topic Re: It's Almost Time.... in Community Chat

It's Almost Time....

Kachina624 — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 22:55:23 GMT

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta starts a week from this coming Saturday, October 3rd. It's our most exciting time of the year. As this picture shows, you can actually help inflate the balloons if you wish. Men love that as do older kids. Come enjoy our beautiful turquoise skies and crisp fall weather.

Re: It's Almost Time....

chickenbutt — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 23:00:18 GMT

I've been once. It was beyond spectacular!

I recognize a couple of the balloons in that picture from our event. I always thought ours was amazing (last time I went it was 100-200 balloons) until I went to the one in Albuquerque. It's massive!

Re: It's Almost Time....

traveler — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 23:01:48 GMT

I remember those. Lived there for 10 years, mainly in the 80s. Lots of balloon related projects in the classroom.

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SoX — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 23:33:30 GMT

My last time at the fest was in 2005, I think. I really want to go back ... had such a great time. Memories are bittersweet, however, as my girlfriend, with whom I went, now has advanced Lewy Body Dementia, and doesn't remember any of it.

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brii — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 23:48:34 GMT

It's a beautiful event.

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gmkb — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 00:38:03 GMT

We attended seven or eight years ago. It was one on the best vacations of our life. To be able to get up close with the balloons and their operators, to watch the ascent in the morning, and the glows in the evening are things that I wish everyone could experience. AWESOME!

Re: It's Almost Time....

Pandalady — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 01:14:15 GMT

@SoX wrote:
My last time at the fest was in 2005, I think. I really want to go back ... had such a great time. Memories are bittersweet, however, as my girlfriend, with whom I went, now has advanced Lewy Body Dementia, and doesn't remember any of it.

Sox,

Prayers for you, your friend and her family. Keep those cherished memories alive for the both of you!

Panda

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SoX — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 01:20:46 GMT

@Pandalady ...

Thank you so much, Pandalady. It's very hard seeing your best friend slowly leave you.

Re: It's Almost Time....

AliJoi5 — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 01:21:51 GMT

What a great shot! I'd love to see it in person someday soon.

Re: It's Almost Time....

Pandalady — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 01:31:46 GMT

@SoX wrote:
@Pandalady ...
Thank you so much, Pandalady. It's very hard seeing your best friend slowly leave you.

God bless you, SoX! You brought tears to my eyes! You are a sweet spirit! I pray that this awful disease will be eradicated one day so that we can all cherish precious memories we make with our friends and loved ones for a lifetime!

Re: It's Almost Time....

Kachina624 — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 01:46:27 GMT

Remember when QVC used to broadcast Carolyn Pollack's shows during the Fiesta? Those were the days! I wonder if she'll be at the Q this year to comemorate the occasion?

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AliJoi5 — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 01:54:14 GMT

Yes! I remember when they also broadcast from AZ and OR as well... all fantastic shows! I guess Q voyager is kaput for good, which really sux.

Re: It's Almost Time....

HangingTen — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 02:51:04 GMT

I don't normally read the Community Chat forum so this must be fate!

This last week I've made plane, hotel, and car reservations for part of the festival. My plan is to attend the 8th, 9th, and 10th. Any advice for me? I've read layers are very important in the morning due to cool temps. I'm considering volunteering for a crew even though I've never done anything like that. I plan to do the "park and ride" option to reduce the traffic headache.

Re: It's Almost Time....

Kachina624 — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 03:31:38 GMT

@HangingTen Yes, it's usually quite chilly on the fiesta grounds early in the morning but warms up very nicely as the day progresses. Park and ride is a good thing. Do you understand that Albuquerque is the same altitude as Denver? It's over 5,000 ft and that affects people somewhat.

Where do you live and have you been in the SW before? I could suggest some side trips you could do during the day and some places locally.

You sound very adventurous. I'm sure you'll have a ball.

Re: It's Almost Time....

HangingTen — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 08:54:05 GMT

@Kachina624, I'm in Kansas and were known for being a rather flat state! I've been to the Denver area a few times so that's good to know about the elevation. I actually don't fly home until the 12th so I have a day and a half to do a few other things. I've considered the turquoise trail to Santa Fe as well as some cliff dwellings (if they're nearby). I probably last was in that area of the US around 1977 and I only remember Carlsbad Caverns! From what I've read, there is quite a break between morning and evening activities but I didn't know if it's best to venture out of the park or make a really long day and stay there - or maybe not try to do both morning and night in the same day.

Thanks for any tips you can provide!

Re: It's Almost Time....

PINKdogWOOD — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:59:41 GMT

I am so jealous! I would so love to be there - what a spectacular sight this must be to watch all of the gorgeous balloons going UP, UP, And Away in those beautiful balloons!!!

Isn't that a song??!! Sounds like a catchy little tune....

@Kachina624 You are so lucky & blessed to be living in the Land of Enchantment.

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chrystaltree — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 13:07:40 GMT

I have always wanted to be at that festival. I've seen the pictures and it's awsome. Actually, I've always wanted to spend some quality time in that party of the country. Every year hubby and I say "next year" but "next year" never comes.

Re: It's Almost Time....

Kachina624 — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 21:07:08 GMT

@HangingTen. The so-called Turquoise Trail is an interesting trip. The major features are Madrid (pronounced Mad-drid) and Cerrillos. Madrid was a coal mining town until fairly recently. After the mine closed people rehabbed many of the houses and made shops out of them. In Cerrillos it's easy to imagine yourself back in the 19th Century. I think movies have been made there, but there's really not much to see or do, just a couple shops. Right outside of town there's a place you can take a guided horseback ride through the Cerrillos Hills where the famous Cerrillos turquoise was mined. No longer is mining being done.

I think an even better trip is through the Jemez Mountains, ending up North of Santa Fe. You can see the best of everything NM offers in this trip.

Take IH-25 North from the fiesta grounds to the HWY 550 exit (not far) and go West or left on Hwy 550. Stay on 550 until you get to San Ysidro and turn right on Hwy 4. You'll travel along the Jemez River gaining in altitude,, and go through Jemez Springs which are mineral hot springs. This whole area was rife with volcanic activity in prehistoric times. Go by Soda Dam where the minerals in the water created a dam, Battleship Rock, a picnic area with a cliff that looks like a battleship. There is a state park with the ruins of a rather large church the early Spanish missionaries established

You'll go through Jemez Pueblo which is the home of the Jemez Indians. They are a rather poor tribe, being off the beaten path and not suitable for a casino. Note the hornos in the backyards. These are beehive shaped Adobe ovens for bread baking. They have a visitor's center which is very nice with clean restrooms. Often, tribal members will be selling bread in the red rock area across from the visitor's center.

My favorite place is the Valles Caldera which is what was a gorgeous 93,000 acre ranch that the US Government bought about 10 years ago. They're still trying to decide what to do with it. What you see from the highway is a huge lush meadow, a sunken volcanic caldera, with the river running through it. They lease it for cattle grazing but you often see a huge herd of elk grazing there, depending on the time of day and season. I always take binoculars when I take this trip.

After you leave this area you'll drive through a beautiful mountain area where the leaves should still be gorgeous if we haven't had rainy, windy weather. You'll come to Bandelier National Monument which are Indiam ruins. The ruins consist of the remains of homes built into the sides of the canyon as well as on the flat land, but they aren't traditional cliff dwellings like at Mesa Verde. There aren't any of those in this area.

Many of the cliffs in the Jemez are tufa which is soft volcanic rock. It can be carved with a knife and is used for molds in making cast silver jewelry. It's pocked with holes, some large enough to live in, some very small.

After you leave Bandelier, you'll see some of the outter facilities of Los Alamos Nat'l Labs. This is where they built the atomic bombs that ended WWII in Japan. You start a rather steep decent past tufa cliffs and come to Hwy 285. Once I get on 285, I always stop And eat at Gabriel's Restaurant which is Mexican with a beautiful patio and view of the Sangre de Christo Mountains.

Continue South to Santa Fe and stop and shop at the plaza or continue back to IH-25 to Albuquerque. The Turquoise Trail trip is mostly bare brown hills and the Jemez trip is mountains, trees, canyons and really beautiful scenery.

Re: It's Almost Time....

HangingTen — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 23:13:58 GMT

Wow, thank you so much @Kachina624!! This is exactly what I was looking for - an interesting path to Santa Fe with all kinds of natural features and historical stops - not to mention a restaurant recommendation! I do really appreciate the time you took to share the information!

Re: It's Almost Time....

Kachina624 — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 23:55:53 GMT

@HangingTen wrote:

Wow, thank you so much @Kachina624!! This is exactly what I was looking for - an interesting path to Santa Fe with all kinds of natural features and historical stops - not to mention a restaurant recommendation! I do really appreciate the time you took to share the information!

@HangingTen You're very welcome. I hope you have a wonderful trip and enjoy our state.

I forgot to mention, watch your speed in Jemez Pueblo as its a speed trap.