Community Chat

[just bee]

Well, it rained last night and this morning we have a yellow flag.  The wind at my house is minimal but it's a problem on the field.  The Canon balloon went up with the flag and they just completed the national anthem.  The balloon went up and headed north -- not what the balloonists want.

But things change pretty quickly, so we'll see!

[just bee]

Green flag!  Balloons are inflating...

[chickenbutt]

I was just cruising through some pics I took 10 years ago of the balloon event we have here every year. 

I'd forgotten about the Energizer Bunny and the Eagle, and a few others.

We always have at least one of the bees, so I hope they show up there, Bee!

[Cakers3]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

Its a beautiful, crisp fall morning for the first day of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.  There are 500 balloons registered with pilots from 16 countries.  We are very excited this morning.

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Rats.  We wanted to go this year but there are too many medical things going on in the family.

There are some in Texas, too, but I'm don't think as large as yours.

[Bridgegal]

@just bee

Thanks.   I hope you get to see your bees.   We just learned that the balloon fiesta is towards the bottom of our friend's list.  She is more interested in scenery (she's a photographer), museums, historic things etc.  She is happy to go if there is time before she leaves on Sat. morning.   So , we may not go until after she leaves; either Sat or Sunday.  Or next year!!!   We're OK whatever happens or doesn't.

[just bee]

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@Bridgegal wrote:

@just bee

Thanks.   I hope you get to see your bees.   We just learned that the balloon fiesta is towards the bottom of our friend's list.  She is more interested in scenery (she's a photographer), museums, historic things etc.  She is happy to go if there is time before she leaves on Sat. morning.   So , we may not go until after she leaves; either Sat or Sunday.  Or next year!!!   We're OK whatever happens or doesn't.

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@Bridgegal

You have to be flexible, that's for sure.  Yesterday changed so quickly.  We had a yellow flag and I figured, since I'd scheduled an appointment at 9:00, if there was no ascension that would be okay.  All of a sudden, conditions were great.  The sky was filled with big, poofy clouds, the temperature was just right and the balloons launched.  I was scrambling to get ready for my appointment and missed most of the ascension.

I started driving at 8:45 and when I turned on Ellison Drive I got the perfect view: All the balloons were suspended in the air right in front of me.

You never know what's going to happen.

[just bee]

@Kachina624

Our girl flew yesterday!

[just bee]

Green flag -- we're good to go!

[Kachina624]

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@Cakers3 wrote:

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@Kachina624 wrote:

Its a beautiful, crisp fall morning for the first day of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.  There are 500 balloons registered with pilots from 16 countries.  We are very excited this morning.

---

Rats.  We wanted to go this year but there are too many medical things going on in the family.

There are some in Texas, too, but I'm don't think as large as yours.

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@Cakers3.  For once, Texas doesn't have the biggest..we do.  Largest in the world!  In the end, there were 569 balloons registered.  We've had as many as 700 but that became unmanageable.   The take offs are carefully synchronize for safety, so they do't crash into each other, by "zebras" who are volunteers in black and white stripped shirts.  They rule the field.

[debic]

 Great pictures! When we lived in Utah a million years ago, All the balloons landed in the field behind our backyard. It was awesome!  They sure have gotten fancy since then.