they roared by.

Dave's car was a Mustang GT 500, souped up to 760 horsepower and with high performance tires added. It's a 2021, but he had to wait two years for it to be delivered, and he mentioned that it cost $120,000. As they rounded into the pit row, Denisa snapped another picture with Mark in the passenger seat.

Mark pulled off his helmet, and he was all smiles! What a fun ride going around those cones at top speed. While it looked like they were going fast to spectators, it felt even faster sitting in the car. It was Mark's first-time ride in a race car--right after his first-time hot air balloon on the same morning. Wow!

We stayed and watched the racing until 10:30 a.m., and then headed back to the motor home for some rest before the evening's events. The balloon rally schedule called for a balloon glow at the soccer field, and we told Bob and Kris that we would be there to help get their balloon up. But the balloon-meister determined that it was too windy to set up all the balloons that evening. So we helped to get the basket assembled for another candle-stick. 

As it got darker, the 20+ pilots choreographed a little flame show. This uses a lot of propane, so Bob was glad that the rally sponsors provided all the propane at no cost to the pilots.

Live music was playing, food trucks were lined up around the field, and we were waiting for fireworks to begin. We were disappointed that we didn't get to help with a balloon glow--when the balloons don't launch but stay on the ground and are lit from the inside with the propane flame. But the after-dark candle stick was impressive.

The kids love to press the lever to make a big fiery plume over the basket. One of the kids had white hair, but she still loved it!

We helped Bob and Kris load the basket into the back of their pickup, and then they had to go refill their propane tank for the next day's flight. We danced a few songs performed by a very good band, and then stayed for the fireworks show. The Riverton Rendezvous was a first-rate festival. Between our first-time hot air balloon ride and Mark's first-time racing car ride--what a day it was!