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And some facts for the incredulous: the balloons are privately and corporately owned and start at $25,000 to $30,000 out the door (make that up in the sky), Albuquerque is the place that draws the most balloons on the balloon circuit, Albuquerque is the only place the prevailing winds sometimes circle overhead and so the balloons can land in the same place they took off, and you can hire a balloon to take you up for around $100 a person but not at the Fiesta.
And from Dallas Jensen, our very roving reporter, we hear: if you have never been to this event you should try to make it some time. It is unbelievable even with your own eyes to see 850 balloons from all around the globe and enough people to fill several sports stadiums all on the field. I heard on TV that in future Fiestas they expect the number of balloons to reach 1,000. I also heard that this Fiesta is the only one that allows people to be on the field with the balloons. The balloon pilots may be content with a leisurely pace when they are flying the balloons, but when they are on the road on the way to a new location, they sure do get in a hurry. About two dozen of them passed me Sunday heading east on I-40. I was doing the speed limit, and they were just a streak when they went by.
From Al Chernoff
our roundup master we hear: the mother of all roundups is now
a memory. They came, they partied, they ballooned, they ate, and
they left. It started with vacant facilities with no water or
electrical. A pair of GMC owners, their first roundup, did the
plumbing. Then Wednesday, late in Septem-ber, it started - coaches
started arriving. The electri-cal was not done yet. The fairgrounds
started to put in electrical power on Friday, and Al waited. The
electrical was finished by late Tuesday, and that was great as
almost all the coaches showed up. The facilities were good and
lots of informative technical sessions were provided.
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The Balloon Fiesta bags that were donated and the pins especially handmade by Al himself were a special treat; everyone appreciated the hard work. About 140 coaches came. Some coaches stayed the entire time, some came and went. Almost 280 people came for meals, and buses took those who wanted to see the balloons during the day and at night. Al had tours to Santa Fe, to the top of the Sandia Mountain on a fabulous tram trip, to Old Town Albuquerque, and to the bronze art foundry. He had so much ice cream, we were constantly given bars to eat and eat and eat. As it was, it was wonderful. Our most sincere appreciation to Al and all GMCers who helped make it a success.
From Nancy Pettit,
our first VP, we hear: what an extravaganza! I did not think there
were that many balloons in the world. The mass ascension was a
sight to see. It even impressed the second and third timers. Being
a first timer, I was especially awed.
As with most rallies, we did nothing but eat and enjoy. The entertainment
was great, and as usual, there was plenty of visiting the local
sights including the casino where, of course, I lost money …
again. There was much to see right at the fairgrounds, and we
took advantage of most of that - such as the Indian powwow, book
illustrators' art show, and local swap meet.
Our seminars on health and microwave were in-formative and entertaining. We learned what not to eat, what to eat and how to cook it in the microwave. We also found that most of us are using improper products in our microwaves! Our thanks go to Marilyn Chernoff (Health and Nutrition), Hunter and Bob McCarthy (Line Dancing), and Pat Aaron (Microwaving), and finally, Al Chernoff for organizing absolutely everything.
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