From: hays@TECHNET.NM.ORG (Larry 'Purple' Hays)
Subject: Re: BOINK! BalloonBoink, Coming soon!
Date: Sat, 05 Sep 92 00:16:01 GMT
Organization: New Mexico Technet   Albuquerque, NM
Reply-To: hays@TECHNET.NM.ORG

In article <=jlnjqa@lynx.unm.edu>, blowfish@carina.unm.edu (rON.) writes:
>
>This is an official announcement of the upcoming Net Event, the BalloonBoink!

Joe Bob says check it out.

>It will be in Albuquerque, NM, on October 2-4, right at the start of the
>Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (hence the name :)
>
>The highlight of the weekend being the start of the
>Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta- by far the largest Hot Air
>Balloon event in the entire world. This year, an estimated 750 balloons are
>expected to take to the skies of Albuquerque in massive waves of colors
>and patterns. It is figured to be the most photographed event in the world,
>so if you come, bring a camera- you'll kick yourself if you don't.

Hell, you'll kick yourself if you don't come, too, except that you won't
because you won't know what you've missed, except you will, 'cause we're
going to POST about what you missed.  So you better come.

>The Albuquerque area offers a lot of other attractions- the Albuquerque Old
>Town area (shopping and old stuff), Santa Fe is only an hours drive away,
>there is the Sandia Peak Tramway (one of the longest in the world)...in
>other words, there is plenty to do in and around the area, in addition to
>the Fiesta.

Not to mention the sunsets, the great countryside (stark, but beautiful),
museums and galleries and an okey-dokey zoo and saloons and social halls
and (the piece de resistance) Julio's Flea Circus and Insectorium (sort
of a New Mexican Sea World).

(and there's ALWAYS Cow Tipping!!!)

>If you are interested in coming, you can get on a mailing list for info-
>mail to 'blowfish@carina.unm.edu' (thats me)

Do it today.  Then make hotel reservations.  Mel is coming.  Teri Miller
is coming.  Larry's strange and mutant local friends are coming.  rON's
inviting some quasi-normal people, I hear...

>Schedule of events:
> Friday night [...] group bowling. Yep,
>bowling. It really is a relaxed sort of thing, and lots of fun when you
>get enough people into it yelling 'nice balls' :)

Bowling is so terribly lame we didn't see how it could help being fun...
(It's also something that will motor along while folk run to the airport
to pick up boinkers and hand out banannas...)

>Saturday- the big day of the boink!  The Mass Ascension (where hundreds
>upon hundreds of hot air balloons take off in coreographed waves) starts
>at 7:30. Since we'll want to be at the site long before this, so we don't
>get stuck in traffic, the tenative meeting time on Saturday morning is
>somewhere around 5:30. (yes, Virginia, thats 5:30 AM :)

It's tough, but that is really what it takes to see the mass ascension
from the field and not stopped on the freeway.

> Later that morning,
>after the Fiesta, (around 10AM or so) will be the Official Net Meal- a
>good Southwestern Brunch (that Larry and I are trying to get set up :).

Ole'!

>The rest of the day Saturday will be free to visit Albuquerque, the general
>area, or go back and take a nap :)

Larry is willing to act as tour guide if we can all agree on what to see
or do.   And I'm a hell of a nap-guide, too, if I do say so myself...

>Saturday Night! The Official Boink! 7pm-??? @ Larry's Place. This is the
>'official' get-together of network people, and should prove to be a lot
>of fun. Larry is looking to get together the first ever Net Band- if you
>play an instrument (of any sort) or think you can play, write to Larry
>directly (his address is below).

(Actually, no, it isn't, you lying snake of a co-host, you.)

If you play anything, and can bring it, let me know.  We're mostly guitars
at this point, so I think I'll give everybody else something to beat on
for rhythm.  C'mon there have to be some harmonica and Jew's harp players
out there if nothing else.  Washboard?  Kazoo?  e-mail hays@technet.nm.org

(oops, I guess it *IS* below, now.  I guess I gotta forgive ya.  Oh well.)

> In other words, a good time should be had by all.

Under pain of death, naturally.

>the desperate, we're even going to try to get a network link up, in case
>you need a 'fix' :)

Hell with THEIR fix, rON, I need MINE!

(Happinesssssssssss, is a Warm Terminal {Flame, Flame, Post, Post}...)

> And, of course being good hosts, if anything interesting
>occurs, we'll set up a convienent payment plan for the negatives :) (they
>put a banana where???? :) :) :)

Ah, yes.  I *KNEW* we were putting our selves through this for SOME reason...

>Sunday- In the morning on Sunday is another Mass Ascension for those brave
>(or not hung over) enough to attend. We're not making plans on attending
>the Fiesta grounds- if you're interested, there are a number of places in
>the city where one can park and watch the balloons from a distance.

This is, in fact, an equal but different kind of fun, compared to actually
being on the Balloon field.  Starts later.  Less traffic.  You can sit down
and converse or whatever.  But up close has an awesome impact, which is why
we're doing that first.

> We
>figure a lot of people will be departing on Sunday afternoon/evening, so
>again, there is nothing planned- we'll wing something if there is enough
>interest :).

Albuquerque is a semi-tourist town, so it's very unlikely you'll be bored.

> Sunday night is the Balloon Glow- a special event at the
>Fiesta where the balloons light up the night sky- it really is nifty-
>and is something fun to see either right at the field or from a good
>vantage point. Its from 4:30 to about 9- so its really more for those
>who are planning on staying over Sunday and leaving Monday (or later).

Or if we like you so much we decide to kidnap you...

(Don't worry - we're VERY picky...)

>If you're coming, and want to stay in a hotel room, you had better
>decide quickly- it is my best guess that the >entire< Albuquerque area will
>be sold totally out of hotel rooms by no later than the middle of September
>(yes, in a scant two weeks from now). In fact, most of the major hotels are
>already sold out of rooms, or are very low on rooms.

Yep, it's gettin crowded out there folks...

>The other option will be crash-space. Larry and I both have room at our
>respective domiciles for people who cannot afford or can't find a hotel 
>room- mail either Larry or I if you are in need of such a thing.

Don't feel you are imposing, either.  Personally, I'd love to have folks
at my house where I can keep a close eye on 'em and determine the value
of their posessions.  :-)

(I'm kidding!  I'm kidding! really!  Oww!  Stoppit!  I HATE that!  Stop!)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Larry 'Purple' Hays                                   hays@technet.nm.org

                "Jump up, look around, find yourself some fun.
           No sense in sitting there hating everyone"  - Jethro Tull
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