Balloon Fiesta - Day 1

Favorite Photo:

The 2019 International Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta has officially begun!  We purposely did not schedule a work shift for the first morning so we could attend the event as guests.

Saturday morning at 6 AM starts off the event with Dawn Patrol.  Around 8-10 balloons inflate and lift to check out the conditions at different altitudes.

I love Dawn Patrol because the balloons have lights hanging below the baskets which make them look like lanterns in the sky.

Then at 6:30 AM there is a morning glow where the balloons inflate and blow their flame to make the balloons glow in the still predawn morning.  At at 6:45 is the opening ceremony where the Star Spangled Banner is sung and the pilots who have not inflated yet will light their flames which is called "candle sticking."  A balloon carrying the American flag lifts during this time.

An then Mass Ascension begins where there are around 550 balloons that inflate and lift.

We ran in to Linda & Randy on the field and tried to stay together as we watched the show.  (We met Linda & Randy at the Angels Spring training last February in Arizona where we were all volunteers and became fast friends.)

Randy & Linda

Linda and Nancy

Linda & Randy and Nancy & Al

With the heavy crowd we often got separated from Linda & Randy and had to call each other to reconnect.

Linda & Randy

At mid morning a fog set in and many of the balloons did not end up lifting.

Yoda and Darth Vader balloons from Belgium
and Black Sheep from Brazil

Lottie Dottie Chicken from Brazil

Black Sheep from Brazil
(I think it looks more like a cow then a sheep to me)

Here you can see the fog that set in

American Indian street performers

Itsy Bitsy from Belen, New Mexico

Cynthia the Seal from Battle Creek, Michigan

We made our way across the field to the Gondola Club where we would be working for the afternoon session.  Here is the view from the VIP Gondola Club.

The traffic cops that control the balloons on the field and coordinate their inflation and lifting is done by the people knows as Zebras.  Many dress in crazy outfits!  Here is a gathering of Zebras on the field.

While we were on the field, our friends took photos of the balloons going over our trailer.

After the morning session from 11-1 was the first of four parties we would attend during the week.  This one was the "Welcome Party".

Linda & Randy and Al and I worked our first shift at the Gondola Club during the afternoon session.  Three of us were golf cart drivers shuttling guests from the parking lot to the club and Randy was a parking attendant.

Al teaching Linda how to drive the golf cart

Randy in action in the parking lot

The guys looking professional.....

and the way they were before they saw me taking their photo!

It was a good start to the 2019 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta!