2011 Trip across the US
2012 Trip across the US
2014 Trip across the US
2015 Trip to Alaska
2015-16 Southwest Trip
2016 New England Trip
2016 - 17 Southwest Trip
2017 - 18 Trip to Pick Up a New Escape 21 Trailer & More
Tuesday, October 9, 2018 - The Balloon Fiesta Campground, Albuquerque, NM, Day 2, 0 Miles, 5,222.6 Miles for the Trip
Another early day, but well worth it, even though I had to put off my morning coffee because my inverter wouldn't start.
We were not sure the balloon ride we had scheduled for this morning would happen. Very little wind, but it was raining. We rode the shuttle from the campground to the main gate, then walked to the sign in area, then had an hour to wait for our "march" to the balloon. By that time the rain had stopped and the clouds started to clear. The pilot was great - Kris Braden flying Dust In The Wind, an 8 passenger balloon. The ride one of the most enjoyable things I've done. After bouncing around in helicopters, I wasn't sure ballooning was for me, but it is a completely different experience. I'm hooked!
We were in the air for a little over an hour, including passing within range (but not really with a 17 - 35mm lens) of our trailers in the campground, seeing hundreds of other balloons in the air, then landed in the back of a school. The kids mobbed us, and the pilot gave them a chance to climb into the balloon basket, even help push it across the field. We had a great time.
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| The Morning Glow | Testing the Burner | ||
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| Dawn Launch | Laying Out the Balloon | Filling With Air | |
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| Looking up | Looking Up With Gas | Ready to Leave | Take Off |
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| View From the Air | |||
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| View From the Air | Our Trailers (Look Close) | View From the Air - Anyone Want to Count the Balloons? | |
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| View From the Air | A Panorama (Large) | The Kids | Pushing the Basket |
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| Pushing the Basket | A Very Different Class From What the Teacher Expected for the Day! | New Arrivals | |
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| Anne Proved I Was There! | Our Flight Data | Our Route | |
I made a short video of part of the ride & posted it at YouTube: The Balloon Video, and a second video by Anne.
After the balloon ride we dropped off Don & Ann's van at Toyota to have the air conditioning fixed, and we went to do laundry. After returning to the trailer, I put the laundry away, then checked a couple of things with the inverter (no luck) then headed to Walmart for some supplies. I was hoping to get a new trailer tongue lock, but the only one they had had the bar code torn off & no one could price it.
Back at the trailer I dug into the battery connections and discovered the 200 amp fuse to the inverter was cracked. I'll have to find a new one (and a spare) but after fiddling with it (a technical term) it seems to be working. We will see with tomorrow mornings coffee whether it holds up under load.
After that we headed over to some folks we met with an Airstream, sat around & snacked & talked traveling. No actual dinner tonight - we had Subway subs for a late lunch, and with the snacks, no one was hungry.
Until Tomorrow -
This page is maintained by: vermilye@oswego.edu
Last Update:
October 24, 2018