Balloon Time

Paul and I went to the Balloon Fiesta yesterday morning. The Thursday and Friday launches are my favorites because the special shape balloons go up first and since I didn't have school yesterday, I'd told Paul I would probably go to the balloon field by myself (I was going to go with a friend but her husband had emergency gall bladder surgery earlier this week so she understandably bailed). Paul felt bad that I'd have to go by myself and since there have been quite a few weekends with him working, he took a few hours off in the morning to spend the time with me. We took along one of his coworkers who is new to town.

It was a lovely morning--warm enough that no heavy bundling was required with a bit of a breeze on the field. That breeze on the field meant higher winds aloft, apparently. The balloons never went up too high and were blowing pretty quickly to the north as soon as they launced. Sadly, there was one fatality as a result of a balloon crash. Looking through the pictures we took, I do have pictures of that particular balloon while it was inflating. Such a sad tragedy that all of us on the field were oblivious about having happened. Paul and I commented while we were watching the balloons that the winds were picking up on the field and we were surprised the officials had gone ahead with the Key Grab competition. We first heard of the crash when we got back to the car to head home about 8:45, leaving early so Paul and Will could head to work.

Because of the wind, I don't think as many balloons went up yesterday and the ones that did didn't hang around the field too long. It was harder to get good pictures of the balloons this year. Of course, I still managed to take about 75 pictures. Here is the first balloons of the morning inflating.
Just before lift-off.
The first balloons taking off. The balloon that crashed resulting in the fatality was the flat-top (it's a tetrahedron) balloon just in front of the Smokey Bear balloon (which, incidentally, was involved in a dramatic crash about four years ago when it got entangled in transmission towers and the pilot and two young passengers had to climb down the ladder).
Some of the special shape balloons start to take shape.
The Darth Vader balloon standing up. We tried to get closer but there was a mob of people near this one and the other shapes so we opted to stay to the edge of the balloons and the crowds.
Will and Paul
So, I asked Paul to take a picture of me, meaning, of course, me in front of the balloons. He was so please with himself when he took this one. @@

the "When Pigs Fly" balloon
The Killer Bee balloon appeared to be attacking the green thing balloon.
The bear balloon stands up.
"Gizzmo"--one of my favorite special shapes balloon
Out on the field with all the special shapes inflating.
The witch's house balloon.
The first time in three years that I managed to be on the correct side of the bees when they took off holding hands.
The "Darth Vader" balloon up in the air.
The Cathedral balloon was new this year.
Carmen Miranda
Watching the balloons all float away.
The start of the Key Grab competition
Watching the Key Grab competition.
After last year's whirlwind of visitors, the house was unusually quiet this year during the Fiesta. Paul's friend Jeff and his wife and daughter came into town for the balloons (which were cancelled this morning because of the high winds) but they stayed with their family. We saw them for dinner and visited yesterday.

Oh, and apparently, we really should have gone last Saturday to see the balloons. It seems a certain ABQ native was back in town, visiting the balloon fiesta with his family. Paul said there is no way I would have seen him in a crowd of 15,000 people but apparently, he doesn't understand the power of my Doogie-ometer.