Who’s First?
Editor: I took the challenge offered in the June 1996 issue of Balloon Life, “Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association,” that is, “Open the phone company Yellow Pages in Albuquerque, and the very first listing you find is ‘AAAA Landowner Hotline.’” I opened the Albuquerque Yellow Pages, and the very first listing offered me was “Abortion Alternatives.” No Landowner Hotline there, even if it does have four “A’s.”
Well, maybe he meant the White Pages. The first listing there is simply “A,” on Central Avenue...Don’t ask; I wouldn’t even hazard a guess. How about under four “As?” There is an appliance service, a lock-and-key business, and weather (windtalker). So much for the business section. How about the residence section? Not much luck there, either. Anyway, how would you pronounce Fred AAAA? And why wouldn’t AAA have been enough for the family?
Back to the Yellow Pages. How about trying “Aero..?” There are aerospace industries, and aerospace research and development. Let’s try Ascension. Not under “A,” but if you venture into the “church” area, there is a Church of the Ascension. I guess church and ascension are about one in the same, so let’s proceed. “L” for Landowner? There is land clearing, land companies, landfill, etc., but no landowner. And, no Relations under the “Rs.” I guess one could go to the “Dating Service” section for that, but we’re getting off track.
When all else fails, look under “Balloons.” There is a “AAAA Community Relations Hotline - Mobile Service.” If one were in need of that service, a taxi, perhaps, to take you to your meeting (Hi, my name’s John, and I’m ...), then you’ve struck gold.
Balloonists will know what AAAA means, and probably have an understanding of the Community Relations function. But non-balloonist landowners, I am convinced, will NOT look under “Balloons” in their Yellow Pages after someone has chased their horses through the fence with their chase flags, or plowed their turnips with a wicker basket. More likely, they will look inside the front cover of their White Pages, under “S” for Sheriff.
There isn’t a real answer to “what to list where.” The three “Cs” still apply - Caution, Courtesy, and Korbel (poetic license #45773).
Ken Denton
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Festival de Globos
Editor: As I read the article, “Festival del Sol,” written by Glen Moyer in the May issue of Balloon Life, I had to reflect a moment of one of the more outstanding balloon events I ever had the Pleasure to be a part of. I must say, it was an incredible adventure, from start to finish and I must, for the sake of history, inform your readers that the “Festival del Sol” was not a “first time balloon event.” Now if someone can tell me about a balloon event in Monterrey BEFORE 1981, I will stand corrected. At the time, we, too, hoped it would become an annual event, and wondered if it would ever be repeated.
As I recall, Ray Gallagher and Portis Wooley worked with the major politicos of the province of Nuevo Leon to celebrate a special holiday and the up-coming Presidential elections. About 15 balloonists met at the border in Laredo where we were supposed to be escorted over the bridge. There was some delay before things were “straightened” out and we set off on our afternoon caravan toward the city of Monterrey. We were lodged in a lovely old hotel called, I think, the Hotel Angel.
It was pretty exciting. I seem to recall being the only female pilot, because they held TV and radio interviews referring to me as “solamente la una mujera in todo el mundo” which I thought was pretty funny. But not as funny as the interview at the TV station where another noted Houston pilot, Bill Murtorff, was repeated referred to as “Santie Claus!” We were the two featured guests, though the roster of pilots was quiet impressive.
Highlights of the long weekend included a thrilling high speed escort by motorcycle police through the streets to our launch site; a morning launch from the river bottom soccer fields (the only open space in the city) to the barrios where we were thronged by residents who became upset when we tried to leave; the most amazing parade whereby the tens of thousands of residents lined the streets to see the balloon rigs pass, our burners roaring; another launch from the college parking lot, flying straight through dense, acrid factory smog which obscured everything around us; an amazing evening at the “Science Museum” where a late dinner was served and our gracious hosts tried to humor some pretty tired pilots and crews; another launch from somewhere which carried us over the hogback mountains into the nicer areas, but the best landing site was the “landfill” where scrounging locals were quickly promoted to crew persons, since our chase vehicles couldn’t retrieve us; there is much more to recall, but nothing could surpass the unbelievable enthusiasm and kindness of everyone. Our hosts were outstanding and my sponsor, Carta Blanca, went to every extreme to insure that we were well-looked after and never thirsty.
In all, it was an experience neither I nor my crew will ever forget. We often laugh as we recount the tales, “...remember when...,” and although I don’t often see my fellow comrades from that period in my flying career, I think of them often and shall always honor our crazy flying days.
Lesley P. Davies
Avon, Colorado