Up and out very early in the morning is not usual for us.
After years of up and out early for work it didn't take long from me to relish slow, lazy mornings when we are traveling.
After seeing how beautiful this sunrise is we need to be up and out early more often again.
We are at Elephant Butte Lake for the Balloon Regatta.
A perfect almost fall morning for the event.
By the time we parked and walked to where the balloons were going to be launched it was getting light.
It was grey and cloudy with not a whisper of breeze in the air.
This is New Mexico.........where is that breeze?
As I walked among the balloons that were being inflated the balloonists were expressing their concern that the air was so still.
Just 4 to 6 miles per hour is all they ask.
They are good. They will get those balloons flying.
The campers and boaters are waiting for the balloons to fly.
It takes teamwork.
Yay! They are starting to rise.
The Elephant Butte Balloon Regatta can trace it roots back to the 1970's when informal meet ups of balloonists came to the lake to fly.
Different events took place until the concern for safety led to the formation of the Elephant Butte Balloon Regatta and the Balloon Boat Relay Race.
Some of the balloons tethered to boats for trips around the lake.
On July 1st 1998 the city of Elephant Butte was incorporated as the 101st city in the State of New Mexico. The new city chartered their own Chamber of Commerce in September 1999 and one of their first acts was to purchase the rights and copyrights to the Elephant Butte Balloon Regatta by unanimous vote.
I had such a grand time wandering around, listening to the crews, and occasionally feeling the heat of the flames on my face.
The event is free.......you just have to pay $5 to enter Elephant Butte State Park.
If you want a tethered balloon ride they are $20 and the line wasn't too long.
If you want an hour long actual hot air balloon ride it is $200 per person and you have to book ahead. Of course, it depends on weather and today the air is so still you probably wouldn't get far.
It is not on the level of the Albuquerque Balloon Festival but I enjoyed the fact that it was so uncrowded and that the crews were happy to communicate with those of us who were there and that they were having such a great time.
Balloons......a vision in the desert. Today was that day.
Our spot in the desert gave me a front row seat for the most amazing skies.
I would look out the window, grab my camera and run out to an ever changing kaleidoscope of shapes and colors.
Whether the sun was high above the horizon or sinking low there was incredible beauty.
Layers and layers of color.
The intensity of the sunset even colored the utility poles.
The sun gives us many gifts but its setting may be its greatest. A fiery kiss goodnight.