hot air balloons

Balloons & Airstreams…the perfect combo!

Day 119 October 6, 2014

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, New Mexico

The hot air balloons launched early, sans the pre-flight flyover by those loud freakin’ airplanes. But this morning, there’d be a different kind of excitement. The winds must have not been up to snuff, and many of the balloons had a difficult time gaining much altitude.

@ 5:45 am

There goes the fire hydrant balloon!

and more…..

More balloons & Airstreams!

Balloons & Airstreams! Beautiful!

Fun!!

We watched from the Space Shuttle as one after another low flying balloon passed overhead. It became quite obvious that the big wizard balloon was gonna be a casualty. From where we were, it looked like the wizard might come crashing down on some of the trailers, and a bunch of us went running towards it to see where it would “land.” Luckily, the balloon did make it safely past the trailers, and put down in some scrub just on the other side of the fence….and, just next to another balloon that had also had altitude issues! This day was turning out to be such good fun!!

Uh-oh!! The wizard is looking kind of low!

Dax and Trixie guard the Space Shuttle from the balloon invasion!

We completed the day with a visit to the very cool Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, and with happy hour and hanging out with our fellow Airstreamers.

Afternoon visit to the balloon museum

Airstreamers are nice people, and proud people, which meant we got to tour a couple of our neighbor’s really nice Airstream trailers. It’s funny ‘cause, we kind of have space envy when we see these nice wide and long trailers. But then we also have lots of trailer peeps that want to see our rig, and have envy over the ease and convenience of traveling in the Space Shuttle. Either way, it’s great fun to see what everyone’s got and to swap stories!

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!