Ed’s Party-Winter Blast

I had to show you how high we had to elevate the front of the rig when we were parked at The Steps. We had to use 13 levelers under each foot.

 

 

Here’s why they call this area The Steps.  It was “terraced” in preparation to make a resort years ago.

 

We went to Sara Park around 1pm as parking is a premium. There were 73 people in attendance for Ed’s Birthday Party.

Folks lounged around played card games and chatted.

People spread out blankets at the grandstands and secured them with duct tape to save a seat.

Ed’s Birthday Party has a story.  Last year Betty wanted to celebrate Duanne’s birthday during Winter Blast in Lake Havasu. She went to the bakery to get a cake but they were all out.  The counter lady said they did have one cake available. It said “Happy Birthday Ed”, but Ed had died and the family didn’t pick it up, and Betty could have it for half-price!!! She bought the cake and Ed’s Birthday Party was born! 

After eating hot dogs and side dish potluck Dean suggested we sing the theme song from Mr. Ed the tv show instead of the birthday song.  Terry used his Blackberry to find the words and wrote them out on paper which he held behind Duanne’s head as the group looked on and sang to him. It was soooooo funny.

Around 5pm we walked over to the grandstands to get ready for the fireworks display. Now remember the Winter Blast is the public display of the annual convention of the pyrotechnics association, where they shoot off the latest and newest fireworks.  At 5:30 they began shooting off the fireworks that had been assembled during the convention’s classes and workshops.  They kept shooting till 8 pm when the main event show took place.

For 25 solid minutes they shot off fireworks synchronized to different themes of music from hard rock to Enya.  Now I know why everybody has raved about this pyrotechnic display.  It was awesome…it was mind blowing and a sensory overload.  There wasn’t any pauses…..every couple of seconds they shot up fireworks. And not one at a time, but a whole sky full every second or so!!!  The sky was ablaze in color and the fireworks filled your entire eye range.They even shot off gas bombs that blasted up in the air with a terrific booming sound and then you felt a large blast of heat. I couldn’t decide which of the 90 photos I took to show you, so here are the best of them in an album.  Please take a minute and click on the “view full album” to really see what we saw.

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Now I know why people come year after year to see the Winter Blast.  It is definitely fantastic.

Remember, you are loved!

Lake Havasu

We had planned on leaving Shea Road on Monday, but the truck didn’t want to start up several times so we had to take it in to be fixed.  Ended up being the fuel filter AGAIN.  But we got it replaced and headed out to The Steps on Wednesday.  What a beautiful boondocking site!!!  Here is a photo that Chuck Moore took during a hike…nothing I could take would be even close to this shot.

Yes, that is the view we have here.  Can you believe it????

We’ve had some fun happy hours every day at 4pm.  There are a lot  of rigs here. Chuck and Jan said we have more rigs than we have seen here before.  One happy hour we had 34 people attending!

 

Terry, Victor and Jerry are having the time of their lives riding their bikes out in the hills every day.  Here they found some old palm trees and dragged them back behind their bikes!  Then used a circular saw to cut them up.

 

 

Unfortunately, it started to rain, but when did THAT ever deter an Escapees happy hour?  Like, NEVER.  We just huddle closer together under Jerry and Sue’s awning and keep going.

 

 

The sunsets are amazing here in Arizona, but I never seem to tire of them and always have to take a photograph.

Oh, here is an interesting shot.  Four of us ladies went into town to shop Thursday.  They have a small car show in town on Thursday nights so this car was parked early and I had to take a photo of it.  Look how small, tiny it is!  I had Kathy stand by it to give you a perspective of it’s size.

We are all here to witness the Winter Blast.  It is the annual convention of the Pyrotechnic Association where they show off all the latest fireworks to potential clients and buyers for use in their hometowns and municipalities.  Last night Terry and Jim went to see the Friday Vendor’s Night.  Jim said it was spectacular. Please click on the “view full album” below to see the larger photos.

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Vicky and I stayed home and watched the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics and drank gin and tonics!!! 

Right now we are getting ready to go to the main event of Winter Blast – Saturday Night Public Display. They say it will blow your mind away.  The fireworks get so loud they warn you to disable your vehicle theft alarm system, because they will go off from the blasts.

I’ll report tomorrow……remember, you are loved.