balloon fiesta at home (three), the motto of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is “Mass Happiness” and that’s what we’re feeling on this last weekend of the event, October 10, photos © 2009 by ybonesy. All rights reserved.
Our Own Private Balloon Fiesta
October 10, 2009 by ybonesy
15 Responses
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Beautiful thank you for sharing it!! 🙂
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Very cool! We used to have many hot air balloons fly over our place when we lived at the farm. I’m afraid of flying, but I would absolutely love to go up in one. D
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Wow, beautiful shots, ybonesy. Can’t believe you can see that from your backyard. I always wanted to attend the balloon festival there. Looks like a great Fall day for it. Have you ever been up in a hot air balloon?
I did once when I was living in Montana. Something I’ll never forget. One thing that surprised me about it…it’s noisy from the blast from the gas burner used to heat the air and make the balloon rise. But in between that, peaceful and silent. Flying like a bird. The landing is wild, too.
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Morning, QM. The Balloon Fiesta is lots of fun, but last time I went I lost my car. That’s what happens when you’re talking on the cell phone while getting out of a parked car amidst thousands of other parked cars. Cell phones really do distract you from the task at hand.
Anyhoo, no, I’ve not gone up in a hot air balloon. Jim and Dee did, together; we won a balloon ride at a silent auction once, and they had a blast. Dee was only about 8. I’m afraid of heights, and even though I’d like to ride, it’s not as high on my list as other things I really want to do. Wimpy me. 😦
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BTW, QM, year before last we had some balloons landing in our field. With one of them, we fed the passengers apples while the pilot and his crew (they were on the ground in a truck with a trailer) went through the arduous work of folding the balloon and then carrying it and the basket over to the road. It was in hindsight a terrible place to land, since they couldn’t get the truck over to the basket, which is SO heavy. And their passengers were paying folks who were not about to be asked to help. Interesting.
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ybonesy, I had not thought of how crowded it might be in the parking lot to and from the event. I bet 1000’s of people go. And I totally forgot about your fear of heights!
You know what’s strange. I can do something like a hot air balloon as far as heights go. But Liz and I have tried twice to walk up a fire tower and we only got to maybe the second landing. I have trouble with things that sway in the breeze.
But the hot air balloon, for some reason, I didn’t have the height issues I usually do. Once I made it all the way to the top of a fire tower near Thief River Falls. But I had to hold the rail for dear life. Once I was on top of the tower, the view was fantastic. But that swaying…I don’t know if I’d ever get used to that.
Pretty cool about feeding the apples to the balloon riders. Landing can be tricky. I remember that being the strangest. And those baskets are really heavy as you mention. I guess coming down is often harder than going up.
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diddy, I didn’t know you had hot air balloons out at the farm. Where did they take off from? And where were they heading? Curious.
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I’ve always wanted to go to the Balloon Festival in Albuquerque. One day I will make it there.
Love the pictures. They set the mood for the carefree ballooning life!
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I love these pictures, but can’t BELIEVE another year has passed without seeing these balloons in person! Gotta get out there!
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QM, not sure where they launched from, but it was always such a cool sight to see them! D
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diddy, the rural place sounds kind of magical. I bet you miss it at times. BTW, remind me, what made you move? I think I’ve asked you that before.
Terri, thanks for stopping by. Like you, I do feel like I’ve got to get to the actual fiesta site one of these years. It’s just such a production to do so. But I’m pretty sure my youngest will not let me miss it next year. (We were going to go this weekend, due to her pleadings, but she ended up going out of town with friends for the weekend.)
Corina, it’s amazing how many folks come to ABQ for this festival. And the whole mood of the city changes. You can feel the energy of the balloonists and their crews and the people who love balloons. The restaurants are full and the shops are busy, and given the timing, it feels abundant.
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Really nice pics YB. Love the one of the Buddha. very nice. sorry I haven’t stopped by in a while. muah!
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After 11 years, I finally made it out to the Balloon Fiesta! I missed it so much (being away at college for the last 4 years)– must’ve acted like a little kid!
The best part to me, and something I hadn’t seen before, was the Dawn Patrol. About 10 balloons went up before sunrise, and would simultaneously flicker their lights. I found it to be cooler than the Balloon Glow because the balloons were actually flying (as opposed to being tethered). It was totally worth waking up at 4:30am! haha
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11 years!? Now I think about it, I was pregnant when I last went to the Balloon Fiesta, so that means it was about 11 years ago for me, too.
You raise a good point about why it’s worth the trouble of actually going to the Fiesta grounds. I had forgotten about the Dawn Patrol. Isn’t it still kind of dark when they go up?
Also, can’t beat some of the foods. Funnel cakes and the breakfast burritos. Like fair food but with a twist.
I’ve talked myself into going next year.
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Hey Julian, good to hear from ya. I know what you mean about not being able to visit as much as usual. I’m in the same boat. Glad you stopped by.
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