Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta September 29-October 4, 2011

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Since I will probably not have Internet access for more than a week, and I have not had any for almost a week already, below is what I have been up to between September 29th and October 4th.  It has been way beyond anything I could have imagined. As you will read you will see why.  I have taken about 600 pictures, more than I could put in an album. I took many of my favorite shots and also a variety of the types of things I have seen and experienced so you can get an overview of being here. The pictures and my descriptions do not do it justice. It doesn’t really capture what it is to be here in person.  If you want to see more pictures or know explanations when I see you, I will gladly put on the slide show of photos. I typed this story, but did not proofread it much, so excuse any typos.

Here is a link to Album 1 of photos, here is a link to Album 2 of photos.

Here is a link to the Balloon Fiesta Gallery of professional pictures: https://www.balloonfiesta.com/event-info/photo-galleries

Here is the story of my experience here:

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Thursday, September 29, 2011

I went to the volunteer training to find out what I would be doing for my afternoon and early evening shift. We were given a booklet telling all about the balloons, such as what they are made of, how they inflate, describing the various parts of the balloons, etc. We were also given a volunteer shirt, a pass to get into the park for the entire 9 days, and a ticket for a volunteer lunch and awards lunch. We were also given breakfast every day in the big tent from 5-7 a.m. Lunch is from 11a.m.-2 p.m. I’m really looking forward to being on a chase crew in the morning and working at the Balloon Discovery Center in the afternoons. Melissa and the other staff and volunteers are really great and they care about the volunteers. I found out that there are eight paid Balloon Fiesta staff, everyone else who is working at the event are volunteers.

After I got back to the camper it got really windy. I could see storm clouds coming over the mountain. The sky got really dark and I could see rain in the distance. We didn’t get the rain, however, we got REALLY STRONG winds. The RV campground still was pretty empty and there were no trailers to the east side of me where the wind was blowing from. I thought a few times that my camper was going to blow over on it’s side. Thankfully it did not!!! I finally fell asleep, I guess the rocking motion helped.

Friday, September 30, 2011

I woke up at about 8 a.m. And was laying in bed and I looked out my upper window and saw a few balloons floating in the sky. I got up and looked out and saw lots of balloons. I quickly got dressed and went outside to look and there were 34 balloons flying towards the campground. It was really a beautiful site. What I am calling a campground is really a big former landfill that is just dirt that is packed flat. There is an area that has electric and water hookups, but most of the many, many acres is just dirt for us to park in. By the end of the day there were lots of campers here of all sizes. The park was pretty much full. I asked one of the volunteers that was parking the campers how many RV units are in this RV Park and he said about 1,800-2,000 of us. It is row after long row of campers. Some small vans like mine, and there are lots of the large expensive motor homes. There are also rallys of groups of people with the same types of campers like Roadtrek, Winnabago, Alfa, etc.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Today is the first day of the Balloon Fiesta. I got up at 4 a.m. I got the shuttle bus from the campground to the Balloon Fiesta Park where all the activities are held. I went to the Landing and had breakfast which was a breakfast burrito and juice. Then I walked down to where Section S8 where I was to meet Scott Esposito the pilot I was working with. His balloon is called Big Blue. The field where the balloons inflate and take off from is about the size of 54 football fields laid next to each other. In the dark when I arrived it looked sort of like an airport. There were blue lights marking the grids which were sectioned off for each letter and number. Each balloon was assigned a space and there were 3 or 4 balloons in each spot. The balloons go off in two waves, first and second.

Big B lue Scott’s Balloon

I saw Scott, and he and Keralyn his fiance were so nice and answered my questions and told me about how the balloons inflate and other interesting facts about the balloon and what is entailed to fly them and I also heard some stories of times they flew and experiences they had. I told them how excited I am to be here and to help on his crew and be at my first balloon event.

At this time of morning about 6 a.m. It’s about 50 degrees outside, as the sun comes up it gets warmer and about high 70s. The balloons begin to inflate about 6:30 a.m. For the first wave and they go up about 7 a.m. I can’t even find the correct words to describe this experience. Spectacular is one word, colorful and awe inspiring is another, but they don’t do justice to what I saw and felt. You have to be here to have this experience. Pictures are great but they don’t even show the size of these balloons and the power of the fans and heat to blow them up and get them upright.

As it was getting light about 7 a.m. I took lots of pictures of the various balloons inflating and getting upright. They are really close together on the field and touching each other as they inflate. You can’t even imagine the size of the balloons. They inflate with large gas powered fans which have to be manned during the entire inflation process. It’s also interesting to see what is required to hook the baskets to the balloon envelope, propane burner, and all the lines and other parts of the balloon before it is even inflated. I was able to be right there to watch the entire process and I took some pictures of the various stages that are required.

As Scott and his crew assembled his balloon Big Blue, I watched and took lots of pictures since it looked like he had enough crew to help and this way I could watch and see how it was done so I could help another time. I told him I would like to crew with him all week and he said that was okay. Some days he inflated and launched on the field, and some days because he is doing some of the competitions he would launch off field. After Scott’s balloon launched and I watched it float away, I walked around to see other balloons inflate and launch.

Assembling Big Blue

I found a crew that needed someone to stand by the fan as the balloon inflated, so I helped with that. I was really amazed how quickly the balloon envelopes fill up. It seems to take about a half hour for the balloon to go from being in the back of a vehicle or trailer until it’s ready to be launched.

The pilots I spoke with were all so nice and let people next to their balloons and we could just walk around and talk with them and watch and even ask questions. The second wave of balloons launch by 9 a.m. And then after they are all up and floating away, the park begins to empty out. The food vendors and other vendors on Vendor Row as they call it close down until about 4 p.m. When the park begins to come alive again for the afternoon events.

After I got some lunch, I went back to my camper and changed my shoes and socks since they were really wet from being on the wet grass this morning. I then walked back to the balloon field which is about a mile and a half from my camper. I hung around until about 3 p.m. When I was to begin my shift at the Balloon Discovery Center at the north end of the field. My shift ended at 7 p.m. I went behind the tent I worked in and the balloons that were in the Balloon Glow were beginning to inflate. They just inflate and then glow by releasing the gas into their balloon which not only keeps it inflated and upright, but makes the designs and colors of their balloons visable. I found out that each balloon gives out cards, sort of like baseball cards, telling the name of the pilot and owner, a picture and name of the balloon and where they are from. I got several of them to have as a memory of the event.

I tried to get some pictures of the Balloon Glow but they didn’t come out very good. After the Balloon Glow, there was a fireworks show which was more than spectacular! It lasted about a half hour and had some fireworks that I had never seen before. They started on the north end of the field, then after a while there were some on the west side of the field, then they finished with a nice display on the north side of the field again. Then I started the long trek back to my camper. I was lucky and instead of having to wait in the long line for the bus, a golf cart came by and took me to the end of the sidewalk near the campground and I only had to walk about .3 mile back.

I couldn’t wait to get my shoes off. I walked so much my feet hurt. I got into bed and was so tired I don’t even remember falling asleep.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

I got up at 4 a.m. I got the shuttle bus to the balloon grounds, had breakfast and went to S8 to help Scott again. I asked him if it was possible for me to get a balloon ride sometime during the week, he knew it is on my bucket list and my first time at a balloon event. Scott said he thinks he will be able to give me a ride sometime.

Scott and Keralyn invited me to the Pilot’s Briefing with them. At the briefing they are told about wind conditions, safety issues, etc. It was really interesting to hear. I have met so many pilots, crew, volunteers, and spectators like me. All of us that are having this experience for the first time are in awe and wonder and are hooked. We all want to come back and do this again.

Getting Big Blue ready for inflation

I took a few more pictures of his balloon and other inflating and then when he was fully inflated and getting ready to launch, he told his son to get in, then he told me to get in. I couldn’t believe it. I was getting my first balloon ride!!! I was so excited, and very grateful. I climbed into the balloon which is not easy when the side is pretty tall and I am pretty short. And there were several people holding the basket down so the balloon would stay on the ground until Scott was given permission to launch. Not only did I get the exciting opportunity to go up in a balloon, I was invited to do it during the first wave of the Mass Ascention which is the big event. It’s when the 500 balloons launch in two waves. So not only was I able to see the balloons already in the sky, but I was able to look down and see the balloons on the field in various stages of inflation. It looked like a very colorful patchwork quilt.

Balloon Field from in the air

Once I got in the balloon basket, we began to go up. It went up pretty quickly and within a minute I was looking down at the field with all the spectators and the balloons that were inflating. It was a sea of color and little specks that were the people. I also could look eye level and up at the balloons already in the sky. There are not words to express this experience. Spectacular is not enough of a word for me and I can’t think of anything bigger or grander. Scott explained what I was looking at as we floated over places around Albuquerque. He also answered questions I had about various aspects of balloons, training, and flying.

It was so cool to see the balloons at eye level, or to look up or down at other balloons. As I looked down at some I could see they were touching the Rio Grande River below us. Scott pointed out two coyotes running through the desert below us and I could see them. I didn’t get a picture since they were about the same color as the dirt and brush, but I could see the movement. As we were finding a landing spot we got lower over houses, and there were people in their yards, some with young children, so I waved at them and they waved back. It was also amazing to hear how sound carries, even from about 2000 feet up. As we floated during the hour and a half, we could hear dogs barking even off in the distance. The temperature of the air up high was about the same as on the ground. Except for a short time close to when we were going to land, there was no wind that I could feel on my body when I was in the basket. The air was clean, and still. We were just floating. It was such an amazing feeling. I’m hooked now!!!

Scott found a place to land, and Keralyn and the other crew members drove to where we landed. We could see them periodically as we traveled since they tried to stay fairly close and keep their eyes on the balloon. We had a great landing. Scott did a great job of keeping the basket upright. When the crew arrived, we got out of the balloon. And as the balloon envelope fell gently to the ground we made sure that it didn’t get into any bushes or on rocks and debris that would tear it. We also wore work gloves so that the oil from our hands don’t get on the balloon.Getting the air out of the balloon and getting it stuffed into the bag was interesting and took several of us. The balloon weighs about 250-300 pounds, but it all fit into the bag after the air was pushed out. We packed everything back into the bed of Scott’s pickup and headed back to the field.

So now, thanks to Scott, I am able to highlight another item off my bucket list. I had four things on my list when I got to Albuquerque. Be at the Balloon Fiesta, go up for my first ride in a balloon, go to Alaska, and see the Northern Lights. Now I have two items left on my list and since it looks like I will be around living for a while more, I need to find things to add to my bucket list. I already have some in mind and will begin to write my new list.

After we got back to the field, Scott and his crew were going home to take naps, I totally understand that since we all got up early and it does take concentration and strength to inflate, launch, and pilot the balloon. I got a sandwich and went back to my camper to eat it and also took a short nap. I had to work the afternoon shift at the Balloon Discovery Center. I showed up for my shift at 3 p.m. The winds were about 12 mph and we weren’t sure if there was going to be a Balloon Glow that evening. Winds have to be less than 10 mph. About 6:30 p.m.

There was an announcement that there would be the glow and then fireworks at 8 p.m. The glow was really great once again. There were some different balloons from the night before.In the mornings about 500 balloons get launched. In the evening there are about 200 balloons tethered and glowing, they do not launch so everyone can just watch, or walk up to the balloons and talk with the pilots and crew. Or just admire the colors and sights.I have to tell you, there are some really interesting balloons. I didn’t really see any two alike.

There are some with animals, geometrics, corporate balloons, and special shapes. I loved the Creamland Cow. She is inflated on her side and when she was launched and floating in the sky, she was a sight to behold. She looked so happy and content.

Fish

Old Fashioned Merry Go Round

 

Darth Vader

Once again, I was glad when I could get back to my camper and go to sleep.

Monday, October 3, 2011

I got up at 4 a.m. Again. I was so tired, I didn’t want to get out of bed. I had slept soundly which was nice since usually before the last few days I didn’t sleep through the nights. I went to the Landing for breakfast and for the second day they gave us soup for breakfast. It was a bit spicy for me, but I ate a little anyway. I talked with an official who they call Zebras. They wear black and white and some of them are Zebra print clothes. They are the officials who work with the pilots and give them permission to lauch, and other directions they need. Pilots cannot launch without permission from the Zebra.

When I got to Scott’s balloon area I was invited with him and Keralyn to the Pilot’s Briefing again. I was made to feel so a part of their crew it really touched my heart. When we got ready to inflate, I put on gloves and got to work with the others. Today is the first day I really helped inflate the balloon. Yesterday I helped to deflate and pack the balloon. My job was to hold open one side of the balloon envelope while the fan inflated it. This was no easy task. It really takes a lot of strength to work on a crew. As the balloon inflated, it began to roll and we had to hold the balloon and the lines as it filled up. Others on the crew had lines from the crown which is the top of the balloon, and they pull it out so the balloon has it’s full length to expand. As the balloon fills, then Scott and other pilots for their balloons get on the basket and when the fan is turned off they release gas into the balloon which makes it go upright. The balloon is tethered by a rope to the back of the pickup so it doesn’t go up until ready.

Inflating the balloon with a fan

Once it’s upright, we all lean on the basket to keep it on the ground until given permission to launch. It’s not as easy as it sounds. The pilot has to keep releasing gas into the balloon to keep it upright and fill while we wait for permission to launch, which is based on other balloons surrounding the balloon so there is a clear path for launch. Sometimes we have to walk the basket to a different area for clearance. This entails the pilot releasing a bit of gas so the basket is about a foot off the ground so we can move it. Once we release the basket it’s up and away. Today Scott took two people up for their first ride too. They seemed about as excited as I was.

Scott and crew

Oh, I forgot to mention that today we met at the balloon field and then drove off site to launch from somewhere else that was at least a mile away from the balloon field. There was a competition today that Scott was going to enter. It consisted of dropping bags from the balloon onto a mark on the field and also getting a ring about 8 inches in diameter over a pole. However, this morning the winds were not cooperating and it seemed all the pilots were having trouble getting the currents to take them where they wanted to go. We waited a while and then went towards where we thought Scott would land. Due to the winds not being what he needed to reach the field, he had to land somewhere else and we drove to his location which happened to be on the Sandia Reservation. The reservation police greeted all pilots landing on their tribal land and paperwork had to be completed. While they did that, we began to help the balloon deflate, then pack it in the bag. This really is a task in itself, but we got it done. Since the landing was in the dirt, we all were so dusty after we finished. I could pat my jeans and see the dirt coming off, sort of like Peanuts Pigpen character.

After packing up and loading the basket, balloon, etc. into the truck, we headed back to the field. Scott and Keralyn gave the three of us first time flyers our initiation. It consisted of the Balloon Prayer, and a special ritual that Scott does. Then Keralyn gave us a balloon card with Big Blue and a ballon pin of Big Blue. It was really special and nice that they care so much about all of us. I was number 360 for the first time flyers that Scott has given rides too.

When we were done with the ceremony, I thanked them again and headed towards the Landing where there was a lunch for the volunteers. I met more people and had a nice time, then got a shuttle back to the campground where I took a short nap, then got up and had a sandwich for dinner. I decided to run my generator for a while to charge my camper batteries since I am not hooked up to electricity. I usually read at night for a few hours, but have not the last few nights since I get back about 9 p.m. And I’m exhausted and just crash.

Since I got back about 2:00 this afternoon, a nap sounded good. Since I had to run my generator, I decided to write my narratives for the last few days even though I don’t have Internet. This will save some time when I get it. I’ll just have to cut and paste my narrative and insert photos and create a photo gallery with pictures. I have taken almost 500 pictures, digital photos are great!!! However, they don’t really capture this spectacular event. I will post lots of pictures, but if you want to see all the pictures, you will have to get with me when I see you.

Well, that’s about it for now… Oh, I heard it might be 30 degrees on Friday. Scott and his crew that have done this before have told me that the weather this year so far for Fiesta is really good. They have had some years where it’s so cold that it was really tough. That might be Friday… we will see.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

I got up at 4 a.m. again today. I got the shuttle bus to the balloon field and had breakfast and then met Scott and Keralyn at their launch spot. It was drizzling rain a little but it was supposed to clear up a little, we weren’t sure though. The temperature was a bit warmer this morning than it was yesterday, but it’s supposed to get colder later in the week. We went to the pilot’s briefing then came back to the truck and headed out for a launch spot. The weather looked like it was clearing and the sky remained cloud covered which is good for flying, it makes the air more stable since the sun is not warming the air.

I asked Scott if there was a chance that sometime I could have another ride. I felt funny asking, but thought he could always say no, and if there was a chance I could go up again, I would be in heaven since I really loved the experience. Today he was in a challenge so he was launching more than a mile from the field and then flying to the field to try and drop a ring over a pole and also hit targets on the ground with beanbags. Scott said he would see about giving me another ride. There was a new crew member with us today named Allen who is getting his first ride. I’m so happy and excited for him. After we were inflated and ready to launch, Allen got in the basket, and then Scott told me to also. I was so thrilled, grateful, and happy… Scott says he doesn’t remember taking anyone up twice in a week so I feel very honored and special. I took more pictures of today’s experience including the balloons that were flying, as we approached the balloon field, the campground where I am parked, and the surrounding areas.

Packing the Balloon after a ride

Flying towards Balloon Field

Scott got really close to the pole and just missed dropping it over the pole, the ring hit the pole and bounced off it. The beanbags fell pretty far from the target, the wind current drifted them away as they fell. Once again in the air, we did not feel any breeze, it was still and just very peaceful. We landed in a vacant area in our RV Park area. Lots of balloons were landing there and many of the campers came out and watched, and some even helped.

When we landed and got out of the basket, we got the air out of the balloon envelope and then began the task of packing it back into the bag. I think this is the most difficult part of the whole process. If you think getting the air out of baggies of food, etc. is tough, you should try getting the air out of a balloon.

Scott, Big Blue’s Pilot

We finally got everything packed into it’s bags and loaded into Scott’s pickup. We also helped other balloons land and help with their balloon deflation. This was another great experience for me. I am getting the opportunity to experience so many aspects of this balloon event. I have done most of the crew tasks from inflation to being on the chase crew, and packing the balloon and equipment.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, I am going to meet Scott on the field and help on his crew again. Then on Thursday is the Special Shapes Rodeo and that should be really interesting. I heard that there are about 90 different balloon character shapes and weather permitting they should be able to inflate and launch. I am working on Thursday and Friday afternoons and evenings, so I won’t be able to see the special shapes at that time. I have seen many special shapes, and I put pictures of them in my Balloon Fiesta photo album.

Bumble Bee Family

That’s about it for now. I will most probably not have Internet access for a week or so, but I wanted to get my blog updated since I know many of you are interested in how this week has been so far. I came to the Balloon Fiesta Office to use their wi fi.

I am so very grateful that I have had this opportunity to come here and have this experience.

 

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1 Response to Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta September 29-October 4, 2011

  1. Laura says:

    I lived in Albaquerque for 6 months and had no idea how much there is to see and do! Thanks for sharing this trip of a lifetime! Hope it continues to be safe and maintenance free! LOL

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