All rights reserved..© 1996-2011 Image Alternative's Return to Trip Index Next Page International Balloon Fiesta Albuquerque, New Mexico October 1, 2011 We had a wakeup call at 4:00 am this morning and arrived at the fiesta when it was still dark out. Can’t believe the amount of traffic and people who were there or on the their way there. We received a police escort so got by most of the traffic. A few balloons launched in the dark to check out the upper winds. The weather was perfect. A  record was set for the most balloon launched in one hour with 342 launched. There were more than 500 balloons participating. Click thumbnail to enlarge