Would You Like To Ride In A Beautiful Balloon

Several years ago we checked another item off of my bucket list, the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival. It was an amazing experience but to understand why it was on my bucket list I have to go back to a demonstration that a local balloonists did at my kids' elementary school.

The kids all gathered in the playground area and watched as he and his wife unrolled the balloon and fired up the propane tank to blow hot air into the huge balloon bottom. It didn't take long before the balloon was vertical and the mouths of all of us watching were hanging open in awe. Since it was not flying weather, he quickly deflated the balloon and while the kids filed back into school they rolled it up and packed it into the back of their truck.

I would find out later that the couple were a part of our church and I met them there on occasion and had the opportunity to listen to some of the tales of their ballooning experiences. I was not ready to fly though.

Fast forward to New Mexico and watching seven hundred balloons inflate and ascend into the air and I found myself once again gaping in awe. They float over your head and each is a unique design, some resembling animals, others cartoon characters and still others intricate designs. It was an early morning launch because that's when the air is still and less wind is better. We returned in the evening for an illumination of balloons but there was no launch. The wind had kicked up a bit and even then they shut down early because the several balloons that were illuminated (the propane fire lights them up) were blowing too much.

In all this time though, I've never had the courage to take a ride. While it might be a wonderful sensation for many, I'm not so sure I would enjoy it. No, I'd rather watch from the ground. I did find an article that describes a ride in a balloon. You might find it interesting. It's called Lessons Learned From Up In The Air.