Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is this week.
It is the 50th anniversary of the event.  So many people showed up with balloons they had to turn some away.

Amazing!

Must be a very interesting spectacle!

Must be a very interesting spectacle!

Sorta like at night when all of the UFOs are flying around out that way

Wow, that is a lot of them.

It's quite the gathering.
Have a friend who is CIO of local Newspaper and he has to go to the park where they take off every year, and my wife went with him one year.
She's fascinated with them, me not so much. Bought here ticket to ride in one for here birthday one year. She loved it.
If it doesn't have a motor, I ain't getting in it.
Had some land right next to our last house. Got to see how big they really are.

I had a trip scheduled to go there a few years ago in my motorhome along with a lot more, but covid happened.

She's fascinated with them...
Got to see how big they really are.

I was a hot air balloonist for many years—that was our call sign—Fascination.

Our commercial balloon was as tall as a 7-story building.  Most family-owned balloons are not that large.

I was just thinking—It generally takes five people to launch and recover a hot air balloon.  The pilot makes six.  I wonder if lodging is scarce.

I was just thinking—It generally takes five people to launch and recover a hot air balloon.  The pilot makes six.  I wonder if lodging is scarce.

Yes scarce.  People are booking for next year already.