Mary and I decided to attend the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta with our good friends Virgil & Pam Berry. We booked a "rendezvous" type of a trip through an RV tour group called Adventure Caravans. (AC)

A rendezvous trip simply means that instead of touring as a caravan, you meet at a designated location. In this case, AC had reserved full hookup spaces about a half block from the end of the vast field where the hot air balloons are launched. They also provided daily passes to enter the launch area for all of the events.

AC also arranged for bus transportation to Sandia Peak where we took the tram to the top for dinner. Simply called "The Tram", it is the world’s longest passenger aerial tramway with a total diagonal length of 2.7 miles, and is an engineering marvel. Visitors come mainly for the spectacular view - 11,000 square miles of the Land of Enchantment. Passengers ascend 4,000 feet in about 15 minutes, gliding along the western face of the rugged Sandia Mountains. The granite rock faces have eroded into spires, cliffs and pinnacles. In those craigs, the aspens, hardy pines, scrub oak, fir and spruce, are home to many different birds and other animals. Tram riders often see eagles, mule deer, or sometimes even a black bear as they look out the windows of the cable car into the deep canyons.

Additionally, there were bus excursions into Albuquerque for visits to museums, shopping, and meals - also furnished by AC Every morning was a continental breakfast in the assembly tent if we wanted to leave early to watch "Dawn Patrol". People that wished to sleep in a little later could still find an assortment of pastry and plenty of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. There was also a supply of assorted soft drinks and bottled water that we could have throughout the day – all part of the tour package.

Dawn Patrol: The Dawn Patrol began at Balloon Fiesta in 1978, when two California balloonists developed position lighting systems that allowed them to fly at night. Dawn Patrol pilots take off before sunrise and fly until it is light enough to see landing sites. Fellow balloonists appreciate the Dawn Patrol because they can watch the balloons and get an early idea of wind speeds and directions at different altitudes.

Mass Ascensions: One of the biggest events of the fiesta, where all participating balloons launch in two waves, filling the sky with hundreds of balloons at once. Launch directors, also known as "zebras" because of their black-and-white-striped outfits, serve as "traffic cops," coordinating the launch so balloons leave the field in a safe and coordinated manner.

Special Shapes Rodeo: Many non-traditional, uniquely shaped balloons are launched at the same time. Some of the most famous shapes include a milk cow, a stagecoach, Noah’s arc, a daisy and other flowers, and many others like soda cans, bottles and animals. This is the most popular part of the event as you see how balloons can be all different shapes and sizes. With the propane burners illuminating large numbers of balloons at night, the "Glowdeo" is a night-glow for the "special shapes" balloons.

Albuquerque Box: Part of the reason for the success of the Fiesta are the cool Albuquerque morning temperatures in October and the Albuquerque box. The "box" is a set of predictable wind patterns that can be exploited to navigate the balloons. At low elevations the winds tend to be southerly, but at higher elevations they tend to be northerly. Balloonists use these winds to navigate in a vertical box: they ascend slightly from the launch park, move south, ascend further, move north, descend, and repeat the box or land back in the launch park or quite nearby.

All in all, it was a colorful sight and an experience to remember. If you ever go to the balloon festival, be sure to plan on staying as many days as possible. The last half of the week is probably the best half as that is when the special shapes balloons take to the skies. Also, remember either a tether or a hand-held radio. Liniment for your neck might be a good thing too… there’s lots of looking up.