Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2012 Trip report...

[Martinjmpr]

Our final trip for the year was just a couple of months ago. Liz has been working on her “bucket list” and one of the things that has been on it for years has been the annual Albuquerque (NM) hot air balloon festival.



It was a great trip, even though it was launched on short notice, and we had a great time watching the balloons launch (over 500 of them!)







Balloon glow at night:









Mass ascent on the last morning we were there:





Even the Evil Empire sponsored a balloon!











...To be continued...

[Martinjmpr]

Albuquerque, pt 2...

Downtown Albuquerque has been undergoing something of a renaissance, and apparently one of the things they've done is encouraged people to paint big murals on the wall. Since we like murals, we spent a few hours trying to see how many we could photograph behind bubbles. I think we've invented a new hobby that we will call "Muraling."













Anyway, I have to say we're both really enjoying the Teardrop camper and we plan on taking some great trips this year as well.

Hope you all have enjoyed the pictures, I hope to do a lot of work on Bubbles before the camping season starts in a few months, and then we should have some great adventures this year!

[Woodbutcher]

You guys know how to have fun. That balloon festival is on my bucket list as well. Someday I will get out here. thanks for the pictures!

[S. Heisley]

Those beautiful pictures make me want to go there, too! I understand that there is a campground that overlooks the area where the balloons take off. I don't know what that campground's name is; but, that would be the spot to be in. It probably wouldn't be too hard to find out about that campground. Somebody here (or there) would know.

Thanks for sharing all the great pictures and your travel stories.

[Wolfgang92025]

Martin,

Thanks for the great
I would like to hear more about the possible camping option that you found, and what you would recommend if you were to do it again.

Thanks

[DrCrash]

When we did outr trip out west we came thrugh Albuquerque at night.
The picture was taken from a pull off on the interstate coming into town.

[Verna]

Gorgeous! Thanks for the wonderful pictures.

I have a new file named, what else but....BUCKET LIST!! Google tells me the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the 1st week in October. It won't be this year, but at least now I know when it is.

[Martinjmpr]

Martin,

Thanks for the great
I would like to hear more about the possible camping option that you found, and what you would recommend if you were to do it again.

Thanks

There is a campground that is associated with the Balloon Fiesta, the camping area is just to the South of the Balloon Fiesta Field. I think it fills up quickly, though, so if you want to get in, you have to make your reservations several months in advance. We didn't even decide to go until about 3 weeks before so we could not get into that one.

We stayed 2 nights at the KOA in Albuquerque North which is about 4 miles (1 exit) away from the fiesta itself. We couldn't get 3 nights there (again, reservations go fast!) so the last night we stayed at the KOA in Albuquerque East, which we didn't think was quite as nice. The East KOA is very "urban", mostly concrete, and located right off the freeway with no sound barrier between the freeway and the campsite.

I think if we were to go again we'd try to stay at the Balloon Fiesta park first, just because it would mean you could wake up and walk to the fiesta, which will save you a lot of time as well as parking costs. Second choice would be the North KOA.

[ajaversa]

INCREIIIIIBLEEE!!!!




Gracias por compartir las fotos!!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing the photos!!!