A timelapse of driving our RV, a Tiffin Allegro Bus motorhome, 100 miles from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Santa Rosa, New Mexico.
Balloon Fiesta 2023
Travel from Albuquerque to Santa Rosa, New Mexico
We drove our coach 100 miles, about 2 hours of driving, from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Santa Rosa, New Mexico, after the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. We were on our way to Tucumcari, New Mexico, but got stuck at the Anton Chico Rest Area, eastbound on I-40, due to a seized brake (see the previous post for details).
Here’s a map showing our route, heading east:
An interactive map:
Leaving the Balloon Fiesta:
Police horses:
Bye Fiesta!
Aggressive lane markers and trees:
Exit to I-40 east to Santa Rosa… we didn’t know we wouldn’t get quite that far:
An overpass:
Metal artwork on the hill:
Zuzax:
I-40 is a rather rough road:
A castle at McCall’s Pumpkin Patch in Moriarty, New Mexico:
Fun with maximum zoom:
Uh oh, a high temperature warning on the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS):
These can sometimes be misreads, but need to be taken seriously.
Clines Corners:
Flying C Ranch billboards:
We weren’t going to stop at Flying C Ranch, but that TPMS warning was persisting, so we thought we’d better stop and let it cool off:
Inside Flying C Ranch:
We went to the DQ inside for a snack:
An old pickup:
The TPMS had cooled off, so we continued, but it got high again, so we pulled off at the next rest area:
Even after parking, the temperature continued to rise into the danger zone, which indicated a serious issue:
That was about the maximum; after that it cooled off, dropping about 1 degree per minute.
And thus began our unexpected stay at the rest stop:
More on that tomorrow.
Annular solar eclipse
During our stay at the balloon fiesta was a fairly rare event, an annular solar eclipse. This is when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, but without totally blocking it, leaving a “ring of fire”. This was the last annular eclipse that will be visible from the US until 2039.
Jenn taking photos of the annular eclipse, using a special filter on her camera:
A sequence of photos from Jenn’s camera:
A GIF combining those images:
Some photos from my iPhone, using a handheld filter:
Annular eclipse:
Video: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta flight (360°)
A fun variation: a 360 degree timelapse video, that you can drag around to look in any direction.
Recorded from my head-mounted 360 camera during our hot air balloon ride at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
(Note, it’s a bit shaky at first, but gets better once in the air; the head mount probably wasn’t the best position for the camera.)
Video: Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta flight
A timelapse video from my head-mounted 360 camera during our hot air balloon ride at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
(Note, it’s a bit shaky at first, but gets better once in the air; the head mount probably wasn’t the best position for the camera.)
Check out the next video, that you can drag to look in any direction.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta flight
Last year we had a reservation for a ride in a balloon, but it was cancelled due to rain. A big reason for coming to the fiesta again this year was to have another chance for a balloon flight.
This time, the weather was perfect, and we got to experience the ride. And it was indeed a very special experience.
We signed up for the VIP Ryders Club package, which included a shorter line, a breakfast, and some swag:
A boarding pass:
Heading to the balloon:
Our balloon:
Jenn helped hold up the balloon envelope while they used fans to start inflating it:
Hot air inflation:
Raising the balloon:
Getting into the basket:
Burners:
Selfie in the basket. I wore my 360 camera on my head; stay tuned for a timelapse video of our flight:
Liftoff:
Aerial views:
The north RV lot; you can see our coach next to the power pole near the center of the picture:
Another angle of the north RV lot and our coach:
Coming in for a landing:
Deflating the envelope:
Exiting the basket:
Bubbly celebration:
We landed very near the field; the van could have taken us back, but we opted to walk; the blue dot on this map screenshot is where we landed, and our coach was just above the middle of the word “Presbyterian”:
This ride was a magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience. We’re super glad that it worked out to do it this year.
Video: Albuquerque drone show & fireworks
A timelapse of Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta drone show and fireworks.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta evening sessions
Not every day during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta has an evening session, basically around the weekends. The balloons don’t fly in evenings, but they still inflate for an evening glow.
The crowd on the concourse by the food and swag stalls:
We went to Macology for dinner:
They produce interesting variations on mac & cheese:
One of the vendors was Lectric Ebikes; we had Lectric bikes, but Jenn didn’t find hers comfortable, so we sold it. She is interested in getting a Lectric trike instead, so was pleased to be able to see and try one:
Jenn on the Lectric trike:
Back to balloons:
Fireworks:
Sand sculpture of balloons, in progress:
Long line for dinner:
I had a meat pie, Jenn had a zydeco bowl:
And some Dole soft serve for dessert:
Alpenglow:
Jenn with a collector card:
Even without flying, seeing the balloons inflated and glowing is still a magical experience.
Video: Albuquerque balloons from field
A timelapse of Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta balloons from the launch field.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta morning sessions
One of the best things about the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is that people can go onto the launch field, right up to the hot air balloons, and watch them being set up, inflated, and launched into the air.
Of course, perhaps about half of the people just hang around the main concourse, either because they can’t be bothered walking out there, or they don’t realize they can (despite lots of others doing so). But it really is a magical experience to walk amongst the balloons.
Here are a bunch of photos of several morning sessions from this year. The morning sessions typically involve a few balloons inflating for the “morning glow”, where they light up when it’s still dark. Then a few will launch for “dawn patrol”, where the pilots can experiment with the air currents, reporting back to others on the ground. Then all the other balloons will start to inflate and launch once the sun is up.
A collector card:
The “zebras” are launch directors, telling balloons when it is safe to launch:
Mini remote-controlled balloons:
The blimp keeps an aerial eye on things:
We enjoyed having New Mexico Piñon Coffee each morning:
Tot Box potato tots, very tasty:
Arts and crafts stalls:
Another day, burritos for breakfast:
Bad coffee and decent burrito:
Pin collecting is quite popular:
Mounted police:
The crowd on the concourse:
Meat pies etc:
Beignets and tots:
National anthem while a balloon raises the flag, before the others take off:
So many balloons!