rodeo

This weekend we went to Steamboat Springs for their annual hot air balloon rodeo (why is it a rodeo again?).  It rained on the way, it rained on the way home, but while we were there it was mostly just cloudy and cool.  We always describe rain as either Oregon rain or Tennessee rain.  This was definitely Tennessee rain - huge thunderstorms, lots of lightning, rain falling so fast it turned the countryside white.

We stayed at the Steamboat Grand.  They have a heated outdoor pool that is open late and we took the peeps swimming after dinner and we were out there until 9:30!  The next morning we got up super early to see the launch (started at 6a).  There were 30ish balloons and it was really fun.  Considering the lack of sleep, everyone did really well (there was a 38 second meltdown as we were leaving the field).  Afterwards we swam some more, rode bikes, had a picnic.  Lots of pictures, wish it hadn't been so dark because you totally don't get how lovely they were from the photos.

baby A totally wanted Daddy's icecream cone
 
double rainbow!
 
(not surprisingly) Dustin's favorite balloon
 
So they do this 'task' called the splash and dash.  The pilots have to land on the lake and then take off again - it was fun to see them show off their skills - one sank 1/2 way into the water and then rose quickly with water gushing from their basket, one landed so carefully that it didn't even make ripples on the lake, one slid across the surface of the lake...
 
 
this one's for my mom, you pepsi-lover, you
 
inside while they were inflating
 should've tried harder for this one (look in his sunglasses lens)
 
 
 
 
 
 
The meltdown - she might have stretched out on the ground, but she got this far and figured out it was too wet for her to continue the drama.
 

shows you how quickly it inflates once they heat the air
 
Out Dustin's window on the way home.  Love being in the hills.