The first balloon of the first Mass Ascension of the 2011 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
A marachi band plays on Main Street at Balloon Fiesta Park as the first balloons take to the sky.
The crew of the "HighLee LikeLee" of Gallup, New Mexico prepare for launch.
Bill Noe, the second pilot of the "HighLee LikeLee" is ready to roll. Bill himself is a owner of another Gallup based balloon, the "Up to Noe Good".
Liftoff as Bill Noe waves to the crowd.
The "HighLee LikeLee" takes to the skies.
Albuquerque Sunrise: October 1, 2011.
Proposal from the air...
Ant's View of the Fiesta.
Soaring through the "Albuquerque Box", a weather condition where it is possible for balloonists to go North, then South, and back North again.
View of the inflating balloons and the crowd surrounding them.
Even the balloon's approve of the event.
It's a Bird! It's a Plane... It's Neither!
Hot air versus Helium...
Test Fire.
Ant's Eyed View
"Panda Xpress"
Another try for the shot from last year, Seen Here
Arguably, the most popular ballon of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the Darth Vader Balloon from Belgium
Small Girl visting the Fiesta runs through the balloons
In flight.
Collision? No... Perspective? Yes...
"Spiderpig... Spiderpig... Does whatever a Spiderpig does! Can he swing, from a web? No, He can't, He's a pig! Look out, he is a Spiderpig!"
New special shape for 2011
The photographer and his girlfriend. Ashtin Diehl photo
Raising another balloon.
Between the American and New Mexican Flag, a flight crew prepares to launch their balloon.
