• Location: Home - Albuquerque, NM 87113
• Mood: giddy
• Music: Alanis Morissett - Head Over Feet :: Sister Hazel - All For You

Picture Post - Balloon Fiesta Roundup

Sorry I was not able to post more this past week. With the Balloon Fiesta, School, and Work, things have been so crazy busy. Anyway, since the two pilots in our group needed to get back to Texas (where they live), today (Saturday) was our last day of Balloon Fiesta for this year. I was happy the winds were good for today since I got my second balloon ride, with my first being back in 2005. I will have a real update sometime in the next day or two but for now, here is my Balloon Fiesta Picture Post Roundup, Complete With Captions This Time...

The above pictures are from the dawn patrol. They go up before everyone else and get a feel for what the weather is doing. They do other stuff that is escaping my mind at the moment. A sign at the K&I Diner where we went to breakfast the Sunday of the first weekend. The food at the K&I was just 110% amazing. If it was not on the other side of the city, I would so go there more offen. This the balloon that I normaly crew for which is piloted by Dick Goss. I took this picture from a balloon piloted by Fred Edmiston who is good friends with Dick and part of the group I run with. Taken from Fred's balloon looking south down the Rio Grande as we floated into the north end of Corrales. The balloons that look like they are landing in the river are doing what is called a "Splash and Dash"

Fred landed the balloon where all those other balloons are. It was a very popular spot to land today. This is the very end of Rupert’s Lane in Corrales, NM. Just to the right of all the balloons and next to the ditch is the Rio Grande River, which is just out of the picture. A close up view of where we landed today. I am still amazed that we were able to get in there with all those other balloons there and all the other "traffic" flying around us. It did help that we were going north, and at the lower lever there was a south to southwest wind. That did help a little, plus the people already on the ground did help a lot. Another thing that the balloon fiesta is famous for is the food. There is a row of vendors that must be about half a mile long. Here you can find any type of food you want, so long as it is not healthy. In this picture on the right you have "Wisconsin Fried Cheese Curds" and on the left "Pork Chop On A Stick" A not too good picture of the "Motley Crew" that I run with during Balloon Fiesta. The two guys at the far end of the table with gray'ing hair are the two pilots. Dick Goss is sitting at the end of the table in a red shirt, with Fred Edmiston sitting just to the right of Dick. Fred's wife, Kay, is sitting next to Fred. Nothing says Balloon Fiesta like being mooned by a 4 story tall turtle. Can anyone say TURTLE ASS? And no Balloon Fiesta would be complete with out a witch giving the crowd the finger. Well, thats what it looks like. The picture is a result of what happened when the crew of that balloon got in a hurry and forget to put the broom handle into the witch’s hand. OPPS. LOL.