Topic: 24th Annual Red Rock Balloon Rally (Page 1 of 1)

I'm in Gallup on business right now and yesterday they had a big hot air balloon rally out here. 200+ entries, no matter where you looked the sky was filled with balloons. I've never seen anything like this before, it was very cool.


Click for a 1600px wide version (pardon the bad stitching job on this, I'm using my laptop and I have no mouse, if you look you can see a couple ghost balloons where I got a bit hasty with the clone tool)

The entire album is here:

http://www.11oh1.net/gallery/gallupballoons

:::11oh1:::

(Edited by krets on 12-05-2004 18:56)

Cool photos. What did you use for the panoramic one?

Photoshop only man, thus the bad stitch job due to trying to use the little ball-mouse thing on my laptop.

Plus, I didn't set up my tripod, I juse handheld it and the #@$#! balloons wouldn't stop rising for me while I took the pictures.

:::11oh1:::

That's cool stuff. You should go to Albuquerque the first weekend in October each year. They have the biggest balloon fiesta in the world.. it's insane.

awesome stuff krets, I really dig the big panorama, gotta be the densest population of hot air balloons I've ever seen, and the backdrop is beauty

Vry nice. Looks like some of them didn't miss the hills by much, eg ? #58 in the gallery; or is that just an optical illusion - looks like a near miss from what I can make out of the shadow

Some of them actually run into the hills and have to kind of nudge themselves out of the way. They're not going very fast though so it's really no big deal.

I couldn't believe how many launched all at once and that I never saw a single time when they would bump into each other.

It was a lot of fun.

:::11oh1:::

You have been clearly having too much fun. Thanks for showin em off. I like that cacti one. now what would really rock would be if it had spikes so it poped any other baloon that bumped into it...

or...

maybe not...

but...

meh.

Just to let you know that photos #23 is not deflated. I am inflating the balloon to participate in the event. We (Pilots) do not have a problem running into the rocks and we havea manuver that we call 'turtleing' where we allow the envelope to contact the rock and roll along while maintaining altitude. I did a 1 1/2 rool on Saturday AM. I started to fly in the Red Rocks and finally got to go back as a Pilot in Command. Attending this event was a long drive from Reno, NV but worth evey minute and cent I spent. This is the second largest balloon event and has 200 that attend. I attend rallies all around my area and yet this one is special.

Thanks for the additional info Pockets - sure sounds like it's as much fun as it looks from krets' photos.

I spotted another photo, it is the 'inflateit' I guess I was so busy doiing the balloon I did not notice the photographer over my right shoulder. But then again when your dealing with 13 million BTU's of heat I needed to pay attention to what I was doing. Thanks for the photos.

So is that your balloon in that photo?

:::11oh1:::

yikes, that means you let krets slip in behind you, BTUs schmeeTUs, that's dangerous

That looks like a party in the sky!

In answer to krets, yes it is my balloon and the rally in Gallup was the last I flew. I am getting itchy fingers to get out and get in the air again. BUT the weather here in Reno has not been very cooperative.

Only dangerous to the fabric, even a small burn can cost a few bucks to repair. Especailly since it has to be done my a certified reapirperson. My last bit of toasted fabric cost me $600 (thus the Empty Pockets). But that is something we try to avoid.

Sometimes it is a nicer party on the ground, after a flight especially at a rally when everyone pitches in for a huge tailgate.

LilHal1@aol.com

Well it looks like I will be back in Gallup again this year, I recieved my invite and sent it back with my entry fee. So if any of you are in the area of Gallup, NM the first weekend of December look for me in the sky....

It is really one of the best palces to fly a balloon and worth every mile of the drive.

LilHal1@aol.com