balloon fiesta 2009

A fun morning at the balloon fiesta. On the road by 6 am, joining the line of cars into the park. Breakfast of a great green chile breakfast burrito, sweet roll, horrible coffee, and two hot chocolates. At dawn, joined Jack's friend, Hailey, and watched the first wave of balloons go up. Afterward, we went to the arts & crafts tent, enjoyed more food, listened to some music, bought a couple of small things, and made sand art. Went home and took a nap.

The weather was great. Cool, almost no wind, a bit overcast so not the usual crisp, blue skies for the photographs. An expensive proposition over all. The number of balloons is down, a little over 500, from years before. The grass fields are such an improvement, and when you are on the field, next to the balloons, feeling the warmth of the propane torches, being enveloped by the balloons as they fill up, and then watching them lift into the air, there is no more magical way to start a morning. Still, the carnival boulevard is a disappointing way to leave. Talk of winter weather coming soon, maybe even tomorrow.