by Paul Heney
Last updated: 6:00 PM ET, Thu October 4, 2018
When you say, "Albuquerque," some people may think of Bugs Bunny's famous line ("I knew I should've turned left in Albuquerque!) and others likely think of the TV shows Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul. But for many, this charming New Mexico metropolis may be most famous for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, held each October-for almost 50 years now!
This year's celebration takes place from October 6-14, and more than 500 balloons are expected to participate.
The main event takes place at the city's Balloon Fiesta Park-the expanse is an incredible 365 acres, 78 of which is dedicated as the launch field. It also claims to be the most photographed event in the world.
Visitors can watch mass ascensions on several different mornings, as well as championship flying events, fireworks, chainsaw carving demonstrations, the Glowdeo, and a special "shapes flight," where uniquely shaped hot air balloons take to the skies.
On our summer family vacation, we stopped in Albuquerque and checked out the fascinating and interactive Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, located near the park grounds. The museum features a sweeping, arched roof that evokes the shape of a balloon and allows for an enormous bank of windows, providing excellent light inside. The atrium is filled with balloons and replicas from many eras, suspended from the ceiling.
The exhibits were much more engrossing than I imagined they'd be. I learned about the earliest balloons that took humans aloft. I was fascinated to discover that balloons loaded with explosives were floated toward the United States by Japan, but the plan largely failed.
However, four kids and two adults were killed in rural Oregon in 1945 when they discovered one of the so-called "fire balloons." (Strangely, they were the only World War II U.S. combat casualties in the contiguous 48 states.)
There was also an excellent interactive portion of the museum that dealt with weather-from winds to storms and sunshine to clouds. Weather plays an important role in safely operating a hot air balloon, and you'll learn why Albuquerque has some of the best weather for this activity.
Since we were in town, we couldn't pass up the chance to take a ride up over the city ourselves. We woke before dawn on our last morning in town and drove north to the offices of Rainbow Ryders. The company offers a variety of options, including a sunrise balloon ride, dawn patrol ride, sunset ride, and even private rides and weddings. We opted for the sunrise ride.
Once checked in, our family of four piled in a van with seven other riders, and we were soon at a local park where the three company representatives unfurled the massive balloon and affixed it to the basket. My partner and I volunteered to hold parts of the balloon's mouth while giant fans blew air into it. Once it was sufficiently filled (about 10 minutes), the pilot fired up the liquid propane burners, causing the whole envelope to slowly rise off its side and stand upright.
Our pilot, Dean, quickly got us onboard and before we knew it, we were gently lifting off the ground. We quickly elevated to more than a thousand feet, giving us a stunning view of the entire Albuquerque area, including the gorgeous Sandia Mountains to the east.
According to Dean, the balloon itself, referred to as the envelope, generally lasts about 800-900 hours before it needs to be replaced. Our ride only had about 390 hours on it, and he had piloted most of those hours. The baskets, in contrast, "will last forever if you take care of them," he said.
We stayed aloft for a little more than an hour, as we had some issues with getting the wind to take us to a proper landing spot. But the eventual landing was smooth as silk, and we enjoyed a nice mimosa to celebrate being back on solid ground. Upon returning to the Rainbow Ryders office, we enjoyed a nice breakfast before heading back to our hotel.
In all, our 11-year-old didn't fare too well, spending about half the ride curled up on the basked floor, fighting off nausea. But he caught the hang of it during the last 15 minutes or so. Meanwhile, my partner and our 17-year-old son thought the experience was grand-and the whole experience just further tied my heart to Albuquerque's hot air charms.
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