day 3 10/7/23 at the balloon fiesta
We got up at 4:00 to meet the bus at 4:30 for the trip to the park. There is supposed to be about 10 balloons go up first, they are called 'the dawn patrol' and then they'll have a mass ascension of maybe 500 balloons. It's supposed to be really impressive! We are here with over 100k of our best friends.
The main ascension didn't take place till after Dawn.
I felt very privileged to actually be on the field with all of them. There were so many.
We watched them fill and take off in rows. There is no way a picture could capture the enormity of it all.
Then we wandered to the museum to have a look.
We finished our explorations and found a place to sit to wait for our bus to let us on.
We gratefully got a 2 hr nap before returning to the field. We ate at the 'Gondola club' and should have an excellent view of tonight's festivities. They really gave us a great location. First they inflated the hydrogen balloons. They are starting a journey.
That is 100k cell phone lights.Then the skydivers came.
A drone show
It really wasn't cold at the hotel so I thought perhaps I overpacked when I brought my electric vest and my big heavy jacket. I was right to bring it, it got colder and I was glad I had it. First thing is a big breakfast in the Chasers Club. Then a drone show. It was great!
It was such an amazing process to watch the balloons prepare to launch. The first 10 balloons go up to check the air currents are flowing in which direction at which height. They report back to everybody else.
They had a flyover and everyone lit their burners.
Then they started launching balloons. Very organized . The zebras directed everything so they knew when they could fill their balloon with air and when they could light their burner.
Tonight we come back for the 'twinkle twinkle glow' and the 'afterglow' and fireworks.
Our next stop this day was the Pueblo cultural center where we had lunch and got to see the museums and shops.
Then the hot air balloons packed up, the announcers kept everyone busy with different flicker burns, and all burns while they slowly took the balloons down. Them all that was left were the hydrogen ones, he had everyone put on their cell phone light.
then the launch of the hydrogen balloons.
they decided they wanted to leave before the fireworks. They tried to text message and not everybody got it. Then proceeded a half an hour to locate people in the group. We could have seen the balloons go. We are sort of angry. We don't get to see the fireworks at home because of the dog so we were looking forward to them. But oh well we aren't in charge. It will be another early morning tomorrow
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