Here’s looking at you, Balloon Fiesta 2015! We’re ready to launch!

With only a few days remaining before Balloon Fiesta 2015 officially begins on October 3rd, we’re launching a series of posts based upon our experiences at the 2014 event.

Spanning the days of October 3 to 11, Balloon Fiesta 2015 promises more color, more variety, more excitement . . . well, more of everything.  But even if you can’t make it to Albuquerque, New Mexico, we hope you’ll enjoy taking a look back with us and reading more of what makes this event one of our all-time special travel memories.

Filling the sky with colorful balloons over Albuquerque, New Mexico: Balloon Fiesta 2014

So, come along with us in the next few days as a prequel to one of New Mexico’s finest events.  There’s definitely a lot to see!

One of the best events in the USA: Albuquerque’s International Balloon Fiesta

For more information:

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2015: http://www.balloonfiesta.com/

For more entries in the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Symmetry, click here.

Bright yellow plates form the background for one of Tupelo Honey Cafe‘s best-selling entrees: Say Shoo Mercy.  It’s Havarti, Pimento cheese, caramelized onions, maple peppered bacon, smoked ham, fried green tomato, and fresh basil on organic sourdough wheat!  And we watched yellow plate after yellow plate come through the window the night we sat at the bar after Knoxville’s Tour de Lights.

Ready for serving — Say Shoo Mercy from Tupelo Honey Cafe, Knoxville

At the Gaylord Opryland Hotel , site of the Learning Forward conference, this golden yellow nutcracker held directional signs on his outstretched arms.  Attendees had no excuses for where to find their rooms or a place to relax.

Life-sized nutcracker, Gaylord Opryland Hotel, Nashville, TN

And with a nod to the Winter Solstice yesterday (December 21, 2014) we’re adding this happy balloon from Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta 2014.   Oh my, how time flies!

Cheery side of clock balloon — Balloon Fiesta 2014

And with that, we wish you a pleasant end to 2014 as your ring in the New Year!

For more entries in the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Yellow, click here.

But we couldn’t have been more mistaken.  We were there.  On that field.  Right beside the balloons. As if we were a part of the action.  Spinning from one exciting fill-up to another.

And then we could hear the buzz of the crowd.  This one was ready! And we joined in the applause for initially what seemed impossible — getting one of the huge, ball-shaped masses airborne.  We pointed. Yelled, Look! It’s going up! And then fumbled for our cameras to capture the moment of take-off  .  .  .

It was then that the lucky balloon riders gave us crowd people thumbs up’s and big waves as they lifted up. And over. And above us all into the morning air.

It’s about as big a rush as you can get in a field in Albuquerque before dawn.  Well, yeah!

For more entries into Ailsa’s photo challenge — Travel theme: Above — on her blog Where’s My Backpack, click here.  They’ll take you up, up, and away!

For information about the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2015 including dates and schedules, click here.

Vendor of colorful Balloon Fiesta souvenirs — Albuquerque, New Mexico

Colorful baskets made of telephone wire for sale in Soweto, South Africa

Colorful runners in the International Biscuit Festival 2014 early morning race, Knoxville, Tennessee

For more entries in Ailsa’s Where’s My Backpack photo challenge — Travel theme: Colourful — click here.

But, as we found out later,  she never intended to launch a balloon.  Just wanted to inflate it only to take it down a few minutes later.  To give the crowd a chance to watch the workings of a balloon launch — from start to almost-finished, just before take-off.  She even answered questions and chatted with those of us pointing cameras at the crew intent on filling the space with hot air and then checking for whatever they check for prior to launch.

It was then that the idea for a book came to mind:  What would it take to go from ground to air? And then we found two photos that could serve as cover art for this inside look.

Inside Ballooning:  The Art of the Launch

Checking the interior of a hot air balloon

Holding on as hot air fills a balloon at Balloon Fiesta 2014.

So, what do you think?  Which one do you prefer?  Or do you have another thought about what would be great cover art for a glimpse into the fascinating craft of ballooning?

Be sure to check out the other entries in Weekly Photo Challenge: Cover Art by clicking here.

Rainbow over Balloon Fiesta 2014

We looked for the flag flying high over Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta 2014 even as we left the parking lot for the long trek to the launch field.  It was yellow.  Caution.  A probable go for the October 9th lift-off.  But when the crowd turned in the direction of the refracted light of a rainbow — sometimes single, sometimes double — arching over the vendors hawking everything from corn dogs to souvenir pins, we saw dark skies threatening the night’s Glowdeo event.

Children with light sabers play while waiting for balloons to light up the night.

Children, however, continued to play — using their Jedi skills to wield light sabers.  Whoosh-bink, whoosh-bink, sang out the sabers against the dark night.

First lift-off, Dawn Patrol, October 10, 2014. Balloon Fiesta 2014

And when the yellow flag yielded to red, curtailing the night’s event, the crowd dispersed only to return before dawn the next day.

Breaking dawn — Balloon Fiesta 2014

After all, there’s nothing quite like seeing the first lights of the Dawn Patrol in a dark New Mexico field.

Click here for more entries in the Weekly Photo Challenge: Refraction.

Waiting to see which ones will fly: Balloon Fiesta 2014, Albuquerque NM

In an enormous field in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from October 4 to 12, balloonists and watchers asked the same question:  Will it fly?  Here are a couple that did . . . and a couple that did not!

Did Fly!

Humpty Dumpty filled right up, sucking in enough hot air necessary to puff up and fly!  Even upside down, he was ready for lift-off, cheered on by a supporting crowd of students out of school on holiday and their parents who were kids for the day!

Filling Humpty with hot air: Will he fly?

And up Humpty goes.

And Humpty takes off — Balloon Fiesta 2014!

Yes, even cows fly as this entry named Airabelle from Creamland joins the skies — up, up, up and away!

Cows fly, too!

Didn’t Fly

But, alas, not all balloons ascended.  A big, brown sailing ship — one of the largest balloons on the field — struggled just to right itself.

Aiming the heat to fill the sailing ship balloon at Balloon Fiesta 2014

And then it just “hung out” with the crowd while its buddies took to the skies.

Just moving with the wind, but not lifting off. No sailing for this ship today.

Even filled with hot air and in the upright liftoff position, Yoda never made it beyond the field.  Didn’t matter.  He owned that field!

May the Force be with you!

May the Force be with you next year, my friend.

Early morning balloon rise at Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2014

For more information on the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2014, click here.

Want to help name Balloon Fiesta 2015?  Click here to submit your idea!

For more entries in A Word a Week Photo Challenge: Fly, check out Sue Llewellyn’s blog A Word in Your Ear.  You’ll be flying high!