Sunday, we had planned to awaken at 4:30 am to get to the Balloon Fiesta Park to see the mass ascension of the hot air balloons. For the first time since Britt and Zach arrived it rained cats and dogs all night long. They called off the mass ascension for the morning. We had lunch. Dan and I went to check into our hotel, the Nativo, and Britt drove Zach to UNM to ride the bus with about 6 or 7 other students to Chaco for their dig.
Britt met us at the hotel, then we went over to the Balloon Park where we were 3 of just a few people. There was no charge for parking or entrance fee. A handful of vendors had opened up, so we walked around checking them out. It looked like another storm was coming, so we headed to the car.
We started driving and ended up at the Petroglyph National Monument. A petroglyph is an etched drawing
in rock.
We hiked around a bit and saw a millepedeand
a red tailed hawk.
We got back in the car and started down the road.
We saw a road runner. Then, as if written into a cartoon, running down the road was the scraggliest coyote I have ever seen! Well, I’ve never see one before, but trust me this one was scraggly!
Britt and I kept yelling commands at Dan to back up! Slow down! Turn around! Hurry up! Basically we were herding a coyote with a black Lincoln Navigator!
It was getting late in the afternoon, so we headed back to the Balloon Park. Things were happening, so we got charged to get in this time. We hurried over to one of the picnic tables and claimed a spot. Before long, 4 older women joined us. We started talking and 2 of them had taught in the Cupertino school district where our kids had gone.
Never taught our kids, but it was kind of cool. The main woman, Lydia, ended up giving me her old family recipe for adevado. Pork roasted in red chiles. They were a lot of fun! The balloon trailers started pulling up in the grassy area, unloading their baskets and gear.
Dan - not one to sit back and watch, wanted to get up close. We soon realized we could walk all around the hot air balloons and see everything that was going on. It was amazing really. First they get the basket out, then they unroll the balloon on the ground. People hold it open while big fans blow air to fill the balloon. (We even got to step up and take pictures of the inside of the balloon!) Then, when there is enough air, they fire up the fire into the balloon to heat the air. It happens very quickly! There were balloons for as far as the eye could see in every direction.
For this event, they didn’t (intentionally) leave the ground. They just all inflated, then when it got dark, there was a countdown. Then all the balloons lit up with their burners at once. It was beautiful. The pictures don’t do it justice!
We were overwhelmed. One woman who was about 65 said it best as she was running from one balloon to the other, “I feel like I’m nine years old!”
in rock.
We hiked around a bit and saw a millepedeand
a red tailed hawk.
We got back in the car and started down the road.
We saw a road runner. Then, as if written into a cartoon, running down the road was the scraggliest coyote I have ever seen! Well, I’ve never see one before, but trust me this one was scraggly!
Britt and I kept yelling commands at Dan to back up! Slow down! Turn around! Hurry up! Basically we were herding a coyote with a black Lincoln Navigator!
It was getting late in the afternoon, so we headed back to the Balloon Park. Things were happening, so we got charged to get in this time. We hurried over to one of the picnic tables and claimed a spot. Before long, 4 older women joined us. We started talking and 2 of them had taught in the Cupertino school district where our kids had gone. 
Never taught our kids, but it was kind of cool. The main woman, Lydia, ended up giving me her old family recipe for adevado. Pork roasted in red chiles. They were a lot of fun! The balloon trailers started pulling up in the grassy area, unloading their baskets and gear.
Dan - not one to sit back and watch, wanted to get up close. We soon realized we could walk all around the hot air balloons and see everything that was going on. It was amazing really. First they get the basket out, then they unroll the balloon on the ground. People hold it open while big fans blow air to fill the balloon. (We even got to step up and take pictures of the inside of the balloon!) Then, when there is enough air, they fire up the fire into the balloon to heat the air. It happens very quickly! There were balloons for as far as the eye could see in every direction.
For this event, they didn’t (intentionally) leave the ground. They just all inflated, then when it got dark, there was a countdown. Then all the balloons lit up with their burners at once. It was beautiful. The pictures don’t do it justice!
We were overwhelmed. One woman who was about 65 said it best as she was running from one balloon to the other, “I feel like I’m nine years old!”
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