Balloon Fiesta II

Perched in our lawn chairs on our 100 foot high overlook we have been taking in all the activity of the Balloon Fiesta and loving it. The weather was supposed to be dry nearly all the time we were to be here, and for the most part it was. However, winds were a bit stronger than ideal, and one of the scheduled balloon glows was sadly cancelled.

A balloon glow is where they tether all the balloons to the ground and inflate them. They do this after the sun goes down and the dark starts to settle in. Then with all the balloons on the field inflated they use their propane burners to light up the balloons almost like a light bulb. The resulting effect is really pretty. We were mesmerized during the entire event, and were truly happy it did not get cancelled again.

This morning was the first of the mass ascensions. We had seen two ascensions already, but they were limited to the just over 100 specially shaped balloons. In the mass ascensions all the balloons fly beginning at 7 AM, including the special shapes. All in all there were well over 500 balloons launching from the Balloon Fiesta Park field.

We chose this day specifically to descend to the field and mill about with the balloons. In Albuquerque they allow attendees to go anywhere on the field they want. We managed to saunter up to several of the balloons and touch them as they were being inflated. Once the balloon is ready to launch, the Zebras (they call them that here just like in the NFL because of their distinctive garb) clear a lane though the spectators in the general direction the breeze will likely push the balloon when it ascends, blow their whistle (just like an NFL ref) and everyone lets go of the basket. With a whoosh the balloon is aloft!

We strolled the entire field and watched several launch. We see now what draws all the balloonists here. Every basket we saw nearing launch had a couple of spectators hop in the basket and ride along. Some of the balloons even had baskets large enough for as many as a dozen passengers. We don’t know how much it costs to tag along on one of the flights, but I am sure it pays the cost of fuel and some or all the transportation costs to get here by the time the Fiesta is over. Maybe there is even a little profit involved.

After seeing hundreds of balloons launch we headed back up to our private overlook. We grabbed some breakfast and coffee and assumed our lawn chairs. Maybe only half the total number of balloons had launched by that time, so we sat like royalty, dined and watched the rest of the balloons launch – what a spectacle!

Once the balloons were all launched the sky was simply littered with them. Apparently the breezes don’t just go north, which the flags on the poles beside the field would suggest. Balloon pilots know that there are layers and layers of breezes, and they may all be heading in different directions. So if ground breezes are to the north and you don’t want to go north, you just go up higher until you find the thermal layer that takes you in the direction you want.

Because of this, although the breezes on the ground were north, most of the balloons traveled southward at first. But the winds were not strong, and they didn’t go very far. Many seemed to stay static above the field. Some were drifting a bit north. By the time all the balloons launched they completely filled the sky in a south to north pattern that pretty much matches the orientation of the Fiesta Park. What a day!


We learned why it is named the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Balloons from all over the world were registered and flown here. We saw a lot from South America, one from Dubai, some from Germany, and these cute guys from the United Kingdom. They had a bit of a story attached. They were shipped from the UK in August to arrive long before the Fiesta for set up and testing and such. I can’t imagine how it could happen with such large items, but they got lost in shipping, and weren’t found and delivered until the day before the mass ascension flight. Had they not shown up on that day, they would have missed the entire event.

Not long after all the balloons were in the air some of them began to land. It was cool to see that after being aloft and hour or more many of the balloons had drifted south then found a thermal taking them back north. Many of the balloons were actually landing on the Fiesta field, some almost on the exact spot where they launched. I imagine if you are a pilot, you can launch and fly for over an hour and then set your balloon gently back down on nearly the spot where you had launched an hour earlier it would give you a great feeling of accomplishment. I also assume it makes the chase crew with the truck happy!

We are going to see another mass ascension tomorrow morning, another glow tonight, some laser light shows and fireworks. Quite a bit packed into just one day. Oh, and did I mentioned The Band Perry performing on the Fiesta field this afternoon?

We are heading back home tomorrow with mixed emotions – happy to see daughter Karen and her crew, but a bit sad to realize we will be off the road for a bit.

Talk to you soon!