Balloon Fiesta, 2007, Albuquerque

As I continue my travel across the Southwest, Albuquerque has been a nice stop over for me. I recently took some photos with a new Nikon digital camera the size of a credit card. I'm wanting to push the limits of this low cost 7 pixel camera, and will post some results here as I go along.

Below are a few shots from the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque.

Balloon Fiesta 2007 Photo Shoot

This shot was taken from the amphitheater at the Sandia Resort. The amphitheater hosts outdoor concerts. I attended the Moody Blues concert a few weeks ago. Some of the balloons on this morning actually landed on the resort golf course.

The two photos above were taken across from the western Sandia Resort parking lot. This balloon developed a small hole and slowly sank to the ground. The chase-crew was quickly on hand to pack up the balloon and place it in the trailer. Ballooning is a dangerous sport. Luckily no one was hurt. I was driving out of the parking garage on my way to Starbucks when I saw the "crash."

The photos below were taken from the parking lot of the Sandia Resort. I stood by my car and watched them fly overhead. I met one woman who came from a group from Hawaii to attend the Fiesta. In all, hundreds of balloonists from over 22 countries attended this year's Fiesta.

Hey, I've Been Busy. So Sue Me.

I know it's been a while since updating this blog, but I don't care. I've been busy, you know. I admit I've been a little lazy for the past couple of weeks. I will attempt to do better.

To get back in the swing of things, how about some photos of the Balloon Fiesta that is going on this week. So far, it's been a dangerous event. For the first time in over a decade, there has been a death. A woman fell from the balloon when it became tangled in some guide wires. Then, yesterday, a group of riders were injured when high winds produced a bumpy landing. I think I'll wait a while before I try riding in one of these balloons.

The balloons have a "Mass Ascension" each morning at 7 a.m. By 10 a.m. or so, they have all landed at various places around town, finding a suitable vacant lot or parking lot to land on.

Here's my attempt at a self-portrait while hanging out at Starbucks after the Balloon show.

The Sandia Resort has been my home for the past few weeks. Here are some photos of the resort. I love the pool area, of course, that overlooks the golf course. The Sandia Mountains provide a nice setting for reading, writing, or just sunning yourself in the New Mexico warmth.

The lobby area of the resort is huge, with high ceilings and plenty of comfortable chairs to rest in. The casino is off limits to photos. Take my word for it, the place is very cool.