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allowed for plenty of time to sightsee and
visit the many art galleries, restaurants
and places of interest. There was much
to see and hardly enough time to see it
all, though we did manage to explore
the Tent Rocks National Monument,
Bandelier National Monument, Las
Alamos, Taos, and the ghost towns
lining the Turquoise Trails.
Before departing from Santa Fe, we
partied at the “Doo Wop Soda Shop,”
grabbing a bite as we sang and danced to
tunes of the ’50s and ’60s, then rolled out
to Albuquerque early the next morning.
We arrived, caravan-style, on October
7. Thanks to meticulous planning by
Wagon Masters Art and Beth Schmitt,
we procured VIP camping which was not
only right on the Fiesta grounds, but was
directly under the take-off flight path!
Everyone in the pack was thankful for
their forethought and effort.
Now in its 43rd year, the Albuquerque
International Balloon Fiesta is the
largest hot air balloon festival in the
world. In 2014, over 500 balloon teams,
hailing from 22 different countries,
participated in the nine day event.
Albuquerque’s unique location and
winds, colloquially known as the
“Albuquerque Box,” allow these balloons
to launch first in a southwest direction
and then, as they rise, north easterly
winds prevail, allowing balloonists an
unusually high degree of control over
their aircraft. Working with these winds,
skilled pilots can adjust their altitude
to control their flight paths, allowing
them to circle back and land in the same
field. In fact, there is even a competition
among the race balloons known as The
Ring Toss. Here, pilots attempt to
navigate five tall poles, trying to get
close enough to place a ring over each
pole. Each successful placement earns
that pilot a prize. In another event called
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