Day 2 at the Balloon Fiesta

Once again, we set out at 4:45 am for second morning of the Balloon Fiesta. We returned to the Chasers Club for breakfast, and dawn had already broken. Nothing was happening on the field. No Dawn Patrol, no Morning Glow. We learned from someone that officials were monitoring “drainage winds,” and we became aware of the yellow flags that we hoped would turn green.

All of us were cautiously optimistic that the weather would clear, and the balloons would be able to take flight. This is why one should always plan to attend at least two days of the Balloon Fiesta in case weather disrupts the best-laid plans.

At 7:42 am, officials raised the green flag, which gave pilots the go ahead to begin preparations for flying. Everyone gave a big cheer! Moments later, we saw action on the field as balloons began to be inflated. It was almost 8:00 am before I took my first photograph of balloons taking flight.

Let's Get This Show on the Road (Air)

They're Aloft!

A Balloon Laid Out and Ready to be Unrolled

Fully Laid Out on the Ground

Partially Inflated

Like yesterday, I spent the rest of the morning on the field among the balloons. Instead of just gazing at the spectacle of it all, however, I began to look more closely at the process of unrolling, inflating, righting, and launching the balloons. It was fascinating, and hard work.

I Wonder What This One Will Look Like When It's Inflated

So Many Colors, So Many Patterns

Getting the World Aloft

This Is How Pigs Fly

More and More Are Being Inflated

Even though we didn’t have yesterday’s bright blue skies, and photographs were a bit duller, I’m just thankful that the weather cooperated enough to allow the second day to proceed.

Balloons Brighten the Sky

A Patch of Blue Is Breaking Through

Up We Go

We're Ready to Go

Our Turn

The Crowd Admiring the Balloons

I Want to Ride In One of Those

It Takes a Long Time to Get So Many Balloons Aloft

If Pigs Can Fly, So Can Frogs

I Wonder How Many Drivers Were Distracted by Looking Skyward

By the Time We Left, the Sky Was Mostly Blue

We returned to the hotel at 10:00 am to relax before lunch.