It ended up being the 3 of us plus a family of 4 for the morning's basket full of hot air balloon ride. Met at an IHOP parking lot and then trekked in a van to outside of town to the launch site. Balloon pilot drove and was conversational for the drive. Most of us were still half asleep.
It took a bit of time, but not that long, to unpack the balloon, basket and accessories from the utility trailer for blowing up the balloon, but it was all out and the crew was at work blowing up the balloon soon enough.
They got it to the point where they were ready to upright the basket as well as feed it hot air to get the balloon ready to launch. Once they were ready we got into the basket one by one. Originally I was on the end/edge corner of balloon, but ended up switching to be in the middle before we took flight.
Some pics from the crew of us in flight, some of my own pics from the flight.
It was as everyone had said -- entire ride was smooth and peaceful. We learned afterwards we had hit just over 30 mph at one point in flight. Pilot took us up over Tucson city area, then around a mountain ridge into a valley area. Overall the ride was 60 minutes or so. Got to see some desert wildlife (deer, jackrabbits), as well as a perfectly timed hiker reaching a peak on the side of a mountain as we were passing by, who waved hello and shouted to us to be a part of his selfie (as he turned his back to us and activated front facing camera for his cell phone). We waved for the picture.
The landing was said to be the only potentially rough part -- thankfully for us it was not. Two further bounces after basket hit the ground initially (we were all in position holding ropes on side of basket, legs bent), and balloon crew had us grounded fully.
Climbed out of basket and milled about in open area while balloon was deflated. Then back in van to head to park back in town for light bkfst and mimosa toast. Then into van again and dropoff at IHOP where we had parked.
Back to Friend's friend's house for shower (for me) and final packup. Stopped at Starbucks on the way for more caffeine.
Got onto road after 11am for drive back into California and to Joshua Tree for the final night of the trip. Stopped for lunch and gas in a suburb town heading out west after Phoenix. Unmemorable burger and fries consumed for trying to be somewhat local but quick (fast food place called Culver's ButterBurgers).
After lunch and gas-up, back on interstate for the final push back into California, then cutting north and then west on a highway before Palm Springs to bypass mountain range and get into Joshua Tree area. Stopped for pics one time but otherwise made it into Twentynine Palms (city right next to Joshua Tree) right as sun was setting. Stress moments for me a bit since had read that the trailer park digs we were staying at for our Joshua Tree night were a mile and half out on dirt roads. As well as that checkin cutoff was to at 6pm.
Stopped at a Stater Bros for provisions for the night -- place had said to bring your own food and/or equipment to BBQ with. We grabbed stuff for breakfast as well, and Friend said she was getting a sandwich from the deli for dinner. After thinking maybe stopping along the way for something better for myself, decided didn't have time and also went with a deli sandwich.
We called the place as we were leaving 29 Palms (as instructed) with it then after sunset and approaching 6pm. Got to the place within the next 30 minutes -- was a few miles between the towns, and then it did end up being a few miles on dirt roads once in Joshua Tree. However not as bad as I expected -- with the Forester having AWD and the roads themselves being pretty wide and flattened out, wasn't too bad getting to the Trailer Palace. And/or maybe I have been getting more comfortable with offroading during this trip...
There was assigned parking spaces in front of the low single story purple house that was based on trailer reservation -- I had the Pee-Wee and Friend was staying in The Pioneer. Since the parking spot for The Pee-Wee was right outside the front door of the purple house, I parked there.
We knocked on door of the house and manager/innkeeper brought us inside for firming up credit card transactions, then gave keys and brought us back outside and through the main gate for a tour of the Trailer Palace.
Didn't get good pics with it being nighttime, but it was quite the place. Only things not in operation were the pool, and the outdoor shower (innkeeper noted as functional, but that it doesn't get much use outside of the summer months since it is solar powered for hot water). There was an archery and bb gun range, a mini gold course and a small library. And a quite a few different outdoor seating areas.
Probably my 2nd favorite thing for the accomodations was that they had postcards in each room that guests were encouraged to write out and they would send out, with postage, for free. Guests were to just drop in box near gate along with keys when checking out.
Ended up having dinner at one of the picnic tables in the main area. It was nice to have found Union Jack IPA at the Stater Bros, so enjoyed one of those with sandwich and a few more over the evening.
Ended up hanging out outside some into the night, since it turned out that our night's stay also happened to be the night of a lunar eclipse as well as a Blood Moon. Played some pinball & classic video games in one of the trailers for a bit, and got some ping pong time in at the open-to-outside rec room of sorts area.
The skies while originally fully cloudy at nightfall thankfully cleared some as we got into the night, so we were able to see the lunar eclipse for the most part as it was happening -- and half the sky full of stars like we don't see in the cities. It wasn't until after eclipse was mostly complete the moon turned red.
With it being such a long day, Friend and I signed off for the night about around 10pm or so for the night of trailer camping, and I retired to The Pee-Wee.
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