Balloon Fiesta - Udder Delight

OK - one last post about the Fiesta. I wanted to share information about one of the balloons - one of my favorites - and respond to a few of the comments I had received.

We were warned to be careful with our dogs. We were told that the burners, and big shapes going overhead can really frighten them and that we should make sure to hold onto them tightly! Tucker and Gypsy were fine. Well, Gypsy doesn't exactly 'look' fine in this picture, but that was because she didn't want to sit and stay while I tried to get a picture! The biggest problem we had with the dogs is that there were only small patches of green stuff for them to... well, you know what I mean, and those patches usually were loaded with goat heads - aka puncture vine. The second that Gypsy would pick one up in her paw(s) she'd stop walking. Tucker, however, would tough it out and limp along until I noticed. I do not care to take goat heads out of paws... they hurt!

I have also heard that horses do not like hot air balloons. My Haffie friend, Camryn, had an experience with a balloon. However, there were horses patrolling the hot air balloon field, and some even came over to the campground. The horse owners had to spend some time prior to the Fiesta to desensitize their horses to the balloons - taking their horses to some of the most often used launch sites to give the horses a chance to get used to the idea of large, floating predators in the sky.

And now, a bit about my favorite balloon, Airabelle - a word play on Clarabelle Cow! Airabelle is HUGE! It was fun to see her and magical to see her fly. This cow can only jump over the moon on very calm mornings!
Airabelle is like a floppy, gangly, sleepy child when she is being inflated. It takes a lot of hot air to fill her up. While she is becoming one hot cow, she tips and bows, and bobs her head. Her large, fleshy udders waggle back and forth. Just when you think she is ready to go, her legs give out and she stumbles to the launch field.

We could see Airabelle's head from the RV campground even before she was launched! She's that tall. 

The first day we saw her poke her head up over the campers and buildings we were disappointed by her failure to launch. The next time she was inflated, we were satisfied. Airabelle lifted to the sky and drifted in the light breeze toward us, landing in the field in front of us.

It's a good thing that Airabelle is a gentle giant. I certainly wouldn't want to be stepped on by a hoof the size of a barn!

Airabelle's Stats

80 ft. tall

120 ft long

Envelope weights 910 lbs.

Requires a crew of 16

First flew at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in 1988

Balloon Fiesta - Sights and Delights

There were over 500 balloons flying at the Balloon Fiesta. The balloons tended to launch in two large waves. It was so much fun to see them drift towards us, over us and continue on their way - and even more exciting when they chose to land in the field near the RVs or among the RVs.

The balloons came in every color, every shape and every size.

It certainly didn't hurt that the balloons were offset by the 

gorgeous New Mexico blue sky.

Mr. Dreamy took most of the pictures.

He shot about 250 each day!

I had a hard time picking out a favorite.

Each time I thought I had found a favorite,

I'd see a new color combination or shape

and I'd decide I liked that one even more.

Angry Bird looks like he is attacking the hummingbird.

There was a pink pig balloon - but it never launched

at the same time as Angry Bird.

It would have been fun to have Angry Bird

going after the pig!

(You won't understand unless you've played Angry Birds)

I liked the shape and colors of the carousel.

The details on the balloons are amazing.

There are often special baffles inside the balloons

to direct the air into different features of the shapes.

Pegleg Pete was popular.

I thought the zebra was very cute.

We never decided what this balloon,

 called "Bob", was meant to be. 

He reminded me of a Lego person,

and looked kinda like a lighthouse.

If you look at the gondola, you get a feeling for just 

how big Mr. "Bob" is!

Each day we'd discover new shapes.

Some we may have overlooked on previous days,

others didn't fly each day.

These are among the many balloons that landed 

in the field near our RVs

The Ark was a crowd pleaser.

There were three bees that launched together. 

Sometimes they looked like they were holding hands

and dancing together.

I'll leave you with a happy,

sunshiny face.

I hope you have some sunshine in your life!

Have a great day!

Balloon Fiesta: Wake Up Call

Mornings came early at the RV park during the balloon fiesta. Most mornings we were awakened by either the helicopters, or the buses... or both. Our RV was parked next to the perimeter road and shuttle buses began running from the camping area to the launch field at 4:30 AM. They came by every 10 to 15 minutes. Around the same time we'd become aware of (hard not to) the helicopters that were circling overhead. Three competing news stations had their traffic crews up before dawn to get pictures of the traffic and whatever was happening on the launch field. The plus side to this is that we could watch the action on the field from our TV, and know when balloons were launching.

The "Dawn Patrol" was first to launch each morning. The patrol consists of a dozen balloons that launch around 5:30 AM to test the winds. Looking out the RV window we could see the first balloons rising from the launch field.

With just a step out the door we could greet the dawn and the Dawn Patrol, with coffee, cameras and dogs in hand. Yes, it was quite a juggling routine and provided comic relief to other early risers in RV land!

Notice how the balloon glows when the burner is fired.

One morning we managed to sleep in, only to be awakened by the sound of a hot air balloon burner right over our heads. What an unforgettable sound and an unforgettable experience!

Balloon Fiesta - A Blessing in Disguise

On a whim Mr. Dreamy and I called RV tour companies to see if they had space available for the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta that was coming up, at that point in time, in less than a month. We figured it might be hard to get a reservation to camp at the event, but the tour group would have spaces reserved. We lucked out. The Fantasy Adventure Tours company just had a cancellation and we could join them. On October 3 we left our home for our adventure and oh shucks, we missed the snow that came the next day! (You can tell, I bet, how disappointed I was!)
When we arrived at the camping area I was really bummed out as we followed the golf cart into the RV parking area. We drove further and further away from the balloon launch area, past hundreds, nay, thousands, of RVs. When we were directed to our parking spot we were the last RV in the row, as far as one could get from the activities. Our rig was about 1/2 mile from the road. And this was supposed to be a 'premium' site! Geesh!

Shortly after our arrival we had the first tour group meeting and began to get to know some of our fellow adventurers. The first thing on the agenda was a demonstration and a talk by a balloon pilot. It was fascinating! Some of the information shared by the pilot included:

• Balloons travel with the wind. The winds in Albuquerque will sometimes allow balloonists to ride a 'box', where balloons can go one direction, change altitude and ride the wind in the opposite direction, returning close to their launch site.
• Balloonists can not see above them. The pilots carry whistles to alert balloon pilots below them as to their position.
• Balloons will often lightly bump against each other during the Fiesta because there are so many of them in the air. When they bump it is called 'kissing'.
• The burners are powered by propane. The tanks are much like those we use for our gas grills, but they must be FAA approved, and thus cost much more. There are 3 or 4 tanks in the gondolas.
• Balloons can stay aloft about 2 hours. Less time if the weather is hot, more time if the weather is chilly.
• Most pilots use traditional wicker gondola baskets. The wicker is strong and allows for flexibility. If they weren't flexible, they might crack or break due to a rough landing. The gondolas range in size from two-man (three if you are very cozy) triangular shaped gondolas, to large rectangular gondolas that can carry 6-8 people, or even more.
• The 'envelope' is made of ripstop nylon. The smallest are about 20,000 cubic feet and about 5 stories tall. Balloons can go up to 500,000 cubic feet and 16 stories tall. The balloons weigh hundreds of pounds. Launch crews do not handle the balloon with their bare hands as the oils cause the nylon to break down faster. 
• Balloons can fly with holes in them. FAA regulations require that any hole larger than the size of your thumb be repaired. It costs about $100 for a small repair.
• At minimum, balloonists carry an altimeter, a rate of climb instrument and thermometers to measure the temperature inside and outside of the balloon. There are "aps" for iPads and iPhones that allow chase crews and pilots to communicate with ease. I asked how pilots might know about variations in wind speed above or below them. They can only judge winds by what other balloons are doing as well as by using a "spitometer" which helps indicate wind currents below the basket. Oh, the pilots may also carry shaving cream or popcorn to test wind directions below, in case they run out of fuel for the spitometer!
• Ballooning falls under FAA regulation. The equipment must be inspected annually. Pilots must be licensed.  
• Rate of ascent is controlled by the burner, and possibly by jettisoning ballast. Descent occurs when the balloon cools, and by opening vents. The top of the balloon has an opening with a parachute-like valve in it (seen in picture below). Once the balloon has landed, a line pulls the parachute away from the envelope allowing the hot air to escape and the balloon to deflate.

• We were encouraged to help pilots and their crew. We were told that as a balloon comes down, we should ask the pilot if he wants us to "lean on"to help stop the basket, and secure it until the chase crew arrives. In the picture below, the Dreamers are leaning on.

After hearing the pilot's presentation I was beginning to get excited about our coming adventure. But, not nearly as excited as I was the next morning, when I discovered just why we were parked in the south 40. It turns out that the wind patterns take the balloons right over our camping area! This picture shows "Cinderella's Coach" on the left, with balloons heading our way. We enjoyed this scenery seven of the eight mornings we were at the fiesta. (One morning the balloons couldn't launch as it was too windy.)

At the end of the row of RV's in the picture above, you might notice an open area. (It is the rectangle marked with an X in the map I included showing where we were parked.) That is a field that was used for targets during competitions, and for landing by many balloons. It was just a hop, skip and jump from our home on wheels. However, there were times when the fickle wind took pilots off their intended course, and they chose to land amongst our RV's! Here, Mr. Wizard's pilot, adroitly put down in a vacated RV parking spot, and used the roadway to take down his balloon.

And, here is another, just behind Cinderella's Coach! How's that for a front row seat?!

I'll be writing more about the Fiesta in future posts...