There is something strange about agreeing to get into a basket with your whole family to float about 2400 feet above the ground using only hot air to hold you aloft. Who would have dreamed this up, you ask? The French, of course. Something completely impractical, but incredibly beautiful; that’s so French. {and they’ve been doing it since 1783 when the Montgolfier brothers, French paper manufacturers, first put a sheep, a rooster and a duck into the air. Read more about it here.}
Last week, we tried the virtually-perfected New Mexican version of the Montgolfier balloon. It was fabulous. We departed at dawn… literally dawn.
See the sunrise over the Sangre de Cristo mountains… It is beautiful.
Inflating the balloon. {We were reminded that this is not “blowing up” the balloon, because that’s an explosion.}
Another ballooner in the air with us. There were only two that day.
This is called a “ballooner” eclipse. The crew were always ready with corny jokes and “hot air” puns.
The boys loved the ride.
Pueblo Balloon Company in Taos, NM offers a great ride and brunch that starts at about 5AM and takes you along the Rio Grande Gorge. It was an experience that I can’t really describe. It’s definitely worth doing at least once in your life.
