My trips to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta started with a phone call from my sister. She said that their family were planning a trip trip out west to the Balloon Fiesta and wanted to know if I was interested in meeting them out there. This is something that had been on my bucket list since the early 70s and I jumped at the chance to check it off my list.
After contacting the Balloon Fiesta officials and with the media pass in hand, I left Chattanooga to start my 2 day drive to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Arriving in Albuquerque on October 3, I checked into the media desk to pick up my press pass. Everyone their was extremely friendly and very informative on the history and functions of the Fiesta.
After a lengthy conversation with the officials, they convinced me that I needed to take a ride in one of the hot air balloons. This was not something that I was expecting but gladly accepted their invitation. They informed me that things start very early and that I needed to be at the media desk no later than 4:30 AM. I was there at 4 AM, was not going to miss out on this.
After signing all the waivers and paperwork, I was assigned to the balloon Gatineu from Canada with pilot Andre Boucher. He did not speak much English, as French was his first language, but we had no problem communicating and he could tell by the expressions on my face that I was having a wonderful time.
It was a cold start for the 7 AM mass ascension. Excitement was building as onlookers watched the balloon crews assembled and filled their crafts with hot air. The field came to life with some 100 hot air balloons of all shapes and colors.
The captain of my balloons informed me that launch time was near and that I needed to board the balloon. With with bursting flames above our heads we slowly ascended into the cold morning air. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before, this calm quiet assent was almost like being in a movie theater with a 360° screen and watching all of this take place.
I don't think, in this 10 to 15 minute ride, that my camera stopped clicking for more than just a few seconds. Everywhere you looked there was another shot of these beautiful balloons rising from the launch field. This was really something to behold from within this old mode of transportation. There are not enough adjectives to describe what took place all around me.
We landed with a bump and waited on the chase car to get to our location so that they could break down the balloon, pack it up and do it all over again. As I sat in the basket of the balloon I continued to watch and shoot photos of all the balloons ascending near our location. It's amazing how much control these pilots have over there hot air vessels. They were landing all around us, some no more than 20 feet away.
After all of the equipment was packed up we headed back to the media tent so the pilot could prove that I made it back in one piece. The lady at the media desk was puzzled and asked how I stayed so dry. I interned asked what do you mean. She told me that since this was my first trip in a hot air balloon that they normally had champagne at the completion of the ride. That it was not intended for drinking but pour it over your head. I guess I got lucky on that one.
If you have not done the Balloon Fiesta, you need to put this one on your bucket list as it is a explosion to all the senses.
Story & photography by Samuel E Burns
After contacting the Balloon Fiesta officials and with the media pass in hand, I left Chattanooga to start my 2 day drive to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Arriving in Albuquerque on October 3, I checked into the media desk to pick up my press pass. Everyone their was extremely friendly and very informative on the history and functions of the Fiesta.
After a lengthy conversation with the officials, they convinced me that I needed to take a ride in one of the hot air balloons. This was not something that I was expecting but gladly accepted their invitation. They informed me that things start very early and that I needed to be at the media desk no later than 4:30 AM. I was there at 4 AM, was not going to miss out on this.
After signing all the waivers and paperwork, I was assigned to the balloon Gatineu from Canada with pilot Andre Boucher. He did not speak much English, as French was his first language, but we had no problem communicating and he could tell by the expressions on my face that I was having a wonderful time.
It was a cold start for the 7 AM mass ascension. Excitement was building as onlookers watched the balloon crews assembled and filled their crafts with hot air. The field came to life with some 100 hot air balloons of all shapes and colors.
The captain of my balloons informed me that launch time was near and that I needed to board the balloon. With with bursting flames above our heads we slowly ascended into the cold morning air. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before, this calm quiet assent was almost like being in a movie theater with a 360° screen and watching all of this take place.
I don't think, in this 10 to 15 minute ride, that my camera stopped clicking for more than just a few seconds. Everywhere you looked there was another shot of these beautiful balloons rising from the launch field. This was really something to behold from within this old mode of transportation. There are not enough adjectives to describe what took place all around me.
We landed with a bump and waited on the chase car to get to our location so that they could break down the balloon, pack it up and do it all over again. As I sat in the basket of the balloon I continued to watch and shoot photos of all the balloons ascending near our location. It's amazing how much control these pilots have over there hot air vessels. They were landing all around us, some no more than 20 feet away.
After all of the equipment was packed up we headed back to the media tent so the pilot could prove that I made it back in one piece. The lady at the media desk was puzzled and asked how I stayed so dry. I interned asked what do you mean. She told me that since this was my first trip in a hot air balloon that they normally had champagne at the completion of the ride. That it was not intended for drinking but pour it over your head. I guess I got lucky on that one.
If you have not done the Balloon Fiesta, you need to put this one on your bucket list as it is a explosion to all the senses.
Story & photography by Samuel E Burns
