The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 09

[Haulover]

I don't know if anyone's interested, but the 50th annual balloon fiesta is about to launch the first mass ascention of the year, and you can watch on a live stream at their youtube site.

It will go on for an hour or so, tops.

I've been there in person, twice. IIRC, it was 1999 and 2006 (??)

For some reason the 1999 fest seemed to have far more balloons than the 2006, .

 

[NotWise]

'Preciated the heads-up and the link. C implored me to mute the audio after about five minutes. I appreciated the narrators' enthusiasm and bits of info, but pro sports announcers they ain't.

We have an annual balloon "fest" in our town, about 1/10 the size. Many of the balloons take off from the schoolyard behind our house. One moment was funny as we were out in the backyard to watch, and I sneezed, followed shortly by "Gesundheit!" from 150 feet overhead.

Something noteworthy was I didn't see a single balloon on the feed that I might have recognized from our event. I would have expected at least one or two given the draw of the Albuquerque show. A little bit of fact-finding revealed over 300 licensed balloon pilots just in New Mexico, so as big a deal as it is, apparently participation is somewhat regional. Understandable; I know from a pilot acquaintance that schlepping a balloon and support crew around the country involves a lot of time and money.

I usually turn the sound off and watch the pretty colors.

A local event that's 1/10th the size of the balloon fiesta is a fairly large fly-in. Per the fiesta's own information, it is "the largest ballooning event on earth, the most photographed event on earth, and the largest annual international event held in the United States." You have to check their definitions to know exactly what that means.

Nevertheless, it's a large event. The launch site is the size of 54 football fields, and they launch 500 balloons on a good day. Most days are good this time of year.

We might have a large number of balloonists per capita here, but the fiesta isn't powered by local flyers. The balloons and pilots come from all over the world. Good luck trying to find one familiar balloon in all that.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I'm almost myself again. Considering faking not feeling well so Jo will have pity on me. But no, that wouldn't be right.

 

[NotWise]

I've been there in person, twice. IIRC, it was 1999 and 2006 (??)

For some reason the 1999 fest seemed to have far more balloons than the 2006, .

The number of pilots in the event was limited a couple decades ago to something like 650. Before that, registration was higher, but not all the pilots who wanted to fly could launch. They set the limit to preserve the quality of the flyer's experience.

The number of balloons you see varies with the weather, and with the time of the week. In most events balloons will only be able to fly two or three times in a week, and that's what pilots plan for. Here they can often fly every day, so they've had their kicks before the end of the week. Events in the last weekend especially, can be smaller than the maximum of 500 balloons.

 

[MillieDynamite]

The number of pilots in the event was limited a couple decades ago to something like 650. Before that, registration was higher, but not all the pilots who wanted to fly could launch. They set the limit to preserve the quality of the flyer's experience.

The number of balloons you see varies with the weather, and with the time of the week. In most events balloons will only be able to fly two or three times in a week, and that's what pilots plan for. Here they can often fly every day, so they've had their kicks before the end of the week. Events in the last weekend especially, can be smaller than the maximum of 500 balloons.

Ballons, what a trip you might have! I have been reading this while I was sick.

"Few can possibly have forgotten the terrible storm from the northeast, in the middle of the equinox of that year. The tempest raged without intermission from the 18th to the 26th of March. Its ravages were terrible in America, Europe, and Asia, covering a distance of eighteen hundred miles, and extending obliquely to the equator from the thirty-fifth north parallel to the fortieth south parallel. Towns were overthrown, forests uprooted, coasts devastated by the mountains of water which were precipitated on them, vessels cast on the shore, which the published accounts numbered by hundreds, whole districts leveled by waterspouts which destroyed everything they passed over, several thousand people crushed on land or drowned at sea; such were the traces of its fury, left by this devastating tempest. It surpassed in disasters those which so frightfully ravaged Havana and Guadalupe, one on the 25th of October, 1810, the other on the 26th of July, 1825.

But while so many catastrophes were taking place on land and at sea, a drama not less exciting was being enacted in the agitated air."

Mysterious Island by Jules Vern is a squeal to his book, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, which begins with, "Few can possibly have forgotten the terrible storm from the northeast, in the middle of the equinox of that year. The tempest raged without intermission from the 18th to the 26th of March."

Can you tell me how what happens after Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, is set before it?

 

[MrPixel]

A local event that's 1/10th the size of the balloon fiesta is a fairly large fly-in.

Apparently the city fathers, and Chamber of Commerce sponsoring the event, recognize that. Pre-pandemic it drew 50-60 balloons, including several special shapes. This year was maybe half that, so time will tell if it fully recovers. There was some reason they didn't schedule the Sunday afternoon launch like before - nothing to do with weather - but that was the flight that really drew the crowds (and traffic!) before, so I have to wonder what they know that I don't.

 

[EilidhCalderwood]

Time for a break. 2,000 words into a story. Maybe more of a vignette from something longer, I don't know. Things are just about to run gloriously and stickily out of control I think.


Can I have a large black one, er, coffee please. I have the Highland Park with me, here at the UK table (Scottish division).

 

[NotWise]

Apparently the city fathers, and Chamber of Commerce sponsoring the event, recognize that. Pre-pandemic it drew 50-60 balloons, including several special shapes. This year was maybe half that, so time will tell if it fully recovers. There was some reason they didn't schedule the Sunday afternoon launch like before - nothing to do with weather - but that was the flight that really drew the crowds (and traffic!) before, so I have to wonder what they know that I don't.

The best time to fly is in the morning when the air is cool. It takes less fuel. Here, the breezes in the afternoon are often too strong to fly. If that's the case there, then maybe it has something to do with their decision.

They do schedule evening events. The balloons are usually tethered. It's for the visual spectacle of all those balloons lit up at the same time.

 

[MrPixel]

Yes, I'm aware of the preference for morning flights. Cool air, and near-calm winds. Afternoons are actually a little dicey where we are since our fest is held near-peak in thunderstorm season. Sometimes the whole event goes without flying due to weather save for maybe a glow. But the organizers liked the Sunday afternoon flights for the crowds; I'd say probably half the pilots would put up with it. Main flights are Friday evening and Saturday morning, with the tethered stuff and glow on Saturday evening.

 

[NotWise]

My summer is officially over. I shut down, drained, and sealed the swamp cooler. The gladiolas aren't convinced. I'll have one more cut flower before they're done. I also have about three pounds of jalapenos to pickle, and enough green chile to justify the work of putting them up.

 

[oggbashan]

I'm back from a few days away, and a failed internet. I am now working on a temporary fix. My main fibre broadband has been down for 40 hours and counting.

 

[Bubo_bubo]

I'm back from a few days away, and a failed internet. I am now working on a temporary fix. My main fibre broadband has been down for 40 hours and counting.

Do you have a mobile phone? You can set it up as a wifi connection point (this is how I'm connected to the internet until I find a solution for mine). Might be pricy though depending on your rates for mobile internet.

 

[oggbashan]

Do you have a mobile phone? You can set it up as a wifi connection point (this is how I'm connected to the internet until I find a solution for mine). Might be pricy though depending on your rates for mobile internet.

My mobile is a very basic one because I can't see or use a smartphone. I have a mini-hub connected to my mobile internet hub. it is slower but at least I am connected even if my landlines aren't.

To use my mobile I need reading glasses and a magnifying glass. I tried topping it up by the voice-enabled system. After 45 minutes I gave up and asked my son-in-law who had just arrived. He tried for thirty minutes and gove up before taking it to the mobile phone shop who topped it up in 30 seconds. Doh!

 

[MillieDynamite]

I suppose I was born before the internet. At least, I don't think the internet existed in 1989. That notwithstanding, I don't remember not having the internet out there. However, I didn't always have access to the internet or even a computer. Life is better for me with the internet than without it.

 

[Bubo_bubo]

I suppose I was born before the internet. At least, I don't think the internet existed in 1989. That notwithstanding, I don't remember not having the internet out there. However, I didn't always have access to the internet or even a computer. Life is better for me with the internet than without it.

Apparently the internet was born on January 1st 1983 (though much much smaller than the tentacular behemoth it is now)

 

[TxRad]

One of the ladies down the road did like NW and ended her garden yesterday. The ladies went down to help and returned with all sorts of veggies. We now have a big pot of veggie stew bubbling on the stove. I had a nap.

 

[oggbashan]

I suppose I was born before the internet. At least, I don't think the internet existed in 1989. That notwithstanding, I don't remember not having the internet out there. However, I didn't always have access to the internet or even a computer. Life is better for me with the internet than without it.

Born before the internet?

I was born before the first A-bomb test.

When my father was born, the Wright brothers hadn't flown. When my eldest aunt was born? There were no cars/automobiles.

As for my grandparents? Steam railways were a novelty.

 

[EilidhCalderwood]

There we go. I've submitted my first story and now I await the verdict of the admins.
I've submitted it to the Mature category. It's called Fluid Dynamics and it runs to 3,682 words in uncut form.

An older woman is a successful expert in her male-dominated profession, and she knows all the tricks to get them to pay attention and take her seriously. She can have anyone and anything she wants, but there's an aching void in her life and it takes a young catering worker at a conference she's speaking at to fill it for her.

Wish me luck!

 

[MillieDynamite]

There we go. I've submitted my first story and now I await the verdict of the admins.
I've submitted it to the Mature category. It's called Fluid Dynamics and it runs to 3,682 words in uncut form.

An older woman is a successful expert in her male-dominated profession, and she knows all the tricks to get them to pay attention and take her seriously. She can have anyone and anything she wants, but there's an aching void in her life and it takes a young catering worker at a conference she's speaking at to fill it for her.

Wish me luck!

Looking forward to the publication. Three cheers for ElidhCalderwood!!!

 

[MillieDynamite]

Apparently the internet was born on January 1st 1983 (though much much smaller than the tentacular behemoth it is now)

Unless I've been lied to, the first generation of the internet was reserved for banking and military use. And predates your 1983 estimate by about 20 years. Check out this Brief History of the Internet, titled A Brief History of the Internet, A Brief History of the Internet. Holy shit, I'm being repetitive. However, you're correct for the official birth being when the TCP/IP made the connections possible for wide use.

 

[Bubo_bubo]

<snip>, you're correct <snip> [condensed for clarity]

Thank you!

 

[EilidhCalderwood]

Looking forward to the publication. Three cheers for ElidhCalderwood!!!

Thank you MillyDynamite. I hope you enjoy it when it arrives.

 

[TxRad]

Posting a first story is always exciting. As for the admins, there is only one person who has control over stories and that is Laurel, one of the site owners.

Fresh coffee is now available for the evening crowd, as they are.

The Veggie stew was delicious. There was even a pan of cornbread for sopping up the remains.

 

[Duleigh]

I don't know if anyone's interested, but the 50th annual balloon fiesta is about to launch the first mass ascention of the year, and you can watch on a live stream at their youtube site.

It will go on for an hour or so, tops.

I lived in NM for over 2 years and I NEVER got to watch the Balloon fiesta. My first year there I was on a TDY to Saudi Arabia and my second time I was in Turkey... or was it Italy... might have been Nellis... or Saudi again. It don't matter, I hated that base so much I took every deployment I could just to get away. Even Saudi Arabia was a relief - SSDD (Same Shit, Different Desert)

 

[NotWise]

I lived in NM for over 2 years and I NEVER got to watch the Balloon fiesta. My first year there I was on a TDY to Saudi Arabia and my second time I was in Turkey... or was it Italy... might have been Nellis... or Saudi again. It don't matter, I hated that base so much I took every deployment I could just to get away. Even Saudi Arabia was a relief - SSDD (Same Shit, Different Desert)

Re: Cannon and Clovis. Can't say as I blame you.