A Very Early Good Morning

Dan, Tim and I are rising early, because today is the opening day of Balloon Fiesta. We'll be using the Park n' Ride services provided by the city in order to get to the Balloon Park by 5:45 when the Dawn Patrol balloons begin to inflate. We'll be dressing in layers, so that we'll be warm enough before the sun rises and cool enough after.

Here, from http://www.balloonfiesta.com/, is a description of the Dawn Patrol event:

The Dawn Patrol began at Balloon Fiesta in 1978, when two California balloonists developed position lighting systems that allowed them to fly at night. Dawn Patrol pilots take off in the dark and fly until it is light enough to see landing sites. Fellow balloonists appreciate the Dawn Patrol because they can watch the balloons and get an early idea of wind speeds and directions at different altitudes. On mass ascension days, about a dozen Dawn Patrol balloons perform the Dawn Patrol Show, a choreographed inflation and launch set to music that has been part of the Balloon Fiesta since 1996. Dawn Patrol inflations begin, weather permitting, at about 5:45 AM, with launch around 6:15 AM.

After Dawn Patrol comes the Mass Ascension, and here is a description of that event, also from http://www.balloonfiesta.com/:

Mass Ascensions – a launch of all the participating balloons – have been a feature of Balloon Fiesta since its earliest days and is the most spectacular display of sound and color in all of aviation. During mass ascensions, balloons launch in two waves. Launch directors, also known as “zebras” because of their black-and-white-striped outfits, serve as “traffic cops,” coordinating the launch so balloons leave the field in a safe and coordinated manner. Weather permitting, balloons begin to launch at about 7:15 AM on mass ascension days, led by a balloon flying the American flag to the strains of “The Star Spangled Banner.”

I hope to be posting pictures later today.