2007 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Albuquerque baloon festival

BBB
These are BBB's favorite baloons, of course:

O by golly BBB wonder if one could possibly get a B&B or any sort ;of accomdation in the area at this late date. I have alwoy is wanted to go up in a hot air balloon, but I would happy just watching.

Now if anyone has any hot links - it gotta be you.

sglass


http://www.elderhostel.org/Programs/programdetail.asp?RowId=1%2B2SH%2B38

http://www.escortedtouroperators.com/Albuquerqueballoonfestival/AlbuquerqueBalloonFiesta.html

http://www.escortedafricatours.com/Albuquerqueballoonfestival/AlbuquerqueBalloonFestival2.html

http://www.haciendadecolores.com/details.htm

Seeeee I told you that BBB delivers. Thank you I will check out these links. I haven't made any particular plans to return to Paradise yet and this is something I have always wanted to do.

AND I love good Mexican food and New Mexico has great Mexican food.

Thank you girlfriend.

Sglass
Sglass, in what state and city do you live? Did you once live in New Mexico?

A handful of A2Kers live in N.M., most in Albuquerque.

BBB

Born and raised in West Texas. My father worked in the oilfields and we were all over the Southwest when I was growing up. Have a great fondness for that part of the country.

I now live in Hilo, HI on the Big Island after retiring from Verizon Telephone in Boston.

Again, thanks for the info.

Mass ascencion
It's 8:30 am and the lead balloon is rising in the sky, testing the wind patterns. If the winds are favorable, the lead balloon pilot will signal approval for the mass ascension of hundreds of balloons to begin.

Wish I were there. I bet it's more than beautiful.

Source

Source

Walter
Thanks, Walter, georgeous photo with the Sandia mountains in the background.

BBB

It's a georgeous day today in Duke City :wink:

This is getting better all the time. Thanks for getting us there Walter.

balloon crash
CNN just reported that a woman pilot was killed in a balloon crash in Albuquerque this morning.

BBB

A hot air balloon has crashed near Montgomery and I-25 in the northeastern part of Albuquerque, N.M. Albuquerque police say they have reports that the balloon may have crashed into power lines. Rescue crews said one person has died. Action 7 news crews are in the air and on the ground to gather more information.

Monday is the is the third day of the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

Oh dear, so sorry to hear that. I gather a link has not been posted yet.

BBB


I'm watching the video stream of the news copter flying overhead that show the crash site:
http://www.koat.com/news/14291063/detail.html#

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A woman has died in a hot air balloon crash on Monday morning, the third day of the city's annual October balloon fiesta, Albuqerque police spokeswoman Trish Hoffman said.

The crash occured near the intersection of Vassar and Comanche in the northeastern part of Albuquerque, N.M.

Albuqerque police spokesman Andrew Tingwall said the pilot was trying to land the balloon and had thrown out a tether line when the balloon began to rise again, striking power lines near Montgomery Drive and Interstate 25 and tipping the basket, throwing the woman out.

The woman and the pilot are believed to have been the only people aboard.

Tingwall said emergency medical technicians tried to revive the woman, but were unsuccessful.

State police have taken over the investigation, Hoffman said.

The Balloon Fiesta began in 1972 and now operates from the custom-designed, 365-acre Balloon Fiesta Park with a 78-acre launch field. It is the world's largest ballooning event with an average of 700 balloons participating, and is the world's most photographed event.

Folks don't wear any sort of restraining devises in the baloon buckets? What a tragedy.

More at the Journal's websites

Calif. Woman Dies In Balloon Crash
Calif. Woman Dies In Balloon Crash
Tether Line Snaps During Landing

POSTED: 8:18 am MDT October 8, 2007
UPDATED: 6:53 pm MDT October 8, 2007


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A woman has died in a hot air balloon crash on Monday morning, the third day of the city's annual October balloon fiesta, Albuquerque police spokeswoman Trish Hoffman said.

The crash occured near the intersection of Vassar and Comanche in the northeastern part of Albuquerque, N.M.

Albuquerque police spokesman Andrew Tingwall said the pilot was trying to land the balloon and had thrown out a tether line, which ground crews had attached to a truck. The tether line snapped, flipping the gondola and causing the woman to fall out just as balloon began to rise again. Witnesses said the woman fell approximately 50 feet.


The balloon struck some fiber optic lines near Montgomery Drive and Interstate 25, not power lines, as originally reported, according to PNM.

Tingwall said people on the ground tried unsuccessfully to revive the woman before emergency medical technicians arrived moments after the incident. The woman was transported to the hospital, where she died.

A pilot and four passengers remained in the balloon basket after the woman fell. The balloon kept travelling with the four people still inside.

State police have taken over the investigation, Hoffman said.

The victim has been identified as 60-year-old Rosemary Wooley Phillips of California, State Police Sgt. Andrew Tingwall told the Associated Press.

Tingwall also told the AP that the pilot of the balloon has been identified at Tom Reyes, 57, of Sandia Park. The other three passengers were identified as Sheryl Diaz, 60; Susan Simpson, 57; and Doris Currier, 52, all of California, the AP reported.

The four women from Oceanside, Calif. booked their hot air balloon ride back in July at the rate of about $300 each.

Diaz and Simpson were being treated Monday in the emergency room at University of New Mexico Hospital for broken bones.

Currier was brought to UNMH and treated and released for suffered bumps and bruises. Reyes suffered minor scrapes and was not transported to the hospital.

The balloon was owned by Albuquerque - based Skyspan Adventures but was being operated by Rainbow Ryders. According to Skyspan's website, all equipment goes through an annual FAA inspection by a certified repair station.

Scott Appelman is the president of Rainbow Ryders and said Reyes is a good pilot that was under contract to work for them. "We take great pride in the pilots and the balloons that we bring into the world's largest balloon event, and we do everything we can to make sure it is the right people and the right equipment to represent the world's largest event," Appelman said.

Reyes has 30 years experience and 1900 hours of flying time. He is a local pilot from Sandia Park.

Two men were killed at the event in 1993 when their balloon hit power lines, severing the gondola, which plunged about 90 feet to the ground. Two other men died during the 1990 fiesta when their balloon crashed into power lines and burst into flames.

Four people died and five were injured during the 1982 fiesta when propane tanks on a large balloon exploded.

The Balloon Fiesta began in 1972 and now operates from the custom-designed, 365-acre Balloon Fiesta Park with a 78-acre launch field. It is the world's largest ballooning event with an average of 700 balloons participating, and is the world's most photographed event.