Getting up early can be a challenge for some. I've always been an early riser, but 3:30 AM is too early even for me! It's dark, and at this time of year, cold - around 40 degrees. I stumbled around to dress and managed to get the dogs out and fed. Even though afternoons are in the 70's, I needed to dress very warmly for this morning - layers and thick socks, heavy coat and gloves for cold fingers. Then I headed out to the Park and Ride to meet some friends. This is the last day of the 41st Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque! My timing has not been great to see the early events - Dawn Patrol and Mass Ascension. This is my last chance until next year. I am praying for the winds to stay calm. The sky appears clear as I can see some stars over toward the mountains.
Arriving in the mall parking lot, I stroll past the line of school buses and wait at the orange barreled entrance along the lanes of colored plastic flags. It is 4:40 AM. There is almost no one there! Very different from last weekend - I arrived at 5:30 AM and had to wait for an hour. This time it was easy. The bus took us quickly to the Fiesta park. Little traffic today. It's the last day and no one wants to get up so early. It's too early even for the balloons yet. Still pitch black away from the long line of white tents. Although I must say the smell of fried foods and doughnuts at 5:30 in the morning is just too much! Yuk! We strolled back through the tents and vendors again. All of us had done this a few times last weekend already, but it's too cold to stand still. Although many people are huddled around the picnic tables covered with blankets and clutching hot chocolate or travel coffee mugs.
At 6:00 we begin to barely see things on the field. They are inflating a few of the balloons for the Dawn Patrol! These are the first balloons to go up and check out the wind conditions. So we made out way out onto the field in the dark with many others. When the balloons are all lined up in a single line and inflated, they start the countdown to launch. The entire crowd starts chanting along - as if we were launching a space shuttle - 5-4-3-2-1! And we all cheer and clap as the first balloon lifts off, and then the next and so on - glowing in the dark and winking in and out of view in the dark sky. We stamp our feet and grin and try to time photos with the light of the blowers.
Now many more trucks and trailers are pulling into the field. More balloons are lain out on their tarps and fans started. Slowly the balloons start to fill. At first, we wander through the field easily and manage to score a few trading cards! Trading cards are given out by some of the balloonists. They have pictures of the balloon on the front and the stats on the back. We scored one for the Wells Fargo team ballons and for "Airabelle" - The Creamland Cow! People often trade and collect these cards like the pins each year. We strolled out to the middle of the field among several balloons being inflated. At first it was easy to see. Then as the morning light got brighter, we were surrounded by people and by the huge inflating balloons! Everyone was walking around with cameras in hand, bumping into each other, taking pictures for others, and exclaiming over the beautiful colors and shapes - all while being mindful of the tarps, the balloons, the ropes extending everywhere.
At 7:12 AM, sunrise, the Mass Ascension began! The first balloon rose, trailing an American Flag, amid the cheers of the crowd!
And then....slowly....one by one, the others began to lift off! Soon it was hard to see along the field as the inflated balloons stood up tall. People hurried from one to the other seeking the warmth of the blowers. And it was hard not to act with the wonder of a child - running first one way and then the other, exclaiming over each one, and just gasping, WOW!, over and over again. The balloons did indeed fill the sky! It was the most amazing and incredible experience I've ever had! To be able to stand among the balloons as they rose and watch them trail out over the sky!! Not something I will soon forget. Waves of cheers rose and fell as the crowds around each balloon clapped at lift off and waved at the balloonists in the baskets as they drifted high and away - and in between, the quiet of the morning and the cheers, the sounds of the gas blowers puffing and chuffing.... It was just incredible and lasted at least an hour or two. As we came back on the bus, we were able to see where many of the balloons had landed in parking lots, on the side of the interstate, in fields, in school yards(this past week a few even landing on I-25 causing major traffic jams)....waiting for their chase crews to find them. And some few still drifting over the city. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend the experience. Plan on spending the week and both weekends, just in case, because you can't ever predict the weather here and may need to try many times before one occurs. I am sooo glad that I tried again and was able to experience this event. It was well worth it!
Arriving in the mall parking lot, I stroll past the line of school buses and wait at the orange barreled entrance along the lanes of colored plastic flags. It is 4:40 AM. There is almost no one there! Very different from last weekend - I arrived at 5:30 AM and had to wait for an hour. This time it was easy. The bus took us quickly to the Fiesta park. Little traffic today. It's the last day and no one wants to get up so early. It's too early even for the balloons yet. Still pitch black away from the long line of white tents. Although I must say the smell of fried foods and doughnuts at 5:30 in the morning is just too much! Yuk! We strolled back through the tents and vendors again. All of us had done this a few times last weekend already, but it's too cold to stand still. Although many people are huddled around the picnic tables covered with blankets and clutching hot chocolate or travel coffee mugs.
At 6:00 we begin to barely see things on the field. They are inflating a few of the balloons for the Dawn Patrol! These are the first balloons to go up and check out the wind conditions. So we made out way out onto the field in the dark with many others. When the balloons are all lined up in a single line and inflated, they start the countdown to launch. The entire crowd starts chanting along - as if we were launching a space shuttle - 5-4-3-2-1! And we all cheer and clap as the first balloon lifts off, and then the next and so on - glowing in the dark and winking in and out of view in the dark sky. We stamp our feet and grin and try to time photos with the light of the blowers.
