pathfinder
Mar-10-2005, 01:06 PM
I recently returned from New Mexico and have posted several bird images from Bosque previously - http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=7472
Before I went down to Bosque which is near Socorro south of Albuquerque, my wife and I spent a few days in Taos which is a great spot to relax in. We went for a balloon ride again this year and I have a few images from that experience that might be of interest.
Balloons are highly weather dependent and usually want to be up early in the morning shortly after sunrise. They need room without power lines - like the BLM land west of Taos near the Rio Grande Gorge.
The balloon has to be unrolled and laid out and the basket connected carefully - would not want it to come loose at altitude :D (We flew with the Pueblo Ballon Company for the second year and they were great.) Then the balloon is inflated partially with a big fan
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17106271-L.jpg
After the balloon is partially opened up, it has to be filled with the hot air from the propane burner
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17106265-L.jpg
A view into the balloon during this process is always colorful and intruguing to me.
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17106268-L.jpg
And then we get into the basket and we're OFF!!
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17106263-L.jpg
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17209586-L.jpg
After a while it is time to pick out a site to land before the weather arives..
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17106274-L.jpg
Sometimes the winds cooperate and you get to pick the site, and sometimes the site picks you. We were down to our third ( last) bottle of propane when we fianlly settled down into some pinon trees and finally dragged the basket to a small dirt road.... Now we just have to pack it away again.
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17107395-L.jpg
Sometimes the landings are not so smooth...
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/2848073-L.jpg
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/2848074-L.jpg
After packing a way the balloon we were served champagne which is a tradition of balloonists on safely landing since the early flights of the Montgolfiers in France. And then on to breakfast in Taos. A great time was had by all....
Before I went down to Bosque which is near Socorro south of Albuquerque, my wife and I spent a few days in Taos which is a great spot to relax in. We went for a balloon ride again this year and I have a few images from that experience that might be of interest.
Balloons are highly weather dependent and usually want to be up early in the morning shortly after sunrise. They need room without power lines - like the BLM land west of Taos near the Rio Grande Gorge.
The balloon has to be unrolled and laid out and the basket connected carefully - would not want it to come loose at altitude :D (We flew with the Pueblo Ballon Company for the second year and they were great.) Then the balloon is inflated partially with a big fan
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17106271-L.jpg
After the balloon is partially opened up, it has to be filled with the hot air from the propane burner
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17106265-L.jpg
A view into the balloon during this process is always colorful and intruguing to me.
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17106268-L.jpg
And then we get into the basket and we're OFF!!
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17106263-L.jpg
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17209586-L.jpg
After a while it is time to pick out a site to land before the weather arives..
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17106274-L.jpg
Sometimes the winds cooperate and you get to pick the site, and sometimes the site picks you. We were down to our third ( last) bottle of propane when we fianlly settled down into some pinon trees and finally dragged the basket to a small dirt road.... Now we just have to pack it away again.
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/17107395-L.jpg
Sometimes the landings are not so smooth...
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/2848073-L.jpg
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/2848074-L.jpg
After packing a way the balloon we were served champagne which is a tradition of balloonists on safely landing since the early flights of the Montgolfiers in France. And then on to breakfast in Taos. A great time was had by all....