10-12, My Flight

This year's balloon fiesta started off with my good fortune of getting a ride with Danielle in her monarch balloon.  In previous years, my rides had been with her husband Leo in his dragonfly balloon.  This was a different experience for me as her balloon is smaller and thus accommodates less weight.  I was the only passenger to ride with her- how special! This was also the first time we had arrived prior to the weekend.  We learned that the balloons that weren't special shapes needed to find alternate launching areas, because the balloon field was reserved for special shape balloons for the Thursday and Friday mornings prior to the second weekend of the fiesta. This was our third year at the fiesta, and we had become accustomed to the routine of busing over to the field in the mornings.  It felt strange to drive to another location for the launch.  It was neat though, because it presented a different perspective to the experience.  

Aloft in Danielle's monarch balloon looking west to the fiesta's balloon field. 

Leo's dragonfly balloon in flight.

Look at all those balloons!  Leo's dragonfly balloon takes center stage.

See the toucan?

Hovering over the Rio Grande.

Leo soaring high (and we are, too!).

The flights of the balloons take them all over greater Albuquerque.

I love how the balloon pops out from the cityscape.

As we were approaching a landing, we spotted an open space full of jack rabbits.  It was so amusing to watch them hop and chase each other around the bushes.  Not a bad zoom from the balloon to get a close-up of this guy! See those big ears?!

This is what it looks like as you come down from the flight to see your chase crew watching closely in preparation for your landing.  Michelle was the chase crew pilot with Alexandra her co-pilot.  You can see Sven keeping tabs on us while Emalie looks on from inside the van.  This ballooning really is a team effort!