After spending a wonderful year in the Albuquerque area we decided to wind it up with another Balloon Fiesta. We booked our stay at Fiesta RV Park from Oct 3 to 15th. Upon arrival we were shown to our spot in row 3 which gave us a great view of the balloons when they fly south.
As an extra treat we signed up to help on the crew of one of the balloons. We met a guy from Phoenixville, PA online who was on the crew and he encouraged us to give it a try. After consulting with another balloon owner/pilot we met in Albuquerque we decided to give it a try. Of course this was before Dick got an infection in his toe and needed surgery.
Fortunately he came thru surgery with flying colors and healed fairly quickly. While on crutches the first couple of days he was back on his own two feet before the fiesta was over.
The Balloons Fiesta Day usually begins with a Dawn Patrol (DP) followed by a Mass Ascension. In the evening a Glow and then Fireworks finishes up the day. Of course all of this is dependent on weather conditions and pilots do not like to launch when winds are greater then about 10mph.
The balloon we were helping with was called Ham-Let and When Pigs Fly. Every year the balloonist like to do themes and being an election year Ham-Let was running for office on the 'Swine Ticket'. We wore red white and blue shirts and enjoyed our Pork Barrel Candidate and the Swine Party Platform:
- Universal Bacon-Care and Oink-Ment for all
- More Pork Chops for National Defense
- Bar-B-Cueing, not Water Boarding
- Pork Bellies, Not Beer Bellies
- ham Hocks for Highways
- Equal pay for all Piglets
- Leave No Pig Behind
- Pork for Prosperity
As the Swine Party candidate for President Ham-Let stands 115' tall, is 60' wide, and is 80' long from snout to tail and is committed to "Bacon A Difference" in 2012.
Ham-Let plays 145 degrees of Pork, not Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, and is putting ribs and chops first, along with coleslaw, beans and BBQ sauce. Think pink, not green.
As usual I took hundreds of pictures and can't post them all but here are are few. We love this event and hope to attend again.
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| Airing up the Pig |
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| Presidental Candidate |
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| Ready to fly |
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| Crew packs up the trailer |
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| Lift off |
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| Up Up and Away |
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| Flame |
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| Chase car and trailer |
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| Too Windy for Balloon but great for kite |
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| Kite flys well |
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| Quilt made from previous years shirts |
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| We all signed the back |
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| Appropriate sign on chase vehicle |
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| Piglets (crew) |
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Our Crew Passes
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| Morning Dawn Patrol glow |
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Beautiful sight early in the morning
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| Clock is smiling on this side |
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| Strange clock and Ham-Let |
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| Elvis has been spotted |
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| Mistofellees is watching from inside the RV |
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| Smile |
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| Matches our spinner |
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| Looks woven |
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| Zebra |
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| Globe |
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| Close up of Globe basket |
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| Flying right over us |
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| This one is coming down near RVs |
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| It's down |
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| Clouds add to the spectacular view |
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| Mist watching from her tent |
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| Bright sun requires shades |
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| Colorful |
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| Quilt look |
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| Local horse patrol |
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| Panda |
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| Phantom |
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| Fireman |
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Major employer in the area
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| Patriotic |
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| Lands close by |
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| Humpty Dumpty |
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| Sushi |
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| Ark |
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| Lion King over the Balloon Museum |
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| Above the Crowd |
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| Bee Couple |
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| Spider Pig |
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| Shadow posing |
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| Queen of the bed |
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| Mass Ascension |
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| Laying out a balloon on the field |
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| Crowd waiting to ascend |
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| Flame on! |
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| Cow is up |
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| Cute butterfly |
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| Monkies |
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| Elephant |
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| Ready to go |
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| Marker thrown from balloon trying to hit target on field. Aiming for a boat and other targets. |
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| Hovering over Boat trying to win |
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| Spiral of color |
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| Crowd of balloons waiting to launch |
Many nights finish with a spectacular fireworks show. If you plan a trip to New Mexico and Albuquerque in particular try to make it the beginning of October and go to the Balloon Fiesta!
