10/19/2026
I enjoy flying hot air balloons, particularly during Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque every year. But I would definitely not be doing it if I were by myself.
Ballooning requires a team to make it happen, and ours is the best there is. They often wake up before the crack of dawn, work their asses off, and their reward? More times than not, it’s getting to watch from the ground as others experience the magic of getting to fly. It’s usually breakfast and a big thank you. That’s it. And they keep coming back time and time again. Why is that?
I can’t speak for them, since I’m almost always the guy in the basket flying. But I can venture to guess that some of it is because there’s something special about being a part of the world’s oldest form of aviation. There’s nothing like watching a laid-out piece of fabric getting filled full of air, and then becoming this massive airborne colorful object as 38 million btu’s of flames heat it from within.
Oh, and then there’s the friendship. The people you willingly surround yourself with on those cold mornings. The people I trust my life with. The people who greet you with hugs instead of handshakes, and the people who you shed tears with when Balloon Fiesta is over because you’re going to miss them.
I have a pretty strong feeling that even if there wasn’t a balloon we’d still all be friends.
This post is for our crew members….past, present, and future. Thank you. ❤️🫶
