Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - Day 6

Tuesday, 10/4/2011: Another beautiful morning. Slept in again, missing the Dawn Patrol, but got up as the balloons began to arise from the launch field for the Flying Events. Got a lot more great photos, as we did yesterday, the Albuquerque Box was working again.



One of the balloons landed right in our area, at the Hospitality Tent. The pictures below show many of our caravan members helping to land the balloon and get it put away.

The balloon lands



With help, the pilot flies the balloon basket into his trailer

The balloon gets rolled up

and put away in its bag

The main event for the day was a bus trip to Santa Fe. The afternoon weather wasn’t looking good and we opted out of the trip. Instead, we went back to Old Town and wandered around leisurely through the shops. We then went out to the local Camping World to pick up some RV items we’ve been wanting. A Model Train Store was our final stop before heading back to the rig.

We encountered some off and on rain as we ran around. Back at the rig, the rain stopped long enough for us to get our two pups out for a nice long walk. Then the sky opened up. It rained so hard for a short time that I couldn’t even see the RV’s on the other side of the drive from ours. It showered off and on for the rest of the evening.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - Day 5

Monday 10/03/11: After two early rise, long days, we decided to sleep in this morning. We missed the Dawn Patrol, but were awakened a few minutes after 7:00 a.m. by the wooshing of propane burners right over our RV. Today was the first day of four days of Flying Events, testing the skills of approximately 350 pilots participating. They are competing for $100,000 if the weather allows them to compete for four days. If they don’t get four days in, the prize drops to $40,000. The pilots have to fly a minimum on 1 mile away from the launch field, and then return to the launch field, drop down without hitting the ground and drop a ring over one of several poles on the field. Well, the Albuquerque Box was working today. The balloons lifted of the field staying low and flew right over us (we’re about ½ mile from the launch field). Then, after going the minimum mile away, they lifted up into a higher elevation that would carry them back over the launch field. They’d go by the field, drop back down to the lower elevation that would then carry them back to the field. As they approach, they drop down to toss their ring over one of the poles. They rise up again and head out to find a place to land. Many landed in vacant areas in the RV parking area. The balloons were up for at least 3 hours today. Another game on another day will have them once again flying away and back to drop a small sandbag on a target on the field, seeing who can get the closest.



That's our coach on the left

After all the balloons were down for the day, we went quilt shop hopping, stopping a the 3 shops closest to us. We, of course, purchased some fabric at each of them, including a balloon quilt kit to remember our trip by.

At 4:00 p.m. we enjoyed a Social Time in the WIT Hospitality Tent followed by another catered dinner; lasagna, salad, bread and desert. Another wonderful day.

The gas balloon race ended tonight, being won by a UK team. They traveled 974 miles, staying aloft for 71 hours and 32 minutes. The American team that spoke to our group at our orientation last Thursday finished 2nd, traveled 928 miles, staying aloft for 69 hours and 25 minutes. Both teams beat the race’s record for time aloft.



A balloon coming right toward us














The balloon directly over us

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - Day 4

Sunday, 10/02/11: Yesterday we stayed in the RV area and watched the Dawn Patrol and Mass Ascension from in front of our RV. Today, I got up at 5:15 a.m. and headed over to the Launch Field. I got to see the Dawn Patrol set up their balloons, fill them with air and then heat it to lift them upright and take off into the pre-dawn darkness. As they ascended, upon instruction from the ground, they alternately or all together fired up their burners for sensational glows. Quite at sight!

Along with thousands of other spectators, I wandered around many of the hundreds of balloons being laid out, filled with air and heated upright waiting their approval to lift off. You can get right up to the balloons during this process and talk with the crews…even look up inside the inflated balloons. You really can’t appreciate the size of the balloons until you wander along and through the packs of balloons as they launch. A record 345 balloons were launched yesterday in the first hour. I wouldn’t be surprised it the record was broken again today.

At 11:00 a.m., we boarded buses for lunch at the Pyramid Marriott Hotel. After a wonderful buffet lunch, we were treated to an hour of dancing by the Ballet En Fuego Latin Dance Review.






Then it was back into the buses again for a trip to The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, owned and operated by the 19 Pueblo tribes of New Mexico. We spent two hours there watching live tribal dance performances, toured the museum and shopped items made by authentic pueblo Indians.


A book that was just published in September titled Code Talker was on sale at the Pueblo Center Gift Shop. During WWII, the Japanese had managed to crack every code that the United States used. But when the Marines turned to its Navajo recruits to develop and implement a secret military language, the created the only unbroken code in modern warfare – and helped assure victory for the US over Japan in the South Pacific. Chester Nez is the only surviving member of the original twenty-nine Code Talkers, and this book is his story. Authored by Chester Nez with Judith Schiess Avile, they were both there and both autographed my copy of the book.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - Day 3

Saturday 10/01/11: Got up at 6:30 a.m. this morning to catch the start of the Balloon Fiesta. Almost immediately, the Dawn Patrol lifted off, a dozen balloons lifting off in the predawn chill to greet the sun as it climbs over the Sandias. The Dawn Patrol takes off while still dark to give a visual report to the pilots on the field who are waiting for the 7 a.m. launch and need to know about wind speeds and directions before they leave the ground. (picture)

Shortly before 7:00 a.m., a world globe balloon circled with 22 flags from the countries represented at the Fiesta lifted off as the National Anthem was played and 4 Air Force Planes flew over in the missing man formation in memory of founder Sid Cutter, who passed away on May 21st. For the next two hours, many hundreds of balloons lifted off and filled the sky, the Mass Ascension. (picture)

The Box: Pilots hope to encounter the famous “Albuquerque Box”, breezes that blow in different directions at different heights, a phenomenon that keeps balloons hovering above the launch field instead of quickly drifting miles away. (picture)

We were on our own after the Mass Ascension until 4:00 p.m., when we gathered in the WIT tent for entertainment and an evening supper. A Mariachi group entertained us for a hour, then we were treated to a Taco Salad dinner. (picture)

Shortly after 8:00 p.m., the fireworks show got underway. Following that, The America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race got underway. Some of the world’s most accomplished balloonists lifter off in eight two-person gas balloons with the goal of flying the greatest distance from Albuquerque, while complying with official rules. One of the longest distances recorded in gas ballooning was logged during a previous America’s Challenge. One team flew almost 2,000 miles in 1998. Pilots in this race will typically be aloft for up to 72 hours (the record was 92 hours). Last year’s winner landed in Canada. You can follow the progress of this race if you would like to at “balloonfiesta.com”

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - Day 2

Friday, 9/30/11: The Rally kicked off this morning with a day trip aboard buses with tour guides. The first stop was Sandia Crest, which provides a magnificent panoramic view of Albuquerque and 11,000 square miles from its summit at 10,378 feet. To get to the peak, you take the Sandia Peak Tramway, the longest overhead tramway in the world. Its horizontal length is 2.7 miles and the vertical rise is 3,819 feet. It is a double reversible jigback tramway and each of its two gondolas carry 50 passengers for the 15 ride to the top or back down again. Originally built in 1964-66 to take skiers up from the Albuquerque low snow side of the mountain to ski the other side, which receives approx. 110” of show each winter. It has now become a year round attraction carrying over 400,000 passengers per year.


The view from atop Sandia Crest, looking down on Albuquerque. If you look just above the center to the right, you will see a long green strip. The is the balloon launch field, the size of 82 football fields.







Next, we were dropped off at a local neighborhood store, the Fruit Basket, which specialized in chilies, both red and green. Outside, beside the store, we got to watch green chilies being roasted. Inside, in addition to fruit and produce, they sold everything chili: chilies, chili powder, chili jellies, chili peanut brittle, etc.

For lunch we were treated to a Mexican buffet at the city’s largest restaurant, El Pinto, which seats over 900 people. The owner of this restaurant grows chilies and operates a chili processing plant.

Following lunch, we departed to Old Town Plaza, the heart of the city’s heritage. Settled in 1706, this village was formed in the traditional Spanish pattern of a central plaza surrounded by a church, government buildings and homes. Today it is home to more than 100 shops, boutiques and restaurants.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - Day 1

Thursday, 9/29/11: Nothing scheduled for today until 2:30 p.m. at which time all gathered for a Rally Orientation. We ran a few errands in the morning, had lunch in and took a short nap before heading over to the WIT Hospitality Tent for the orientation. There are 46 Winnebagos/88 persons attending this Rally. A good hour or so was spent going over the schedule for the next 8 days and the rules and regulations to be followed. We then had a very interesting presentation on ballooning, both helium and gas (racing) by a couple that has been ballooning both types for more than 30 years. We were then served a catered light supper. The Rally really gets underway tomorrow, the Balloon Fiesta on Saturday. Some interesting facts about the Balloon Fiesta:
• It started as an anniversary party event for KOB Radio in 1972. 13 balloons lifted off from a shopping center parking lot. One police officer was assigned and overwhelmed as over 10,000 spectators showed up for the event.
• This it is the 40th annual running of the event which will feature 580 balloons from 22 different countries.
• There will be Mass Ascensions, Flying Competitions, Morning Glows, Special Shape Rodeos, a Gas Balloon Race and Evening Balloon Glows followed by AfterGlow Fireworks
• There are over 8,000 RV’s in our field with many others located around the event area.
• Attendance expected to exceed 800,000.
• The balloon launch field is the size of 82 football fields.

Albuquerque or Bust - Travel Day 7

Wednesday, 9/28/11: Travel day 7, the final travel day to Albuquerque to take in the 40th Annual Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. As we left Texas and passed into New Mexico, we entered the Mountain Time Zone. We arrived at the Premier RV Parking Area where our WIT Rally was situated around 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon. Several rigs from last summer’s Alaska Caravan were already here, having just completed the Grand Circle Caravan. All total, including ourselves, 7 of the 15 rigs that did the Alaska Caravan together will be here for this Rally. Those of us that had arrived 2 or more days early gathered in the WIT tent for a social hour at 4:00 p.m. Now that we’ve arrived, future reporting will be titled Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.