The Chase Crew's Job

Today Daniel is flying competition. For this competition the balloons must launch at least one mile from the field, fly to the field and drop a bean bag on a target with without touching the ground. It takes a lot of support to fly these balloons.

We are setting up just over one mile from the field. Daniel has picked this spot so that the prevailing winds will carry him back over the field. 

The tarp will protect the envelope from the dirt and stickers.

Daniel checking out the burners

The basket needs to be tipped over so the burners can blow heat into the envelope

Attaching  the cables connect the basket to the envelope.

After pulling out envelope the fan will be used to inflate the it. 

You have to hold the bottom of the envelope open to the fan can blow air into it

It just keeps getting bigger and bigger as it unfurls. 

 

 When the fan has inflated it as much as possible, the burners are used to stand the balloon up. This is why the basket needed to be on it's side

And the really great thing is I got to fly today. Yahoo!!!

See that big smile on my face?

We don't fly directly to the target from the launch site. The winds blow in different directions at different altitudes. We launched NE of the field and climbed untill we catch a wind that will blow us to the NW. When get to a point just west of the field (that green area) we drop down to catch a wind that will blow the balloon to the SE and hopefully right over the target.

We are lined up for the target and have great position when the orange smoke bomb goes off. That means the the competition is closed. :-( We needed just another 15 minutes.

Since the competition is now over we can land on the field.

Forcing all the air out of the envelope is call milking the balloon.

Then you stuff it back in the bag.

What might have happened if we had reached the target.

The balloon on the right is over the target. The pilot is trying to get as close to the ground as possible to increase his chances of being the closest with their bean bag. 

Up Up and Away

We did not fly Saturday because of high winds aloft. I switched pilots. I am now crewing for Daniel Liberti. The routine is to get up at 5:30 and be on the field by 6:15. Set the balloon up, launch and then follow in a chase car. When it lands, pack up all the gear.  

6 am on Main Street. This is the row of concession stands running along the launch field.

Pulling out the envelope. Balloon to you novices.

The envelope in partially inflated using a large fan.

Then the burner is used to heat the air and stand the balloon up.

These are gas balloons. They compete to see which one can travel the greatest distance before touching down. The winning balloons may reach Canada or the northeast. They are filled with either hydrogen or helium. Pilots choice. To fill whit hydrogen costs about $5000 and $15000 for helium. 

There was glow tonight. This is where the balloons are inflated and stand up, but do not leave the ground. 

This is going to be fun

The Boomers are parked at the north west corner of the landing field that is out lined in blue. (35.18268, -106.60459) All the remaining open space will be covered with hundreds of RVs. This is a land fill site that is used for two weeks each year during the balloon festival. 
Yesterday one of the balloons landed here.

All sides of the landing area will be lined with RVs by Saturday

Walking over to volunteer to crew. If you crew you get a pass to the launch field. Other wise It costs $8  per day admission. 

Looking down on the launch field (map)

Watching the safety video

Judy explaining the alpha numeric grid system used to find your balloon. I will be crewing for Kelly Baldwin. Saturday morning at 6:30 I will find him at S2. S2 is at the far end of the field. Crewing involves helping set up the balloon and then joining the chase crew to help recover the balloon when it lands. 

Kelly has two balloons. Enchanted Duckie and Little One.

The Gallery Crawl

Four blocks from the old plaza is Canyon Road. There is more than a mile of studios and art galleries. I pooped out, never reached the end. Interestingly, I did not see one glass artist. There was  lots of sculpture and paintings.

Just a window, not for sale

If I had a yard, I would want this fountain in it.

I love the southwest architecture

RV hint: You know those plastic condiment bottle with the flat top that you can invert to keep the contents at the spout. You DO NOT want to store them in the frig inverted when you go from sea level to 8,000 feet. Trust me on this one.

Old Santa Fe

Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the US. Don Pedro de Peraltan made it the capital of the Spanish province in 1610. The area around the original plaza is now a major shopping area. 

I had excellent Huevos Rancheros at Cafe Pasquals.  

Then a did a little window shopping

very nice triobite, $700

Columns in front of the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts

Woolly Rhino  Pleistocene

Proaustralceras, Cretaceous  $3,200

The Loretto Chapel