If you remember, this was also the year of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the U.S. and there was talk about canceling the show; however, the show went on. Many people were scared to be on the roads fearing gasoline shortages and more attack, but we decided that wasn't going to happen. Gerry's sister had been battling cancer and lost the fight about the time we were departing in the motorhome to visit her. It was a difficult time for us, but we made a beeline for Ft. Worth, TX to be there in time for her memorial service.
After the service we headed for the balloon fiesta and then the food show. We used the Circus Circus campground (asphalt parking lot) while we were in Vegas. It was the closest rv park to the show and we really didn't know of any other park in the area.
We got company passes to enter the show and had a ball. We walked all around the huge hall and managed to pick up bags of freebies. I mean really large bags and we made a couple trips to the Jeep to store them and go back for more. Barbara was part of our scrounging team and cleaned up, also. Henry was mortified.
BTW: That was the last food show Henry invited us to attend. Hint Hint.
The motorhome was full of bags, drinks, gloves, chips, glasses, etc. and the storage bins were full too. Since Barbara and Henry flew to Vegas, we wound up taking most of Barbara's stuff back with us and lived with all of it in the motorhome for a month or so. Never again!
It wasn't all work, though. I managed to take a walk through and get some autographs. I wish I could remember the names, but I do remember who signed them.
I'm sure you will forgive and understand why I didn't remember their names. Now, if I can get this part by my censor, it will be fine.
While I was on my own Gerry and Barbara were having some fun of their own.
Barbara and I competed in three events to see if we could win a prize. I wound up with the highest score and Barbara was right behind me. There must have been a hundred or so people competing, so we figured we wouldn't be a winner.
Much to our surprise, the winners board was posted that afternoon and we won the two best prizes. I won Tony Lama boots and Barbara won a nice Sony Tv. I wasn't able to find boots that fit me and they awarded me a generous cash prize. Add to that the $225 that Gerry won on the slots and we had a free week in Vegas. Is there any wonder why we love it out here?
Finally the week ended and we hit the road for Lake Havasu and Barb & Henry went home. We wound up trading potato chips and pretzels with some fishermen and received some fresh striped bass in return. We wound up with 3 meals of fish and enjoyed the fish very much.
Why, you may be asking am I writing about something that happened 13 years ago? Well, we drove around out here in the Southwest and really loved what we saw and decided we would return and spend the winter out here. We wound up checking out the Cactus Country RV Park and thought that would be a great snowbird location. A couple years later in 2006 we came back and spent the winter in Tucson as well as each winter since then.
We both were worn out today and decided to take a day off and hit the road again on Tuesday. We hope to have an interesting blog on Tuesday night and have done something we've never done before. As long as the winds don't pick up, then stay tuned.
I remember this well and as a matter of fact I just left one in Chicago and I have another one in Vegas in October! Sorry no extra tickets still...they really clamped down since the Clark family rolled through. I remember you asking me why none of the other guys I worked with brought their wives and I said you'll see...well at the end of the show when you asked how do we get all this stuff to the car parked a mile away I said...now you see!! I never thought you would get those prizes but you sure did...amazing nightmare that still haunts me every time I hear FOOD SHOW!!!
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