Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

I don't know which was more fun - watching the balloons launch in the crisp morning air of New Mexico or watching Trang.

We used to live in Albuquerque and the balloon fiesta is an annual fact of life.  Tens of thousands of visitors overrun the city, snarl traffic, and generally annoy the populace.  But the fiesta is well worth the visit, especially if you've never been around hot air balloons.  Spectators are invited to get right out on the field among the huge balloons as they inflate and take off.  It is a whirlwind of color and noise and movement.

But - it starts very early in the morning.  Dawn has not yet cracked on the field when the crews arrive in their trucks and vans and begin to check the weather.This is the time for a New Mexico breakfast of hot coffee and a green chile breakfast burrito.  A little fire in the tummy helps you to wake up as you wander around the field.

(As always, be sure to click on the photos to see the larger version.)

Sipping coffee and checking the weather, the pilots decide they will fly - and soon somebody fires off their burner.  If you are near one of them and you aren't ready for it, the sound will startle you.  Soon, bursts of fire appear around the field and crews begin to lay the big nylon bags out on the ground.

 Trang wasn't quite sure where all this activity would lead - until she saw the first balloon with fire being breathed into it - and she saw how huge a hot air balloon can be.  An ordinary balloon is about between 75 and 100 feet tall.  By this time a crowd has gathered around the balloon.  As it leaves the ground, people applaud and cheer.  If you are focused on that one balloon, you'll miss the others around you - until another blast from a nearby burner makes you jump.  Now, they're lots of balloons standing up and launching, and Trang was quick to record this new experience.

By now, the balloons are everywhere.  Though it seems there are thousands of them, the balloon fiesta limited the number of balloons allowed to launch in one day to no more than 600.  As soon as one clears the ground, another crew moves into its assigned space and begins the fifteen minute process of setting up another balloon. Each must wait for a fiesta official to give the thumbs up to launch - just to make sure a balloon doesn't go upwards into another balloon overhead - but it seems they are all around you.  The sensation of sight and sound is euphoric.  It didn't take long before Trang filled up the memory card on her camera - that's my point & shoot she is using while her own camera dangles from her wrist.  It seemed like she couldn't take pictures fast enough.

It was a great morning - one of those magic times when God's earth is so full of fun and joy.  I was in the middle of this awesome place with the two most important women in my life surrounded by beautiful machines floating in the air over my head.  It was worth getting up so early in the morning (we had to get up at 1AM to drive to Albuquerque from Angel Fire - more on that in another post).

As the chill wore off and the last of the balloons were off in the distance, the field began to empty.  Chase vehicles went to find their crews and pilots while the spectators began to look for souvenirs and trinkets - and maybe a cinnamon roll or another breakfast burrito.  I was more in the mood for people-watching than shopping, so I let the ladies go off on their own while I drank the last of my coffee and watched the crowds dwindle.

And smiled.

Comments

[lisa bara]

doug loved your pics from fiesta. this year was my first time going and i loved it. the early morning sessions were the best but i did love the friday nite GLOW too. take care and thanks for the lovely photos.

[Russ Young]

Champagne and propane, breakfast of champions. It is an awesome sight isn't it? Did you get a pin?