Balloon Fiesta - Sunday thru Wednesday

Favorite photo:

Sunday morning's Mass Ascension event was incredible.  The weather was perfect and the crowd was thrilled. 

Schedule for Sunday Morning:

• 6 AM - Dawn Patrol
• 6:30 AM - Morning Glow
• 7 AM - Mass Ascension

Navigator (Volunteer) Schedule:

• 4:30 - 10 AM - Table Hosts (Nancy & Al)

On Sunday morning, we set the alarm for 3:30 AM so we could leave the trailer by 4 AM to walk to the other side of the field to get to the Gondola Club for our 4:30 AM starting time.  It was especially hard to get up at that hour since we worked the evening session the previous evening.  Note to self to not do that again!

Al and I were both Table Hosts for the morning session so the photos are from that vantage point.  

Our job as table hots was to care for a section of tables on the patio to keep them clean and interact with guests.  It was so much fun because everyone was in such a great mood! 

The pre-dawn balloons are starting off great
and flying right over our heads at the Gondola Club!

Lady Jester from Albuquerque, New Mexico

Notice the "skinny" balloon in the next photo next to the smiley face.  That balloon is shaped that way for competitions.  The narrow shape allows the balloon to rise and fall more quickly when trying to maneuver the balloon towards a target.

Distraction X from Redlands, CA (another competition balloon)
and Humpty Dumpty from Louisville, Kentucky

Higher Desire from Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Buster the Bulldog from Great Britain

Busty from Great Britain

West the Wolf from Great Britain

Christ the Redeemer from Brazil

The balloons continued to float overhead at the Gondola Club all morning.

Balloons going over the Gondola Club

Owlbuquerque from Great Britain

Mr. Fish from Brazil

Joey Bee from Spokane, Washington,
Joelly from Mesa, Arizona, and
Lilly Bee from Peoria, Arizona

Bumble Bee Family next to the Balloon Museum
which shows haw large these balloons are!

Look how giant this dog is!

Little Dog from Brazil

He landed on the field just outside the Gondola Club patio so we got a good look as the balloon was deflated.

I love the bone in his back pocket!

After our work was done for the morning session, we stopped off at the Navigator tent to get some food and ice cream.  This tent was available to us all week to get food, drinks, and treats!

A view of the vendor area on Main Street

After our volunteer session and filling our bellies with food and treats, it was time for our afternoon nap!

Schedule for Sunday Evening:

• 5 PM - Skydiving with American Flag
• 6 PM - Balloon glow
• 7:30 PM - Skydiving Fireworks
• 8 PM - AfterGlow Fireworks

Getting ready for the evening Glow.  Here is the field with many balloon crews getting situated to their assigned location.

Randy working his shift and giving a ride to Linda, Al, and me.

We visited the Gondola Club during the evening session so these photos are from that vantage point.

The Evening Glow is where the balloons inflate but they do not lift off.  At times, the balloons all coordinate their flames which is a spectacular sight to see so many balloons glow!

After the Balloon Glow, there were fireworks which were set off near the North VIP lot which is where our trailer was parked.  The fireworks were really good and gave Disneyland a run for their money.

That was a full day and we were exhausted after getting up so early that morning.  It was definitely an early to bed night!

Schedule for Monday Morning:

• 6 AM - Dawn Patrol
• 7 AM - Balloon Launch from Park
• 8 AM - Fly in Competition

Navigator (Volunteer) Schedule:

• 4:30 - 10 AM - Table Hosts (Nancy & Al)

Christ ascending again

Part of today's events was the Fly In Competition.  Balloons try to read the winds and launch from an offsite location trying to fly over the field and throw a bean bag on a target on the field.  This was fun to watch as the balloons often land on the field after dropping their bean bag.

On Monday was party #2, the Navigator Appreciation Party.  There were great prizes given out.  The only one to win a prize from our table was Linda.  She won a balloon ride!

Our Group: Randy, Linda, Georgia, Bob, Nancy, Al, Joie, and Mike

The Treasurer of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Dick Rice, stopped at each table and thanked all of the Navigators.  It takes over 1200 volunteers to put on the event!

Dick Rice, Nancy, and Al

On Monday, the 23rd America's Challenge Gas balloons started their competition in the evening.

Gas balloon getting ready to lift off

These balloons compete for longest distance and travel for days.  The map shows the areas where the various teams landed.  Some even made it to Canada!  The winner landed on Thursday.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An American-Polish flying team touched down Thursday morning in Ontario, Canada, to win the America’s Challenge Gas Balloon Race, according to unofficial results.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta officials announced that pilots Andy Cayton of the U.S. and Krzysztof Zapart of Poland in the Misia balloon traveled 1616.46 miles, or 2601.44 kilometers, over 58 hours and 2 minutes, to win the distance competition.

The nine teams in the competition launched from Balloon Fiesta Park on Monday.

“Cayton and Zapart landed at about 7:30 MDT (1330z) in a very remote area along the Muketei River about 120 miles (193 km) west/northwest of Attawapiskat, a small town on Canada’s James Bay,” the Balloon Fiesta posted on its website. “The landing site is in tundra and is wet and marshy. The pilots are in good spirits and the Command Center is working with their ground support team to get assistance to them.

There were no evening sessions for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Schedule for Tuesday Morning:

• 6 AM - Dawn Patrol
• 7 AM - Balloon Launch from Park
• 8 AM - Fly in Competition

Navigator (Volunteer) Schedule:

• 4:30 - 10 AM - Table Hosts (Nancy & Al)

It was another early morning start to the day!

Tall Steve

West the Wolf from Great Britain,
Splash from Bath, North Carolina,
Puddles from Wasilla, Alaska, and
Tall Steve from Great Britain 

Armadillo from Great Britain

Gondola Club Models

After working the morning session it was time for another nap.  Later, Joie & Mike hosted us and some neighbors for a spaghetti dinner.

Joie, Mike, Linda, Randy, Al, Christina, Jason, and Dennis
Swapping stories

Here is our neighborhood for the 10 days:

Joie & Mike's rig, Linda & Randy's giant 5th wheel and then our trailer behind

While working as a table host today, one of the guests in my section gave me this rock he painted.  It said to post on Facebook where I found it so I did.  Then I hid the rock on the field for someone else to find and continue it's journey.

Schedule for Wednesday Morning:

• 6 AM - Dawn Patrol
• 6:30 AM - Morning Glow
• 7 AM - Flight of Nations Mass Ascension
• 8 AM - Fly in Competition

Navigator (Volunteer) Schedule:

• Day Off

Even though we were not working this day we were up and on the field to watch the activities for the morning.  We did sleep in until almost 6 AM!   

Rainbow Ryders is the only vendor at the event who can sell balloon rides for the event.  They are also one of the sponsors.

Mr. Fish from Brazil

Getting close or "kissing"

The unique event this day was the balloons fly their nation's flag.

Flight of Nations flags

While attending the Navigator Appreciation Party yesterday, we met a girl on the crew for this team.  Their pilot is Kathy Arkwell and her and her team are from Peoria, Illinois.

Kathy Arkwell, pilot, on the left

Kathy's team reviewing the local map.  They did not want to land on Native American Indian land because that would require the Reservation Police to check them out, then the Albuquerque Police would need to check them out before they could leave the reservation.  This could take hours so Indian land is avoided for landing sites as much as possible.

Kathy's balloon laid out in preparation for inflation.

Dicker Anton from Germany
(before he stood up and lifted)

Kathy's balloon inflating. 

Kathy waiting for the okay to left off from the Zebra

Clydescope from Peoria, Illinois

The most moving sight when this balloon lifted
Never Forget from Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Again, no evening session on Wednesday.  This gave us time for Party #3, the Pilot Picnic.  All parties were catered with some good food.  We sure ate well all week!

Stay tuned as we wrap up the final days of the Balloon Fiesta.