Trip #21: Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

October 1 - 4, 2009

ALBUQUERQUE, NM

250 miles

We joined about 45 other Airstreams to attend the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. We all met beforehand to make a grand caravan entrance to the Balloon Park, where we'd be parked for four days. After a few days we had to bust out and visited Corrales and Santa Fe. Otherwise we stuck around and saw a lot of balloon action.

Toaster Town at Balloon Fiesta Park.  Action will be to the right, we're in the first row on the right, trust me.

The first night, many of us out-of-towners camped just outside of Alb.

There were so many we had to break into two groups to make the drive from the meeting point to the park.

This thing starts EARLY. Like, before sunrise.

That early and booths are cranking, people all over the place.

It's total mayhem on the field: people are allowed to wander all over the place as teams try to, ah, inflate, I guess.

One of the ground crew team members. As you can see I don't know the proper lingo, but that's why this man is dressed so zebra-like.

I'd say she was the hit of the show.

No, my lens isn't dirty; those are all balloons up there.

It was not without mishaps: I caught several shots of a failing balloon.

Here's the pilot being taken off the field.

These balloons were to be part of a big 'round the world (or something like that) race, but the winds were so high they couldn't let them launch. The one in the middle is starting to deflate. Those ropes were really whipping in the wind.

Ah, hello Eyewitness News, behind you, balloon landing in traffic... hello? over here...

Meanwhile, back at camp. This was our last morning there, guess the winds shifted.

Hello Kitty.

Great balloon to have land on your big 'spensive RV. Well, almost.

This is just here cuz it's so cool looking. This was parked at the first night campground.