Balloons in New Mexico, October 22, 2007

Last week we attended the Annual Balloon Festival, held in Albuquerque, NM. The festival lasted about two weeks, so we only were there for the last four days. We were there as part of a group activity of our Escapees RV Club, so we had a chance to renew some friendships and make some new ones. Many of the members there were retired people, full timers like us --- so as I like to say, it was nice to meet some adults!

This was really an experience beyond any expectation that I had --- been impressive, but difficult to give justice by either a description or photographs. There were said, to be 800 hot-air balloons participating; but believe me, whatever the number, there were a lot of balloons, of every size and shape.

The first evening there was an event called the “Balloon Glowdeo”. This event was held in the dusk and after dark. The balloonist inflated their baloons, but kept them tethered to the ground. Then periodically they would turn on their propane burners, in such a way that they would emit a bright yellow flame, and illuminate the whole balloon, from the inside. The effect was beautiful and with the funny shaped balloons, interesting. Unfortunately our digital camera doesn’t seem to function well in the dark, so we did not get good photos. Below is one photo, to give you an idea of what I am writing.

The next day there was an event called a mass ascension, where all the balloons filled with hot air, in several waves. The idea was to get all the balloons in the air at one time. At this event we had a chance to see in the air many, what I would call “funny balloons”, actually flying. There were balloons of every description: the Bunny Energizer, a pink elephant, an inflated bank building, a cow, just to mention a few. Below are some pictures of some of the more interesting balloons.

We enjoyed the Balloon Festival, and left after watching the last launching Sunday morning. From Albuquerque, we made our way across the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mississippi to Red Bay, Alabama. We are here to get a little work done our RV at the Tiffin factory repair facility. It is mostly minor stuff, but we do want to get the compartment doors that we damaged in the Yukon Territory repaired.