Albuquerque Int'l Balloon Fiesta - Oct 6-14

[legoalex2000]

I'll be picturing away at this years balloon fiesta, if anyone is going, LET ME KNOW!!!!

Facts of this years Balloon Fiesta:

>most photographed Event in the WORLD
> over 800 Ballons expected (800 limit after 1200 became a bit of a problem)
>mass ascension of all ballons every morning
>air race to see who can go the furthest (no limit on distance)
>Darth Vader balloon to show up along with southwest stormtroopers Chapters
>I'll be there

ramos

[Mushroom_Farmer]

Some of my USAF mates often volunteered as chase crew members. A real experience, so I've heard.
Have fun and take lots of pics. 8-)

[legoalex2000]

oh yeah, i forgot,

picture time!!!

http://pics.germainphoto.com/balloons2007.html

Ramos

[beaky]

Wow!!  :o
Brilliant photos- lucky you; you get to be there for the ultimate balloon-fest.
I still haven't gone up in a balloon, and these pics make me want to.
It ain't flying, really- it's sheer magic!!  ;D

[freedomhays]

WOW Ramos

[FLYING_TRUCKER]

Wonderful shots Ramos...very nice.  

We haven't been down to Albuquerque for the Balloon Festival in several years, I remember they had a giant godzilla (I thought it was the largest one made at that time, not sure) and a very large pink elephant balloon.

I remember bending over to take a beer out of the cooler and when I looked up there was this huge flying pink elephant, I nearly swore off drinking for several hours.  ;D LMAO

RE/MAX the real estate folks put out a very large, hard cover picture book one time and we purchased one for I believe One-Hundred Dollars American.  It had a lot of shots or maybe all of them from the Albuquerque Balloon Fest.  Wonderful book it is.

Flying in a hot air balloon is wonderful, especially in the winter, don't even need a coat on once in the air as it is so warm in the basket.  If you get a chance Ramos, try it, that is real flying.

Did they have the hound and hair races with the balloons, the new car with the keys attached to the aerial and whatever balloonist could get the keys on the first pass won the new car?  Some of the events were wonderful, could you post any of them if you have a chance.

Glad you had a great time and thanks again for the shots.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[ThomasKaira]

Ahh, yes, this brings back lots of memories... the glows, those are a sight to behold. Seeing those monsters light up like baubles makes me really feel like Christmas has come early, and counting down for those all-at-once fires makes my skin tingle.

I even got a jumpseat in one of those balloons in my younger days (Really, I did ). 8-) 8-) 8-) It was a semi-special shape balloon in the shape of the bust of a traffic cop, the balloon was named "Hot Pursuit." I actually got a taste of both flying in a balloon, and chasing a balloon, and both were a whole lot of fun. Another memory from that flight, after the deflation, everyone involved in the flight, including me, got a nice champagne shower. Good times...

Pity I'm living on the other side of the darn mountains now, I can't see a single balloon from my house.

PS: I have a video of the 1990 transatlantic balloon race in my collection featuring three pilots from the home of yours truely: Richard Abruzzo, who is a very famous balloonist, his parents were the first to cross the Atlantic by balloon, and our GA airport is named after their ship: Double Eagle 2.

Troy Bradley, back when the video was shot, was the owner of a very rare Ammonia balloon, he flew across the Atlantic with Richard.

By the way, those two broke the world record for balloon flight duration, and were the first balloonists to sail from North America to Africa.

Oh, yes, I know a lot about Albuquerque's rich ballooning history.

[legoalex2000]

Wonderful shots Ramos...very nice.  

We haven't been down to Albuquerque for the Balloon Festival in several years, I remember they had a giant godzilla (I thought it was the largest one made at that time, not sure) and a very large pink elephant balloon.

I remember bending over to take a beer out of the cooler and when I looked up there was this huge flying pink elephant, I nearly swore off drinking for several hours.  ;D LMAO

RE/MAX the real estate folks put out a very large, hard cover picture book one time and we purchased one for I believe One-Hundred Dollars American.  It had a lot of shots or maybe all of them from the Albuquerque Balloon Fest.  Wonderful book it is.

Flying in a hot air balloon is wonderful, especially in the winter, don't even need a coat on once in the air as it is so warm in the basket.  If you get a chance Ramos, try it, that is real flying.

Did they have the hound and hair races with the balloons, the new car with the keys attached to the aerial and whatever balloonist could get the keys on the first pass won the new car?  Some of the events were wonderful, could you post any of them if you have a chance.

Glad you had a great time and thanks again for the shots.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

well the beauty of it is, one of my friends (i found out recently) is crew chief of a balloon (#566) and she's invited me to start chasing for her team, with a possible ride on next year's fiesta!

Ramos