Hot Air Balloons and Airstreams…Oh My!!!!

Morning balloon launch @ Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

Day 117 October 4, 2014

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, New Mexico

We’d planned to wake up early to watch the 6:30 am Mass Ascension of the hot air balloons. We knew that, prior to the hot air balloons launching in the mornings, small planes were first sent up to test the winds. We just didn’t know that that happened at 4:30 am….right above us! And so, impossible as it was to sleep through the roaring noise, we woke up at 4:30 am.

It was unbelievably cold that early in the morning, but we managed to get out of bed, bundle up, and eventually, walk down to the balloon launching field. We hung out for quite a while and watched as one after another hot air balloon left the ground.

Early morning launch

Balloons and Airstreams

When I’d lost feeling in my fingers and toes, due to the cold weather, we headed back to the Space Shuttle to thaw out. Mark made espresso coffees for us and for our next door neighbors, Nancy and Jess, as we warmed up and watched the balloons flying right overhead. It was a pretty magical sight!