10/08/09 On our way to Hatch, more hay - only in cubes this time and tons of it!
10/6/09 View from the top of Sandia Peak, 10800 +/- feet above sea level - breathtaking!!
10/6/09 Sandia Peak Tram a bit closer, climbing Sandia Peak in Albuquerque! What's a tram after a hot air balloon ride? Very, very high!!
10/6/09 Sandia Peak Tram - WOW!!
10/6/09 Our pilot Tommy telling us the history of hot air ballooning. It began in France with the Montgolfier Brothers on November 21st, 1783. Their first flight carried chickens and other animals to see if the air was sufficient for humans and it flew with black smoke outside the palace walls and landed in a village - they thought it was a dragon and pitch forked it to death - ie:destroying the first air balloon. The King of France wouldn't finance the next balloon but offered The King's Wine (champagne) to the brothers to have on their first human ride to show the farmers it was sanctioned by the king. The brothers did not take the first flight, they had Jean-Francois Pilatre take the balloon, which is where we get the title "Pilot" for a hot air balloon and champagne is the official toast after a balloon ride!!