The Balloon Fiesta Route
We have been wanting to experience this Fiesta for some time now.
It is unbelievable!
Early Thursday morning (Oct. 8)
The mass ascension of the special shaped balloons.
They just made you smile.
We arrived on Wednesday afternoon,
and fortunately for us there was not a session that afternoon
so the traffic was heavy only with campers.
Once on the balloon grounds, it was easy to
forget that our motor home was in a dirty parking lot
with maybe 1000 other campers without any facilities.
All for $30 per night!
It was a little chilly in the morning (notice the clothing)
but we were still able to "pose".
Rick (right) and Jan (to Rick's left) were able to join us.
They, too, found the experience fascinating.
However, the traffic for them was unbearable,
so after the first night they joined us in the motor home.
We viewed three mass ascensions,
two special shapes and one for all balloons.
We also attended one balloon glow in the evening.
The balloons do not lift off but lean out their fuel
to make a yellow flame and 100's of balloons flicker.
It was beautiful but the pictures were just mediocre.
Saturday morning, the balloons were drifting towards
the RV park so we headed out early to climb
atop the motor home for a different look.
Just before climbing up our gracious neighbors
snapped a couple of pictures.
From the motor home--here come the balloons!
The pose on top of the motor home.
Just after Rick and I climbed down this balloon arrived.
It looked like we would have had to duck,
or just hopped in the gondola!
Between ascensions and glows the four of us toured old Albuquerque.
After Saturday morning's ascension we tried to ride
the tramway to Sandia Peak.
We arrived as it was opening and the line snaked into the parking lot.
Another time.
After missing the tram we found Twisters.
This restaurant doubled as Los Pollos Hermanos
in the TV series Breaking Bad
Rick and Jan departed so Judy and I toured this National Monument.
There are over 5000 petroglyphs protected here.
While looking for a local restaurant we ran across
this site on the National Historical Trail.
Back to Verde Valley Thousand Trails, Arizona
We drove through Petrified National Park again and
camped in another parking lot just outside the south end of the park.
Even the beautiful collared lizard had a hard time competing
with the colorful petrified wood in the Rainbow Forest.
