[Leica] Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

[Gene Duprey]

Great set of photos of the festival.  We have a somewhat smaller balloon
festival here in Plano, TX.  I missed it this year, but plan to attend next
year.

Gene


On Tue, Oct 20, 2015 at 11:40 PM, Herbert Kanner <kanner at acm.org> wrote:

> Outstanding!
>
> Herbert Kanner
> kanner at acm.org
>
> Question Authority and the authorities will question you.
>
> > On Oct 20, 2015, at 1:30 PM, Aram Langhans <leica_r8 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > We just got back from our second Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.  We finally
> got
> > to see the evening Glowdeo after the weather cancelled three last year
> and
> > on this year.  5th time is a charm.
> >
> >
> >
> > The day starts off with the Dawn Patrol, weather permitting.  Get up at
> 4:30
> > to get dressed, eat breakfast and then head out to the balloon launch
> area
> > from the campground.  You are treated by the sights and sounds of
> balloons
> > getting ready.
> >
> >
> >
> > View them large if you like
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/Dawn+Patrol+Balloon+Fiesta-6448
> .
> > jpg.html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/o5s3ecj
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/Dawn+Patrol+Balloon+Fiesta-6470
> .
> > jpg.html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/q5m92ub
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/Dawn+Patrol+Balloon+Fiesta-.jpg
> .
> > html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/pwefsmy
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > If the weather holds, then just before the sun rises, there is the mass
> > ascension.  Under the watchful eye of the field umpires, the balloons
> begin
> > to inflate and are directed skyward.  The neat thing about this event is
> > that the spectators are allowed to wander right out on the field amongst
> the
> > balloons.  You can watch them lay them out, test their burners, inflate
> and
> > finally lift off.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/AM+Ascension+Balloon+Fiesta-6513
> > .jpg.html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/ppzwnxe
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/AM+Assention+Balloon+Fiesta-5987
> > .jpg.html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/ndo6qol
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/AM+Assention+Balloon+Fiesta-6008
> > .jpg.html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/paon7fy
> >
> >
> >
> > Just mind the umpires when they tell you to move or you might get hit by
> the
> > gondola of an ascending balloon.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/AM+Assention+Balloon+Fiesta-6224
> > .jpg.html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/q65s5u5
> >
> >
> >
> > There are over 500 balloons and the launch area is over 61 football
> fields
> > in size.  Sometimes they drift over the campground where my father-in-law
> > decided to sleep in one morning.
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/AM+Ascension+Balloon+Fiesta-3683
> > .jpg.html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/qxc5tlc
> >
> >
> >
> > IF the weather is OK, they have competitions where balloonists compete
> for
> > prizes like cars and things.  They come back over the field and drop
> rings
> > and bean bags at targets.  Then it all shuts down after the balloons are
> > launched, maybe 11:00.
> >
> >
> >
> > The Glowdeo starts close to sunset, and if the weather cooperates,
> hundreds
> > of balloons inflate, and anchored to the field, they fire their propane
> > heaters with I am guessing low air, so the flames are yellow, and the
> > balloons glow.  As I stated above, this event was cancelled my first four
> > times to see it.  The last evening we were there this time, the weather
> did
> > not look promising, again.  Too windy.  But the winds calmed down so that
> > many of the balloons did put on a show.  And it was really a fun thing,
> > wandering around through the crowds with the sounds and cheers.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/Glowdeo+Balloon+Fiesta-3576.jpg
> .
> > html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/qx7n629
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/Glowdeo+Balloon+Fiesta-6398.jpg
> .
> > html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/qg67pur
> >
> >
> >
> > Then the laser show begins
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/Glowdeo+Balloon+Fiesta-6406.jpg
> .
> > html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/o2xhd4d
> >
> >
> >
> > Followed by an awesome firework display.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/Fireworks+Balloon+Fiesta-6425.jp
> > g.html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/npnusjl
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/Fireworks+Balloon+Fiesta-6421.jp
> > g.html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/nwx5ghc
> >
> >
> >
> >
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/f15/a/Fireworks+Balloon+Fiesta-6441.jp
> > g.html
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/okvaex6
> >
> >
> >
> > Then everyone finds their way home and comes back the next day if they
> like.
> >
> >
> >
> > Hope you enjoyed this rather long tour of the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.
> > Hope you can see it yourself one day.
> >
> >
> >
> > Comments welcome.
> >
> >
> >
> > Aram
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Aram Langhans
> >
> > (Semi) Retired  Science Teacher
> > & Unemployed photographer
> >
> > "The Human Genome Project has proved Darwin more right than Darwin
> himself
> > would ever have dared dream."   James D. Watson
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
>
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