Backyard Balloons

Albuquerque's International Balloon Fiesta came our our backyard this morning.



Teddy, watched from the pool deck. It was easier than joining the thousands at the fiesta park.








The craft continued to drift to the south. And that brought back a story...


Several years ago (1996 I think) we volunteered as the chase crew (pickup truck & all) for a balloonist who came to the fiesta from France. We enlisted the help of a French friend - she understood what they were saying. We chased them to areas where they were not really supposed to go, including an alfalfa field about 20 miles south of the field.

And then there was the final day of flight that year:

Breezes much like those today, carried the balloons across the city on a direct line with Albuquerque International Sunport (and Kirtland Air Force Base). Balloons and airplanes don't mix. Balloons and air bases don't mix, either.

We chased the balloon and crew around every open space and parks and school yards all over our northeast part of town. Looking skyward, pulling in to every available parking lot, and jabbering in French on the walkie talkie.

Landing space (and flying fuel) was running out. It was apparent Michel wasn't going to land at a neaarby golf course, so we knew what was next.

Despite warnings to the the contrary, he landed at Kirtland.

Imagine the international awareness of this particular day.

Air Force One carrying President Clinton was going to land at Kirtland 5 hours later, only a few hundred yards from the balloon's landing spot. So, here comes a balloon, with French registration, carrying French citizens, flying over the fence into the secure area.

The folks at Kirtland were ready for this - much more than we were. All came out fine, the balloon and enveloped got loaded and we were on our way, under the watchful eye of military security police (and I'm sure satellite surveillance at NORAD or somewhere like that).

In the bowels of Interpol and the United States Secret Service video of that incident exists.

I wonder if it was ever been used as an training awareness tool?

Imagine what they were thinking at NORAD about that time!

It's Fair Time!

The Biggest Show in New Mexico is underway in Albuquerque – the state fair. It has been said this is the one time each year when the city slickers get to watch the country folks – and vice versa – and not be accused of some illegal or illicit act.
It’s a real study in humankind – the good kind and the bad kind.

For years I reported from the fair. I recall talking to the roosters and interviewing stars. It seems the stars were bigger better back then.

Brooks & Dunn agreed to come to our fair before they won all kinds of awards. Between booking time in the spring and the fair in September, they became giants in the entertainment world – but they kept their commitment at our “cheap contract price” and led the way to what must have been the most successful rodeo/entertainment lineup since Roy Rogers opened the place in 1958 (another story for another time). Hasn’t been such a lineup since.

I actually worked at the fair (yes, as a governor’s exempt state employee) during the last term of Governor Bruce King (whose family has always, even to this day supported kids activities at the fair) and during the administration of Governor Richardson. I was there when candidate Bill Richardson made history in the Guinness Book of World Records -- while campaigning in 2002. Over an eight-hour period, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations shattered President Theodore Roosevelt's record for the most handshakes by a politician. “Richardson's new mark of 13,392 for an eight-hour period, with a Guinness World Records official standing by, went well beyond the Roosevelt record of 8,513 handshakes set at the White House," reported the Los Angeles Times.

The fair manager at the time (who worked for Governor Johnson) came by to watch the spectacle of the handshakes. She said, “I just had to see this going on.”

Giant pumpkins, corn dogs, billy goats, horses, rodeo, carnival rides (and yes handshakes) all make up the fair. And, the shopping center where you can buy something that “slices & dices”.

There are contests for just about everything.

Sadly, victory is so important to some participants in contests – there are cheaters. I recall one instance when a “champion” in some junior livestock competition was crowned in New Mexico – and was supposed to have gone to the “happy hunting ground” immediately thereafter – but ended up a short time later entered in a similar contest in a neighboring state. Recently an acquaintance said he knew one family that would never enter animals in a completion at the state fair as long as kinfolks from the family I alluded earlier was involved. There’s a lesson there, too. It’s not all nice and cozy out there boys & girls. It’s not fair, but it is the fair. People take advantage.

The fair is a microcosm of our world – from the fish to the corn dogs, the carnies (and carnes) to the cowboys and the contests.

I visited a lot of fairs and fairgrounds to learn (and steal ideas for our fair). Virginia, Florida, Texas, San Diego, Sacramento, Puyallup, Yakima. All are unique, and all serve a purpose – education and a few minutes for guests to live in another world.

In some form or another, for the sake of the kids, New Mexico’s State Fair should survive.

Liberty Bell

Our trip to Philadelphia was great! We saw the Liberty Bell (through the glass late at night). I noticed you can't see the crack unless you stand in the long line to go inside. We had a great time and scratched some more things off my bucket list.

We stayed at the Omni, which had to be the handiest hotel to all the major historical sites. Weather was good (for Philly in the summer) and we enjoyed those famous cheesesteak sandwiches while browsing around Reading Market downtown.

You gotta go to Philly.

Oh No!

News comes that Governor Susana Martinez of our state of New Mexico scored 100 on her handgun proficiency exam last weekend.

Watch out!

Lazy Hazy

Roll out those lazy, hazy days of summer!

Where's the beach?

Recently visited Ocean City, NJ. This was the scene mid-afternoon on a Sunday. Relaxing, huh? I'll take our place in Nuevo Vallarta, anyday.

Whew!

Now that the debt crisis has been solved, we can move on to the next issue!