Knowing that I might be in Albuquerque the same time as the famous Balloon Fiesta, I creatively packed my suitcase to fit my good camera once more. This was a challenge as I had to also pack for a 3-day trip. My telephoto lens spent most of the trip wrapped in paper towels and inside one of my shoes. Due to raging fires in Northern California, we were severely delayed and didn't arrive into ABQ until after 4am. In spite of this, I was not ready for bed. The hotel lobby was full of energy as busloads of balloon enthusiasts were gathering to go to the fiesta.
And the airline manual says, if you're not tired enough for bed, don't try and force it. It was settled then. I elected to head out to the balloon fiesta to check out a unique event called the Dawn Patrol. To my understanding, a few hot air balloons equipped with special lights survey the landing zones and analyze winds prior to the sun coming up. This information is passed on to the other balloonists who then decide if they want to go up or not. Honestly, I have no clue how any of this works. They seem like flying death traps. I tried to watch some YouTube videos on how they are controlled. I understand how they rise with the whole hot air rising and becoming less dense, but beyond that it just seems like anarchy. I watched a video on how they steer and all I took away from it is that you really can't. How hundreds of balloons at this fiesta aren't ending up in a Wal*Mart parking lot or on top of a Long John Silver's is what we pilots sometimes refer to as PFM, or Pure F-- Magic. I also imagine they collide fairly often. Fortunately this probably happens slowly.
The dawn patrol was an interesting spectacle because each time they fired their propane, the entire balloon would illuminate like a Turkish lamp. Another interesting aspect of the fiesta is that there are no ropes blocking a spectator from the action. I was able to walk freely around the grounds without anyone telling me to stop. I was close enough in many cases to feel the heat coming off the propane of balloons just beginning to rise.
Another word of note: it's really cold in Albuquerque at this time of morning. Now, I understand that I am Californian and statements like these are relative, but most people were wearing fleece jackets and sweatshirts. I'd estimate somewhere around 50 degrees is what we were dealing with and all I had was a long-sleeve t-shirt. By this point, I was anxious for the sun to come up and warm my tuchus. I went to a stand to get a green chili breakfast burrito. There were not really any tables or chairs, so I just kind of sat on the grass (also cold). By the time I finished my burrito, the sun was just starting to peer out from behind the mountains.
As the sun got higher, entire rows of balloons began to launch. Unlike an airshow where F-16s are doing high-speed passes and making everyone deaf, the only sounds were the periodic firing of the propane. This proved to be invaluable cover for the gas I too was firing thanks to the green chili breakfast burrito. By now, I was working my way toward the exit. This was easier said than done.
As a result of the very loose regulations as to where people can be, I found myself literally dodging balloons that were launching. At one point I had to scurry between two that were in the process of being inflated. If I waited too long, I would surely have been pinned in between a cow and a chicken, and nobody wants to be there.
They began launching some of the "special shapes," as they're called. Just like that, the sky was filled with balloons that presumably were totally out of control and working their way (ever so slowly) toward the roof of a Long John Silver's. I continued toward the exit, now feeling I would have better luck at sleep, but kept looking over my shoulder to make sure that I was not going to be run over by a rogue balloon. I leave you with a few of my other photos...
They began launching some of the "special shapes," as they're called. Just like that, the sky was filled with balloons that presumably were totally out of control and working their way (ever so slowly) toward the roof of a Long John Silver's. I continued toward the exit, now feeling I would have better luck at sleep, but kept looking over my shoulder to make sure that I was not going to be run over by a rogue balloon. I leave you with a few of my other photos...
