Balloon Fiesta
6 Oct 2019 19:30![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nwhikerOMG.
I'll post a link to the photos when I have them uploaded, but OMG, that was beautiful.
We got up at 3am, urgh. Not fun, especially since I'd not slept too well on our apparently leaking blow up mattress (do those things EVER last more than one or two uses?). Got a bus to the Fiesta area, it was about 4am or so when we got there. Wandered around, dh managed to eat a breakfast burrito.
No balloons yet, and yes, it was pitch black, but the food and souvenir vendors were there and hawking their goods.
That part was long and chilly and boring. We didn't have chairs or anything, so hurty feet too!
But then. The crews started to inflate the balloons, and you're right there, you can see everything, feel the warmth of the propane burner later when they warm the air.
Before dawn, the first balloons, the "dawn patrol" go up. It was... beautiful. They were glowing in the night sky, and it was just so wonderful. Think Tangled, only balloons, in bright colours and patterns. Dh had some good photos, again, I'll get those posted when I can.
At a bit before 7, the two balloons carrying the US flag went up, with someone butchering the Star Spangled Banner.
Then the mass ascension. Which was jaw dropping. Again, we were right there, everyone was. There was balloon all over the place, popping up, then eventually launching into the morning sky. Dh had warned me that I might feel a bit claustrophobic and he was right: there were balloons right above my head!
We watched, we took photos, we watched some more.
As the last balloons of the mass ascension were launching, some of the first ones were landing, often almost precisely where they took off from. Making life easier for their chase crews, I guess! We left about then at 9, and eventually make it back to my FIL's house to continue cleaning out the garage.
Which was how we spent the day. We're making good progress, but it's difficult, emotionally painful work, and my FIL came from a family who kept everything. There are boxes and boxes of "grad school notes" and "thesis drafts" and my SIL wants them all, for her PhD, doncha know. And... just SO much other stuff.
We can bring up one SUV worth. I have no idea how we're going to prioritize, so blah.
I'll post a link to the photos when I have them uploaded, but OMG, that was beautiful.
We got up at 3am, urgh. Not fun, especially since I'd not slept too well on our apparently leaking blow up mattress (do those things EVER last more than one or two uses?). Got a bus to the Fiesta area, it was about 4am or so when we got there. Wandered around, dh managed to eat a breakfast burrito.
No balloons yet, and yes, it was pitch black, but the food and souvenir vendors were there and hawking their goods.
That part was long and chilly and boring. We didn't have chairs or anything, so hurty feet too!
But then. The crews started to inflate the balloons, and you're right there, you can see everything, feel the warmth of the propane burner later when they warm the air.
Before dawn, the first balloons, the "dawn patrol" go up. It was... beautiful. They were glowing in the night sky, and it was just so wonderful. Think Tangled, only balloons, in bright colours and patterns. Dh had some good photos, again, I'll get those posted when I can.
At a bit before 7, the two balloons carrying the US flag went up, with someone butchering the Star Spangled Banner.
Then the mass ascension. Which was jaw dropping. Again, we were right there, everyone was. There was balloon all over the place, popping up, then eventually launching into the morning sky. Dh had warned me that I might feel a bit claustrophobic and he was right: there were balloons right above my head!
We watched, we took photos, we watched some more.
As the last balloons of the mass ascension were launching, some of the first ones were landing, often almost precisely where they took off from. Making life easier for their chase crews, I guess! We left about then at 9, and eventually make it back to my FIL's house to continue cleaning out the garage.
Which was how we spent the day. We're making good progress, but it's difficult, emotionally painful work, and my FIL came from a family who kept everything. There are boxes and boxes of "grad school notes" and "thesis drafts" and my SIL wants them all, for her PhD, doncha know. And... just SO much other stuff.
We can bring up one SUV worth. I have no idea how we're going to prioritize, so blah.
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 3 Dec 2019 21:49 (UTC)(One year that I was on the Roswell girls' track team, we were at a cross-country meet in the foothills during balloon fiesta - it was pretty magical! )