10/13/07 Fiesta Park - Pertoglyphs

Captain’s Blog
10/13/07
Albuquerque Fiesta Park/ KOA, South Bernallilo

Odometer Reading: 12372.2

Everyone was up early this morning for our last Dawn Patrol experience and the final huge mass ascension of the Fiesta. To our surprise there were several balloons being inflated while it was pitch dark out. We were amazed to see that they were doing a balloon glow for all of us making up for the Glowdeo that was cancelled last evening.
It was breathtaking!!!!!!!!!!!

The number of spectators on the field was unreal.

We thought there had been a lot a spectators on the previous days but this morning topped it all. We were trying to figure out how they were able to spread the balloons on the field with all the people on the field but they did.

The ascension far exceeded our every expectation. There was wave after wave of balloons ascending, many floating right over our RV. Some of the larger shaped balloon had to land on the highway due to lack of wind speed to get them farther into the fields. Pictures cannot capture the splendor of what we witnessed today. The ascension and flyover lasted around two hours then it was time to pack up and head to the KOA we have booked in South Bernallilo.

After setting up at the KOA we decided to head out to the Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque. This is the site of prehistoric rock art on the West Mesa volcanic escarpment. Within the park are three trails leading to the petroglyphs each trail a little more difficult then the previous trail.

We climbed the most difficult trail first which was a one-half mile round trip up 400 feet in the hot sun. It seems we always decide to get active during the hottest time of the day. The petroglyphs were many and some left you wondering exactly what they meant. Once we finished the two easier trails it was back to the KOA for dinner. Unfortunately there would be no Glowdeo or fireworks for us tonight.

When watching the news it was reported that this morning’s ascension was the best attended and the best ever in Fiesta history!!!! How fortunate for us to have been part of that. This is a highly recommended trip even if you have never been interested in hot air balloons.

10/12/07 Dawn Patrol -Mass Ascension

Captain’s Blog
10/12/07
Albuquerque Fiesta Park
Odometer Reading

We were up early this morning (6 AM) for the Dawn Patrol and the mass ascension. It amazes us that there are so many different shaped balloons and varieties of colors. After the ascension there was a key ring competition. In this race balloons come over the horizon and try to steer into the field and grab a key ring from a 100 - foot pole. The first pilot to grab the key ring won a new car. It was interesting to watch the pilots and witness the skill it takes to handle the balloons in a very close and tight area without an accident.

Then it was off to Old Town Albuquerque for some sightseeing and shopping. Old Town is quite unique and the shops varied. Since Ron is not crazy about shopping we decided to head out to the Atomic Museum also located in Old Town. While we were at the Atomic Museum Linda and John did some shopping.

The Atomic Museum was a great place to spend some time. They had a great exhibit relative to the discovery of Radium and shoed some of the first x-rays. Interestingly (I’m not sure why I didn’t know this) in the day they made up potions of radium in small vials that were given to people to cure what ailed them. This was before they realized the negative effects of ingesting or being exposed to too much radioactive material. Imagine how many people died from exposure.

There was also a display about the Manhattan Project and the city of Los Almos that had been constructed was with the sole purpose of providing a pace in the desert to build and test the atomic bomb. There were too many other great displays to mention. A visit to the Atomic Museum is a must do.

We then went to a local restaurant specializing in Mexican food called LaPlacita Restaurant. The food was excellent and cheap. This is a good place to stop for a meal if in the area.

Back at the RV we were anticipating another Glowdeo but winds would not cooperate so
the Glowdeo was cancelled. The fireworks display went off as planned but there was some type of malfunction and a fire near the site where the fireworks was being set off. The news didn’t report anything unusual happening relative to the fireworks. There were a two more mishaps during the landings after the morning ascension. Two balloons had hard landings with some minor injuries and one broken ankle.

Despite the wind the evening was beautiful and unseasonably warm. We have been experiencing some of the best weather New Mexico has to offer.

10/11/07 (B) Albuquerque Fiesta Park Balloon Ride Glowdeo

Captain’s Blog
10/11/07
Albuquerque Fiesta Park
Odometer Reading

We were out of bed and dressed by 5 AM. It was amazing to see the thousands of people out on the field that early in the morning. The parking lot below us was full to capacity and you could see the lights from the cars streaming in from the highway.

When booking our flight back in January I asked for a small basket and a smaller balloon, however we ended up on the largest, newest balloon and a 12 - person basket with Rainbow Rider’s. Our pilot, Mike Collins, has been flying for 15 years. All pilots must be commercial pilots and meet very strict requirements before they can fly with passengers.

At 5:45 AM several balloons went up for the Dawn Patrol. These balloons go up and fire their burners for the “glow” within the envelopes (balloons). It is beautiful to see and besides the beauty of it all these balloons help to determine if the “box” in the area is present. The “box” is the airflow that carry the balloons in a box formation. It is interesting to watch and the “box” is a phenomenon that is unique to the Albuquerque.

We finally got to our balloon at around 6:45 AM. Balloons cannot fly until the “Zebras” on the field give the pilots permission to inflate the balloons. Weather and wind conditions must be perfect to fly since safety is the number one priority. (I’m good with that!!).

The “Zebras” dress in silly hats but take their job very seriously. If they say “no fly” then its over and you get a refund and leave the field.

Fortunately we were cleared to fly. We went up with the shapes balloons and got caught in the slow flow “box”. We hovered over the launch field for about 15 min because we were unable to get into a reasonable air – flow that would take us away from the launch field. The benefit of hanging over the launch field was that we were able to watch the shapes balloons inflate and take off from a birds-eye perspective.

This was Linda and John’s first flight so they

naturally had some concerns. They were amazed that all of their fears melted away as we took flight.

We finally got into an air – flow that took u s over the Rio Grande River. The pilot was planning a splash and dash (bringing the balloon and basket down to the river touching down on the water and then lifting again) however we were traveling at 11 miles per hour, too fast for that event. We did float 12 inches above the water but could not touch down.

Our pilot witnessed the accident that resulted in the one fatality so was extremely cautious. He is the Chief Pilot for Rainbow Rider’s and was very watchful especially for wires and obstacles that could get us in trouble.

Interestingly, we were having difficulty finding a place to land. The area has become so populated that open field is difficult to find. These balloons need very large areas to come down because of the size of the envelopes.

Mike, or pilot, was getting a little tense because we were on our last tank of propane and he could not find a space to land safely. There is about 90 minutes of propane on board and we had been flying for 80 minutes. This was the longest flight we have been on to date. Finally we managed to land on a horse farm but not until Mike asked the owners for permission. He did tell us he would have landed anyway and apologize later.

It was a great “soft landing” and a terrific ride. What great views we had on a perfect day.
We got back to the launch field after packing up the balloon and had a champagne toast, and received a certificate of flight and a pin.

After the flight we went back to the RV and had breakfast. Spent some time at the site then went to the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum adjacent to the field. The museum is fairly new and had exhibits of the first hot air balloons up to the balloons used for today’s flights. Those first balloonists’ were brave!! Then it was shopping at the kiosks on the fairgrounds.

ALL MADE WITH FOOD

The evening brought a Glowdeo, shapes balloons inflated but kept on the ground with the burners open wide to light up the balloons in the dark. The Glowdeo was followed by a spectacular fireworks display. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

10/11/07 Balloon Ride-Dawn-Patrol-Glowdeo (A)

Captain’s Blog
10/11/07
Albuquerque Fiesta Park
Odometer Reading

We were out of bed and dressed by 5 AM. It was amazing to see the thousands of people out on the field that early in the morning. The parking lot below us was full to capacity and you could see the lights from the cars streaming in from the highway.

When booking our flight back in January I asked for a small basket and a smaller balloon, however we ended up on the largest, newest balloon and a 12 - person basket with Rainbow Rider’s. Our pilot, Mike Collins, has been flying for 15 years. All pilots must be commercial pilots and meet very strict requirements before they can fly with passengers.

At 5:45 AM several balloons went up for the Dawn Patrol. These balloons go up and fire their burners for the “glow” within the envelopes (balloons). It is beautiful to see and besides the beauty of it all these balloons help to determine if the “box” in the area is present. The “box” is the airflow that carry the balloons in a box formation. It is interesting to watch and the “box” is a phenomenon that is unique to the Albuquerque.

We finally got to our balloon at around 6:45 AM. Balloons cannot fly until the “Zebras” on the field give the pilots permission to inflate the balloons. Weather and wind conditions must be perfect to fly since safety is the number one priority. (I’m good with that!!).

The “Zebras” dress in silly hats but take their job very seriously. If they say “no fly” then its over and you get a refund and leave the field.

Fortunately we were cleared to fly. We went up with the shapes balloons and got caught in the slow flow “box”. We hovered over the launch field for about 15 min because we were unable to get into a reasonable air – flow that would take us away from the launch field. The benefit of hanging over the launch field was that we were able to watch the shapes balloons inflate and take off from a birds-eye perspective.

This was Linda and John’s first flight so they naturally had some concerns. They were amazed that all of their fears melted away as we took flight.

We finally got into an air – flow that took u s over the Rio Grande River. The pilot was planning a splash and dash (bringing the balloon and basket down to the river touching down on the water and then lifting again) however we were traveling at 11 miles per hour, too fast for that event. We did float 12 inches above the water but could not touch down.

Our pilot witnessed the accident that resulted in the one fatality so was extremely cautious. He is the Chief Pilot for Rainbow Rider’s and was very watchful especially for wires and obstacles that could get us in trouble.

Interestingly, we were having difficulty finding a place to land. The area has become so populated that open field is difficult to find. These balloons need very large areas to come down because of the size of the envelopes.

Mike, or pilot, was getting a little tense because we were on our last tank of propane and he could not find a space to land safely. There is about 90 minutes of propane on board and we had been flying for 80 minutes. This was the longest flight we have been on to date. Finally we managed to land on a horse farm but not until Mike asked the owners for permission. He did tell us he would have landed anyway and apologize later.

It was a great “soft landing” and a terrific ride. What great views we had on a perfect day.
We got back to the launch field after packing up the balloon and had a champagne toast, and received a certificate of flight and a pin.

After the flight we went back to the RV and had breakfast. Spent the day at the site and did some shopping at the kiosks on the fairgrounds.
The evening brought a Glowdeo, shapes balloons inflated but kept on the ground with the burners open wide to light up the balloons in the dark. The Glowdeo was followed by a spectacular fireworks display. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.


*****************************************************

This is a link to another Balloon Fiesta Rver they did take some nice shots enjoy.


http://picasaweb.google.com/ruagore/AlbuquerqueInternationalBalloonFiesta/photo#s5120640289849073698

10/10/07 -Albuquerque Fiesta Park-Tram Sandia Mountain

Captain’s Blog
10/10/07
Albuquerque Fiesta Park
Odometer Reading:

We met some very interesting people at the campground last evening and most are here for the fiesta. The people at the campground were with a group and were not camping at the Fiesta grounds. Some were not happy about it but had no choice.

We arrived at Fiesta Park around 11:30 AM and were amazed at how well organized everything was. We were escorted to our VIP site on the top of the hill overlooking the Fiesta launch field. (we paid extra for the privilege) The launch field is 56 football fields long and all of the activities take place from that location. There are enormous parking lots with thousands of motor homes lined up row after row. It looks like a giant RV dealership.

After we picked Linda and John up at the airport we went out to dinner, did some grocery shopping and headed back to the RV. There were no events planned for the evening of the 10th so we decided to head over to the Sandia Tramway for a 2.7 mile Tram to the top of the Sandia Mountain.

The sun sets rapidly here so on the way up the mountain it was light out and the view was beautiful and the sunset was beautiful. By the time we were ready for our return trip it was dark. The view from the top overlooking Albuquerque at night was spectacular. In the distance to the North we were able to see Santa Fe. The sky was clear, the air crisp and the night perfect. Then it was back to the RV for some sleep. Our balloon flight is scheduled for 6:30 in the morning and we have to be there by 5:30 AM.

There have been several balloon mishaps including one that resulted in one death but we decided to move forward with out plan to fly.

10/09/07 Tuscumcari, NM

Captain’s Blog
10/09/07
Tuscumcari, NM
Odometer Reading: 12173.0

Stopped for the night at the KOA in Tucumcari, NM about 180 miles East of
Albuquerque. Heard ion the news that there had been a Ballooning accident and one woman from California was killed and her three friends and the Balloon Pilot were injured. There was video of the incident on TV. Very scary!! The events for the day were cancelled but they resumed again last evening. We have a scheduled balloon flight on Thursday morning.

Will be heading into Tijeras, NM about 25 miles East of the Fiesta. Will spend the night there because anything closer will be either full or the requirement is to book for three nights during the Fiesta. We are booked on the Fiesta grounds Wednesday through Saturday. I thought it was Tuesday but I was wrong-again!! We will be picking Linda (Ron’s sister) and her husband John up at the airport on Wednesday. They are joining us for the Festival and Balloon ride.

10/07-08/07 Oklahoma City / Murrah Building /Clinton OK

Captain’s Blog
10/07/07
Rogers Arkansas
Odometer Reading: 11,572.1

Spent the night at our campsite at the home of Judy and Tom. Before we left we spent some time talking with them and sharing life stories. Tom and Judy invited us to stay for a few more days or at the very least come and stay with them at their second home and campsite in Texarkana. These people epitomize graciousness and hospitality. We are privileged to have met such great people.

Then it was on to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. The Museum is dedicated to the all the people involved in the rescue operation, the survivors and to those who lost their lives at the Murrah Building on April 19, 1995. The magnitude of destruction was amazing and the Museum exhibits brought every detail of the events of that day to life. The Museum and dedication was beautiful done. There is a photo wall of all the fatalities with mementos on the glass shelves beneath their pictures. There were also video clips of the survivors which was heart wrenching to here their stories and realize that survival can be mean a long painful road to recovery from an event like that.

Outside they have a memorial with 168 chairs made out of a glass-like material with the name of each person whose life was lost that day. The chairs in the outside memorial are arranged in rows that represent the floor on which each person was located at the time of the explosion. Of the 168 who perished 11 were children from the day care center.
The outside memorial is the location of the former Murrah Building. The back wall to the building still stands as a reminder. At each end of the Memorial is a wall. On the wall to the left is inscribed 9:01 signifying innocence and peace. The wall to the far right has 9:03 inscribed on it to signify the death of innocence and how life can change in one minutes’ time. This is a must see if in the area. We have been changed not only by the events of 9/11 but by this event as well. Live life like every day is your last and be Happy!!

Captain’s Blog
10/8/07
Elk City/Clinton, OK, KOA
Odometer Reading: 11902.5

Drove about 100 miles after visiting the Memorial In Oklahoma City. Set up for the night in the KOA off the highway. Have about 450 miles to Albuquerque. Stopped to get the oil changed in the RV and are looking for a Truck Wash to wash the RV and car. Can’t believe the dirt and bugs from this long trip. The weather is still beautiful although the temp did drop into the high 50’s this morning. Will be driving the rest of the day-no stops planned until Albuquerque.

Finally found a truck wash in Amarillo, TX. It’s good to see the real color of the RV and Jeep again.