ALBUQUERQUE BALLOONS

THE ALBUQUERQUE BALLOON FIESTA IS HELD EACH YEAR IN OCTOBER.  WE STAYED WITH THE SAUCER’S AND AMY AND DANIEL HAD US UP AT 4 AM TO GO ACROSS THE VALLEY TO THE FIESTA GROUNDS. IT’S 5 AM, STILL DARK OUT, AND THE PLACE LOOKS LIKE 5PM AT THE STATE FAIR.

THE LOCAL TV STATION HAS A SET, AND THE NEWS ANCHORS ARE WORKING LIVE.  DANIEL LEADS US RIGHT DOWN INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD WHERE THE BALLOONIST ARE ARRIVEING AND UNLOADING THEIR EQUIPMENT.

NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE’RE HAVING COFFEE AND DOUNUTS ON A BLANKET IN THE GRASS.  IN THE DARK SEVERAL BALLOONS TAKE SHAPE AND LIFT OFF ABOUT 6:15 AM.

 

WHEN THEY HIT THOSE BURNERS THE BALLOONS GLOW IN THE DARK, LIKE THE YELLOW ONE IN THE PICTURE ABOVE.

THIS IS THE DAWN PATROL, AND IT SIGNALS THE BEGINNING OF THE “MASS ASCENTION”.

DANIEL HAS PLACED US RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF ABOUT 500 HOT AIR BALLOONS, PREPARING AND TAKING FLIGHT.

UNBELIEVABLE, NOT SOME SPECATOR SECTION ON THE SIDE LINES, BUT RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL.

 

  “UP, UP, AND AWAY, IN MY BEAUTIFUL BALLOON”. YUP, IT WAS THE 1960’S AND THE 5TH DIMENTION.  THAT SONG WAS RUNNING THROUGH MY HEAD ALL MORNING.

 

IT ALL STARTS WITH UNLOADING THE BASKET (GONDULA) AND UNROLLING THE BALLOON.

THEN THEY HOLD OPEN THE BOTTOM, AND USE A GAS POWERED FAN TO BLOW AIR INTO THE BALLOON.

 

SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LAST MINUTE ADJUST OF THE BALLOON.  THERE IS ALSO A CREW PERSON HOLDING ON TO THE TOP OF THE BALLOON WITH A LONG ROPE.

 

ONCE THE BALLOON IS FULL OF AIR, THEY POUR ON THE HEAT AND THEY ARE READY TO FLY!

 

OUR THANKS TO AMY AND DAN FOR GETTING US AROUND THE BALLOON FIESTA WITH EASE.

 

IF YOU’D LIKE TO SEE MORE BALLOON PICTURES, CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE AMY’S PICTURES.