Antelope Island Buffalo and Balloon Stampede

If you have ever been to Antelope Island, you know that Syracuse is the "gateway city" to this island which is located in the Great Salt Lake. It is a popular place to take out of town guests who want to try swimming in lake. There is a great sandy beach but the water is located so far from the parking area and you have to walk through hordes of brime flies on the way there and back...it is one of those "once in a life time" experiences. However the island offers other things like nice hiking, buffalo, a historical ranch, and of course, the Stampede. This was actually our first time there. On Friday night we took Jena and her friend Kaitlyn out for the Friday evening activities. It was so fun that Gary and I headed back on Saturday night to hear the concert for that night as well.

It was held on a large dusty plain area which is used usually as a group camping area. The weather was perfect...blue skies with white fluffy clouds, no wind, and temps. around 80 degrees. Actually the no wind wasn't too great for the kite fliers and the balloonists as they had to delay their "flights" until later in the evening. Howsever it was still amazing to watch them both.

A single kite flying in the sky.

Kaitlyn and Jena watching the balloon preparing to inflate.

Ready....

Set....

Go..............

Just one launched tonight from near the stage. Others took off from another location and landed during the concert.

Jena and Kaitlyn watching the takeoff.

A arms-length self photo---Kaitlyn, Jena and I

They had an amazing kite flying display of "Quad" kites which are controlled by four strings. These pictures aren't great because they couldn't fly until later in the evening. The kiters could fly their kites together and do amazing tricks all together. I couldn't figure out how they avoid tangling their strings together. They would fly in formations and then twist off in different directions. If you ever have a chance to see it do it.

We saw up to six kites in the air, flying together. It made me want to go fly a kite. In Hong Kong, there was a place in the New Territories where people would go and fly kites. You could buy a kite from a vendor and then stand near the top of a hill and fly the kite...often with a hundred other people. They had some fancy Chinese kites that were great to watch as well. I wonder how many kite flying places there are in the world?

The kites are not the typical shape as you can see but they shoot through the air. I watched the kiters on the ground controlling them and I still can't figure them out. It is hard work.

The main event was a Beach Boy tribute band. We brought our own chairs and enjoyed a fun concert....especially if you like Beach boy music which we do.

Kaitlyn and Jena enjoyed dancing with everyone else in front of the stage.

The concert was great and they did a good job with the songs. So on Saturday night, Gary and I went back to hear the "The Diamond Experience" band which was a tribute to Neil Diamond of course. Two concerts in one weekend is a first for Gary and I. Final pictures from the night............. Smiles from Jena

Enjoying a sucker with a friend

The Band

A bumper sticker on one of the balloonist's cars

The moon over the Lake I think we will be watching out for next year and maybe go again.