Hot Air Balloons Floating Among The Red Rocks Of Gallup NM

It is mesmerizing to watch beautiful air filled fabric, larger than a semi-truck, gently lift off and float into the sky. And when the setting is the beautiful Red Rocks of Gallup, New Mexico, it’s breathtaking. That is the Red Rock Balloon Rally.

In my article Our (first) Amazing Hot Air Balloon Experience, I describe the incredible time we had a the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. The beauty of the balloons is incomparable. The people we met were kind and funny, and have become friends. We were even treated to a hot air balloon flight. I learned so much there. And, from that experience, we knew we’d found a new interest that would continue.

New Friends, New Adventures

We make new friends most places we go, and we certainly did in Albuquerque. Ballooning is not a solo sport. For each balloon, there is not only a pilot, but a crew of 6 to 8 people to help inflate the balloon, ‘chase’ it to wherever it lands, and pack it back up. We became quick friends with the crews we met and worked with.

Shelly is one of our new ballooning friends who we met in Albuquerque. One day she called and said they were going to the Red Rock Balloon Rally in Gallup, New Mexico a few weeks later. She invited us to come and crew for Manny and Ilene, two of the pilots we’d met. Within ten minutes I had the hotel booked!

The Red Rock Balloon Rally

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is the one of the largest balloon festivals in the world with more than 500 balloons. Red Rock Balloon Rally is still large, with 150+ balloons, but feels smaller and more intimate. The launch field is nestled among the red cliffs and canyons of Red Rock Park, just on the outskirts of Gallup. A small campground separates the north and south launch fields.

Red Rock Balloon Rally is held in early December each year. In 2021, the festival celebrated 40 years. The three day event includes daily mass accessions, a Friday night balloon glow and Indian dances, and even a run among the rocks. The Gallup Christmas parade takes place during the day on Saturday, and includes several of the balloon teams. The Balloon Rally is free to attend, other than a $5 fee to park.

Change Of Plans

Our initial plan was to arrive in Gallup on Thursday evening, and crew for our pilots each day. Due to car troubles, our pilots and crew were delayed until mid-day Friday. So my husband, Frank, and I went to the Rally on Friday morning with the intention of being spectators.

Prior to mass accession we found a nice perch to sit on part way up one of the red cliffs, overlooking the launch field. Within five minutes of sitting down, a gentleman came to the bottom of the hill and yelled up to us “would you two be interested in crewing?”. Frank and I looked at each other, and without hesitation, got up and made our way down the hill.

Dave introduced himself and explained that his balloon team was short of a few crew members. He was relieved to hear that we had crewed before so we had some, limited, experience. He led us across the field to meet our pilot, Pell, with his balloon Locopelli. We immediately began working, unfolding the envelope, (the fabric portion of the balloon) and connecting the uprights. During inflation, I held the mouth of the balloon, while Frank took the crown line.

To thank us for helping crew, Pell invited Frank and I to fly with him! It’s a wonderful experience to crew for a pilot, but a ride is never expected. We gladly climbed into the basket, grateful to have been invited.

Up, Up And Not Far Away

I always thought part of the joy of riding in a hot air balloon would be from going from one location to another in a unique way. Perhaps even seeing how far you could fly. The weekend at Red Rock Balloon Rally taught me otherwise. It is fun to watch the landscape below pass by as you float along, as we did in Albuquerque. But there is equal pleasure in slowing raising, and just being in the air, among so many other beautiful balloons.

Pell, and the wind, gently moved us to one side of the launch field, where we slowly stepped our way up the red cliffs. The balloon lifted and crossed back over the launch field and along the canyons below. In the balloon, you are in no hurry, and have no specific destination in mind. It’s so peaceful.

We flew for more than an hour, in and among the red rock canyons and other balloons. The sights were breathtaking.

While the pilot is flying, he is communicating with the ground crew via radio. The ground crew also tries to maintain a visual of the balloon, and can use GPS tracking and apps to see the specific location of the balloon at any time. When Pell identified where he intended to land he radio’d the ground crew. It was along a road where other balloons were also landing, and just one canyon over from the launch field.

Pell gently touched the balloon down about 20 feet from the road. The crew met us, and with the envelope still inflated, we led the basket down to the road. We settled near another balloon which was deflating. We helped them pack up their envelope, and in return, they helped us pack up Locopelli. It was a simply incredible experience that I am so grateful for!

That Was Just Friday Morning!

Part of the fun of ballooning is the camaraderie among all of the balloon teams. After the morning flights, everyone gathers for a potluck in the campground between launch fields. The pilots and crew gather around fire pits and grills, compare notes about the morning flights and reminisce about past years and festivals. We spent some time enjoying the stories before we headed back to our hotel.

Later Friday afternoon our balloon pilots and crew arrived. We spent the evening hanging out, talking, laughing and telling stories.

Saturday and Sunday mornings were cold! It was below freezing both days when we headed to the Park to set up for mass accession. We arrived to the park and, after the pilots briefing, met our pilots Ilene and Manny, along with the rest of the crew, Shelly, her husband John, and Jamaul. When it’s that cold outside, the heat from the burners sure does feel good!

Ilene was pilot in command both days, flying the Amaezing Merlin, with Manny working as crew chief. The rest of us easily fell into place to take care of the duties of the crew.

Jamaul rode with Ilene on Saturday, and took some spectacular photos! On Sunday, John, who is in the process of getting his balloon pilot’s license, flew with Ilene. It was fun to see him working the burners and learning the duties of the pilot!

On both Saturday and Sunday, the balloon stayed close to the launch area. Saturday, Ilene landed in a field nearby, and we walked the basket to a parking lot adjacent to the park for deflating. On Sunday, she, and John, landed the balloon back onto the field after a short, but beautiful flight.

Exploring Gallup

After the morning flights, there is plenty of time to explore Gallup. Frank and I visited downtown shops, and had a wonderful lunch at Jerry’s Cafe. The Gallup Christmas Parade is held mid-day on Saturday. We watched the parade, and enjoyed seeing the local kids collect bags of candy. We stopped by El Rancho Hotel, a historic hotel with a beautiful fireplace and Christmas tree in the lobby.

Although the morning was cold, Saturday afternoon was nice. We spent the afternoon hanging out in the parking lot of the hotel with our crew. When it got too cold, we made our way back inside and continued the laughter and conversation.

What I’ve Learned About Hot Air Ballooning

Although I’ve only been to a couple hot air balloon festivals recently, I’ve learned a few things. Ballooning is not just about the balloonist and basket in the sky. It’s about a community of people who share the joy and pleasure of the process. People who come together and work as a team, and celebrate as a team. Being a part of a crew means hard work. The reward may be an occasional balloon flight, but more importantly, it’s about a shared passion that brings joy to everyone involved.

The Red Rock Balloon Rally was a different experience than the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. Both were beyond rewarding. We are fortunate that we’ve found this new community of friends and have been so warmly welcomed.

We already have three more balloon festivals on our calendars. I’m sure we will be adding more too. And I’ve started brushing up on my Private Pilot Ground School information, just in case I want to get my Lighter Than Air (LTA) pilot certification some day. When you discover a new passion, you need to embrace it!

Thank you to Shelly Johnson for allowing me to use some of her photos in the article above. And for her boundless energy, enthusiasm and friendship!