School Balloon Lift Off

It is a tradition that every year before the official beginning

of Balloon Fiesta, all the elementary schools have a special

Hot Air Balloon Lift Off Day.

This is always on the Friday before the Balloon Fiesta starts.

Everyone meets at the school at least one hour before starting time.

The Balloons begin getting ready at around 7:00

This is a close view and educational experience

especially for those who are not able to attend the

Balloon Fiesta.

 (New Mexico is 2nd in the nation of poverty residents.)

Addi-Belle and Payson are here.  We got here

a little late.  Orion was on time because Pa brought him

to school on his way to work.

We found Orion  talking to one of the pilots.

The pilot gave him a card telling the name of the balloon,

and also the name of the pilot and where he is from.

But ma wanted to get a photo of the three kids,

so they all posed for the shot.  Ha Ha.

The kids gather around to see the balloon crew getting it all ready.

Orion is on the left.  Addi-Belle and Payson are the small ones.

This is a huge fan to blow air into the balloon.

The balloon is very, very, very long.

This is the opening of the balloon.  The fan blows while

there is a flame of fire making the air hot.

Payson was very surprized at how BIG the balloon was getting.

When Payson and Addi-Belle see the Hot Air Balloons in the

sky, they look so small.  But as it is being blown up

it is taller than they are.

The first balloon

look!!

This is the pilot for the second balloon.

He is the pilot that Orion got the card from

The pilot's name is Fredric McAllaster

and he is from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The name of his balloon is

"Sweet Child "O Mine"

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The first balloon is behind the second balloon.

The people looks so small next to the balloon.

Up, Up and away.

"Would you like to ride in a beautiful balloon?

Way up in the sky in a beautiful balloon?"