Albuquerque during balloon fiesta is surely a sight to behold. Mass ascension is something else. I don’t go every year, but when family is in town, we go. Being up close and witnessing all the commotion required to get them blown up and off the ground in an orderly fashion is truly a sight to behold…They have referees, in striped shirts and whistles no less, telling the balloonist when they can lift off….I don’t know the balloon count this year, but it is over 500 I am sure…A couple of years ago I think there was around 700…The special shapes are nice…beer cans, stage coach, Old Mrs. Hubbard’s house with children clinging to the sides, pigs, cows, chilies, whiskey bottles, all the children and us young at heart love the special shapes…They usually go last as most of them are so big…They may be harder to control also, but I really don’t know about that…This year the winds have been taking them south and southeast…I live due west of the balloon park and have only had one balloon visit our area. Sweetie was out watering and one was just overhead and they spoke to her and waved. One always knows they are coming as every dog in the neighborhood is out greeting them, barking at the propane torch providing the hot air for the balloon. The famed Albuquerque box is not working this year, so far….that is where the balloonist can lift off, go to four different heights, picking up winds in all four directions in one of those altitudes and come back to where he lifted off or at least close to where he lifted off….Always the first full week of October…Our town is full of hot air, er, balloons that is….It is nice and a good time for full time residents to stay close to home….busy, busy town….