I was in Albuquerque for a work-related conference that happened to coincide with the 2017 Balloon Fiesta, and so a few months before the conference I decided to reserve a ride for Friday, October 13, which was a day with a lot of "special shapes" balloons. It was my first time to ride in a hot air balloon and it was fantastic! I paid $150 for the ride + $99 for the Ryders Club package. My pilot was Jeff Spear who was an excellent pilot. He was professional, extremely funny, and engaging with the passengers in the basket as well as with the people on the ground who came out of their homes to look at our balloon. There were 6 passengers in our basket and the ride lasted for about an hour. It ended with a wonderful toast on the balloon field where we got to see some balloons taking part in balloon competitions. The pilot and crew provided bottled water, orange juice, and Dom Perignon champagne for our toast. The pilot recited a traditional balloonist's prayer before the toast, which made it all the more special.
I recommend the Ryder's Club, especially if this is your first time to ride in a balloon. It makes it a first class experience. And they give you a couple of nice pins and a bag to commemorate the trip. If you never have the opportunity to ride in a hot air balloon again, you'll be glad you paid the extra money for the experience. I was glad, too, that there were only 6 people in my basket. I think you get a more open view if there are fewer people in your basket. And I was glad to see that the Ryders Club tent was open and ready to serve breakfast well before 5 a.m. The breakfast was OK - you get a choice of several kinds of breakfast burritos, with fruit, pastries, coffee and juice. The morning of my flight was not too cold at all - it was about 51 degrees (F), so I actually didn't need to use my hat, scarf, and gloves.
The one thing I wish the pilot had done was try a quick dip in the Rio Grande. I saw a picture of other balloons doing that, but our balloon did not do that. We basically circled the balloon field for an hour. But that was fine with me, as we all got to see hundreds of colorful balloons in flight at the same time as well as a number of balloons on the ground getting ready to take off. It was a spectacular sight to see and not one that you get to see unless you attend an event like this Balloon Fiesta.
I recommend doing something like this while you are still limber enough to climb over and hop down into the basket. There are square holes in the basket to help you get a footing for hoisting yourself over, but that would have been nearly impossible for someone like my mom, who is in her 80s and has had both knees replaced. She would not have been able to do a ride like this. It would have been too rough on her knees and she probably would have fallen and hurt herself.
The chase crew consisted of two young guys and they were very professional. I wish I had brought more cash to give as a tip to the pilot and crew. I only had about $20 on me, which was for all three members, but if you can afford it, please tip generously. The pilot teaches you safety measures while being extremely entertaining and gracious, and he lands in a perfect spot that allows you to exit the basket safely.... He avoids power lines while making sure that the place he lands is not too muddy or in a restricted area. He has to make sure the place he lands in has an opening for his crew to come and retrieve the basket and balloon, and he has to make sure that he does not land in a place with mean dogs or irate homeowners. He does all of this while keeping everyone safe and entertained. They take you back to the Balloon Field in a Rainbow Ryders passenger van; they answer questions and engage in interesting tales about previous balloon flights along the way back.
Jeff Spear and his crew did an excellent job. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them and Rainbow Ryders again for what has been one of the coolest experiences of my life.
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Nov 2017
Thank you for sharing about your experience with us. We agree, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta really is a beautiful event, and from the sky it's even more of an incredible sight. Jeff will be glad to know that you appreciated his piloting capabilities and attention to safety.
We here in the office, your crew, and Jeff appreciate your kind words. We're all happy to hear it was one of the coolest experiences of your life, and we hope it will be a memory you'll never forget. Thank you for allowing us to enjoy the adventure alongside you. Continue exploring new heights!