Archive for October, 2015

West Please!

Thursday, October 15th, 2015

We decided to get a head start on our journey west and headed out Sunday afternoon taking Hwy 60 through western New Mexico into Arizona at the Salt River Canyon area.  Sunday night was spent near Pie Town New Mexico at our own private campground with the coyotes and the stars!  It was so peaceful at Halfmoon Hitch RV Park which is a bit off the highway and only 5 full hookup sites.  Definitely a spot I could have spent more than just one night but getting to California is a huge motivation at this point!

Salt River Canyon

Salt River Canyon

We made it to Arizona on Monday and it was a beautiful drive, a bit hot when we made it to Mesa!  We got to see Mike & Claudia for dinner and then in the morning had friends, Joan and Steven over for breakfast!  Yeah,  we get to entertain and hang out with friends again!

Monday night we stopped in Yuma for the night and again it was very hot.  We got a bath for the RV and car Tuesday am before heading to San Diego!  We are home!  Yeah!  Not quite but I feel home just knowing we are at the bottom of the state!  And,  on Wednesday Stephanie is meeting us in Anaheim to take me to the happiest place on Earth!

A Kaleidoscope of Colors

Tuesday, October 13th, 2015

Our week at Balloon Fiesta was spent with three great guys; Stan our pilot, Bud the crew chief, and Marc the everything guy.  They are a team from Canada and were kind enough to let Paul and I work with them this week.

Team Magic Moments 2015

Team Magic Moments 2015

Stan’s balloon Magic Moments flew seven times this week and Paul and I each were able to be passengers on one of the flights.  Paul’s flight was from off the field and a competition day so he was in the air quite long catching the box of Albuquerque where the balloon flew west and then north to the field, circle the field and landed north of the field.  They were never able to get into the field to hit the target but the flight was beautiful.  I flew on Wednesday with a VIP passenger from Canon.  His name was also Mark and he had a very fancy Canon camera so I am sure his photos are excellent.

Looking back over the launch field

Looking back over the launch field

Flying with Darth

Flying with Darth

Never know who you will meet with at 500 ft!

Never know who you will meet with at 500 ft!

Some of the balloons were thinking of a swim in the Rio Grande!

Some of the balloons were thinking of a swim in the Rio Grande!

A creative Farmer

A creative Farmer

Stan has been a pilot for 40 years and the team made our week lots of fun.  Chasing is always interesting.  One day Marc went on a flight and Paul had to drive the chase car.  Bud was our navigator and we chased pretty well until they landed a block over and I thought they landed further so we went way out of our way to get to them.  The good news is balloon is very much a family sport and their was lots of other crews nearby to catch up to the balloon and help Stan get on the ground and deflated.

Magic Moments being inflated

Magic Moments being inflated

Flying the Canadian Flag

Flying the Canadian Flag

Magic Moments neighbors, with the Turtle lauchig

Magic Moments neighbors, with the Turtle lauchig

Ballooning is such a visual activity.  Flying is amazing but just being on the field watching balloons inflate and take off is just as spectacular, especially when there are more than 500 balloons inflating.

The view is awesome

The view is awesome

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Can’t wait for the next time we make it to Albuquerque in October!

Sums up the feeling of being on the launch field with over 500 balloons ready to take flight!

Sums up the feeling of being on the launch field with over 500 balloons ready to take flight!

 

 

Up, Up and Away

Tuesday, October 6th, 2015
Now you can't get him out of the basket!

Now you can’t get him out of the basket!

Yesterday Paul was the recipient of a fabulous ride in Magic Moments.  He isn’t fond of heights or flying but took another chance and loved his ride.  Stan is our pilot this week and we are helping crew his balloon, Magic Moments.

Magic Moments flying with the natives!

Magic Moments flying with the natives!

Paul and Stan flying above the RV's.

Paul and Stan flying above the RV’s.

Back on Earth Paul celebrates the morning

Back on Earth Paul celebrates the morning

The Balloon Fiesta is such an awesome experience.  We get up every morning before the sun (or Duke) wake up and head to the field to help inflate the balloon.  I’m not much help as the balloon requires strong arms to remove it from the truck, open the bag, stretch the envelope across the ground and get it full of air before the pilot take lift off.  Then we wait to see where the wind is going to take the balloon and eventually we show up, deflate the balloon, pack it up and head back to the field.  My job is to watch and help drink Champagne once the flight is over!

Inflate

ComingUp

Landing

This one didn’t have the smoothest landing but everyone was cheering so that is a success.

Dawn Patrol takes off so the rest of the pilots get an idea about the wind, or maybe this is just for us to admire!  Either way it is beautiful

Dawn Patrol takes off so the rest of the pilots get an idea about the wind, or maybe this is just for us to admire! Either way it is beautiful

 

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Darth Vadar stops by each day just to hang around!

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The shapes are lots of fun to watch being inflated; they take an army.

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We are camping south of the flight field and many of the balloons fly directly over us and some land way too close!

Todays flight was lots of fun to watch. The pilots had to take off from at least 1 mile from the field, hope to fly over the field and drop a bean bag at a target and then either take off or land outside the competion markers.  Stan flew in, dropped his marker and then landed beyond the field.  When the chase crew arrived (us) the balloon was deflated and we had to quickly remove it because lots of other balloons wanted to use the same flight path!

And away they go!

And away they go!

Adding heat to the balloon to get lift

Adding heat to the balloon to get lift

MagicMoments

 

Magic Moments

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Getting very close

Getting very close

I think they all had the same idea about hitting the mark and landing because they were bunched up hoping to hit the landing field.  Everyone landed safely and the passengers got a great ride.  More champagne!!!

Cheers

Cheers