Check out the view from my work. Not too Shabby :0)

[Shadow]

My place of employment actually owns part of the park that they use for the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. Due to this... I get some pretty cool perks. Free parking at the Balloon Fiesta plus free passes...not to mention a great view from my office window. Just thought I would share some of the pictures taken during this Fiesta week....so enjoy...

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6515&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6516&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6517&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6518&stc=1

Kinda cool these are shot from our property at the VIP Breakfast tent. Lots of special shapes. Jester, Wizard, Frog, Stagecoach, Bee Family, Spaceman,Snow White, Humpty Dumpty and several others.

I will add more shortly for anyone interested...

[Shadow]

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6519&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6520&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6521&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6522&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6523&stc=1

[Shadow]

Our very cool Balloon Park Police. Beautiful horses.

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6524&stc=1

More balloons

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6525&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6526&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6527&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6528&stc=1

[Shadow]

My Favorite this year...the owl...so cute...

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6529&stc=1

Finally. I have several friends that are on chase crews and that also fly the balloons. I like this last shot that one of them took because it not only gives an above ground view...but it shows my company building in the background. So I actually ended up with views from both sides of the park. Pretty neat.

They also took some shots of their trip flying over the Rio Grande. As soon as they send them to me I will post those also. Way cool :)

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6530&stc=1

[tailfins]

So what you're trying to tell us is there's lots of inflated egos where you work.

[Shadow]

So what you're trying to tell us is there's lots of inflated egos where you work.

Yep. Snow White is a real bitch. :coffee:

[NightTrain]

Beautiful balloons.

I saw one "crash" at an event out of Denver when I was a kid... the balloonist was firing his heater as hard as he could, but it still crashed down and then dragged him for a few hundred yards.

It was all slow-motion, no one got hurt... was pretty cool to see.

[hjmick]

WTF Shadow? I didn't know you were in Albuquerque. I moved to SC from Rio Rancho just two years ago with my company. A couple of my co-workers were big into Fiesta. In fact one was on the Wells Fargo crew and piloted the Stagecoach, the other was the head safety coordinator and a pilot up until they moved with the company as well. In fact, he keeps a bag packed in the event of an accident because he's they guy the call to investigate.

If I had known you were in ABQ, we could have met at Kelly's Brew Pub up on Central for some beer and green chile cheese fries... Or any one of the other Albuquerque breweries... Or one of the great New Mexican restaurants for sopapillas... Damn I miss the food...


Dang... An opportunity missed...

[jimnyc]

Oh man, glad I don't live around there. Growing up with bb guns, we kinda shot at pretty much everything, except for those stupid black and white round targets that they come with! :lol: Now, if I'm out shooting my bb gun around, and I come across a pile of balloons that my neighbor had blown up for a party, it's only common sense that I would shoot and pop each one of them. Temptation would be rather high if I saw this many balloons just floating on by. :)

** I would never actually shoot a gun at a hot air balloon, I kid, I kid.

** I would point a laser pointer at it though and see if it blinds the guy running it!

[Shadow]

Beautiful balloons.

I saw one "crash" at an event out of Denver when I was a kid... the balloonist was firing his heater as hard as he could, but it still crashed down and then dragged him for a few hundred yards.

It was all slow-motion, no one got hurt... was pretty cool to see.

Seems like every year we have and balloon crash and at least 1 fatality. So far this yea I think we have lucked out. Other than people stealing a couple balloon trailers...I haven't heard of anything too bad.

[Shadow]

WTF Shadow? I didn't know you were in Albuquerque. I moved to SC from Rio Rancho just two years ago with my company. A couple of my co-workers were big into Fiesta. In fact one was on the Wells Fargo crew and piloted the Stagecoach, the other was the head safety coordinator and a pilot up until they moved with the company as well. In fact, he keeps a bag packed in the event of an accident because he's they guy the call to investigate.

If I had known you were in ABQ, we could have met at Kelly's Brew Pub up on Central for some beer and green chile cheese fries... Or any one of the other Albuquerque breweries... Or one of the great New Mexican restaurants for sopapillas... Damn I miss the food...


Dang... An opportunity missed...

Love the stage coach. Think I got a picture of it as it was inflating....very big.

Yep. Lived here in Albuq most of my life. Grandfather owned a Block and Septic tank manufacturing company in the Valley off of 4th street and Wayne road. It is now a restaurant called Casa de Benavidez. Could have met up there or even O'Neils. Great food at both. Shame we never did.

Lots of my co workers from my old job ran with the chase crews. Lots of fun...lots of work...lots of partying. A good friend of mine used to own the Thrifty rental car balloon. :)

[Shadow]

Oh man, glad I don't live around there. Growing up with bb guns, we kinda shot at pretty much everything, except for those stupid black and white round targets that they come with! :lol: Now, if I'm out shooting my bb gun around, and I come across a pile of balloons that my neighbor had blown up for a party, it's only common sense that I would shoot and pop each one of them. Temptation would be rather high if I saw this many balloons just floating on by. :)

** I would never actually shoot a gun at a hot air balloon, I kid, I kid.

** I would point a laser pointer at it though and see if it blinds the guy running it!

When they fly over the houses ...makes the dogs go nuts. Luckily my area is built up now and we don't see them make it to my neighborhood much anymore...unless someone is at one of the parks or schools giving rides, which happened last week at the grade school.

[hjmick]

I always disliked Fiesta week because my favorite breakfast spot, The Range, was always crowded...

[Shadow]

I always disliked Fiesta week because my favorite breakfast spot, The Range, was always crowded...

The Range is really good. They moved it to a bigger place across the street where the old Carrow's used to be on Wyoming and Montgomery. We go there every once in awhile too.

Yeah... another draw back from fiesta is that it takes me an extra half hour to get to work because of the park traffic. Lots of tourists and I hate people. :eek:

[SassyLady]

When they fly over the houses ...makes the dogs go nuts. Luckily my area is built up now and we don't see them make it to my neighborhood much anymore...unless someone is at one of the parks or schools giving rides, which happened last week at the grade school.

Great photos!!! We had our balloon festival in June, but they fly over my yard frequently. My back yard .... once or twice a week and the dogs go nuts. I hear the dogs about the same time I hear the flame roar.

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6544&stc=1

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6543&stc=1

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6542&stc=1

[Shadow]

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6545&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6546&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6547&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6548&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6549&stc=1

More special shapes

[Shadow]

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6550&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6551&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6552&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6553&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6554&stc=1

And even more :)

[Jeff]

Cool pics, thanks for posting !!

[Shadow]

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6556&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6557&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6558&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6559&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6560&stc=1

Another of my favorites...Spider-pig :)

[Shadow]

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6565&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6566&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6567&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6568&stc=1

Over the Rio Grande. Courtesy of one of my friends. Thanks B. :)

Beautiful.

[Shadow]

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6587&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6588&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6589&stc=1

More balloons along the Rio Grande


And a pirate ship

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6590&stc=1

[Shadow]

Some more cool special shapes

http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6602&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6603&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6604&stc=1http://www.debatepolicy.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=6605&stc=1

[LongTermGuy]

`Wow! some great Pic`s there Shadow...some good viewing!

[Shadow]

Thanks. :)

I will post some of the balloon glow also, as soon as I upload them.