Balloon Ride in NM, recommendations?

Brad Z

Brad Z

Final Approach
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Brad Z
Greetings y’all!

Taking the wife and son for a mini vacation to New Mexico the first 5 days of November. I was thinking about squeezing in a balloon ride on the second or last day. I know there a few major ride operators (Rainbow Ryders) with large capacity baskets, but was hoping to do smaller operation. Any recommendations? Also, this time of year, is the weather pretty consistent for morning flights? We won’t have a lot of flexibility for rescheduling so a refundable cancellation policy is preferred.

Looking forward to flight at 0 IAS without the assistance of an overhead eggbeater.

Also, bonus recommendations on things to do and see in NM are appreciated. We’re planning the normal loop of White Sands, Taos, Santa Fe, maybe Los Alamos, Sandia Mountain, but open to other suggestions for a 92 hour trip around the state.
 
Don't do it. It's terrifying.

Scared the living hell out of me.

All the while my pita wife is singing "Up Up and Awayyyy..."

She thought it was hilarious that I was white knuckled and almost pi*"*ing my pants.

Some days I hate her.

Never have this issue in an airplane.
 
If you're headed up towards Taos, I also recommend visiting Abiquiu. Taos also has the Rio Grande Gorge bridge, which I was unprepared for. Abiquiu is where Georgia O'Keefe made all her landscapes. They filmed portions of Oppenheimer at Ghost Ranch just north of there. The Cumbres and Toltec railroad is shut down for the year, but it was a cool ride if you go back. The Brazos Cliffs are a sight, even from afar. Abiquiu inn has great food and is a really nice place to spend the night

The pictures were all taken while I was driving this year, so some of the natural beauty is lost. I go to that area every year elk hunting. Have yet to spend much time in Albuquerque or Santa Fe. The one time I flew into ABQ we wanted to take the tram, but it wasn't going for whatever reason

The Oppenheimer home is on the list. El Mapais monument is in Grants and you can visit @Zeldman. But a little far west.

Bandelier national monument is also very high on my list of things to see. I'm always elk hunting north of Abiquiu, South of Chama and never get the chance to venture south to see some of those things.

It really is an underrated part of the country. IMG_20240916_150549820.jpgIMG_20240916_150528670_HDR.jpgIMG_20240924_151908414.jpgIMG_20240914_093449033.jpg
 
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Lndwarrior said:
Don't do it. It's terrifying.

Scared the living hell out of me.

All the while my pita wife is singing "Up Up and Awayyyy..."

She thought it was hilarious that I was white knuckled and almost pi*"*ing my pants.

Some days I hate her.

Never have this issue in an airplane.
Click to expand...
You got me worried now; I get knots in my stomach watching aerial tower climbing videos.
 
Racerx said:
If you're headed up towards Taos, I also recommend visiting Abiquiu. Taos also has the Rio Grande Gorge bridge, which I was unprepared for. Abiquiu is where Georgia O'Keefe made all her landscapes. They filmed portions of Oppenheimer at Ghost Ranch just north of there. The Cumbres and Toltec railroad is shut down for the year, but it was a cool ride if you go back. The Brazos Cliffs are a sight, even from afar. Abiquiu inn has great food and is a really nice place to spend the night

The pictures were all taken while I was driving this year, so some of the natural beauty is lost. I go to that area every year elk hunting. Have yet to spend much time in Albuquerque or Santa Fe. The one time I flew into ABQ we wanted to take the tram, but it wasn't going for whatever reason

The Oppenheimer home is on the list. El Mapais monument is in Grants and you can visit @Zeldman. But a little far west.

Bandelier national monument is also very high on my list of things to see. I'm always elk hunting north of Abiquiu, South of Chama and never get the chance to venture south to see some of those things.

It really is an underrated part of the country. View attachment 134565View attachment 134566View attachment 134567View attachment 134568
Click to expand...
Great recs, thanks. The Gorge Bridge is on my radar, will definitely check that out.
 
Gorge Bridge is cool. Rainbow riders is who we used. For more cash, they do smaller lifts/baskets.
Really enjoyed the rafting down the Rio. Not sure if this is done year around.

Lots of great hiking there. And plenty to eat.

Tim
 
Brad Z said:
Greetings y’all!

Taking the wife and son for a mini vacation to New Mexico the first 5 days of November. I was thinking about squeezing in a balloon ride on the second or last day. I know there a few major ride operators (Rainbow Ryders) with large capacity baskets, but was hoping to do smaller operation. Any recommendations? Also, this time of year, is the weather pretty consistent for morning flights? We won’t have a lot of flexibility for rescheduling so a refundable cancellation policy is preferred.

Looking forward to flight at 0 IAS without the assistance of an overhead eggbeater.

Also, bonus recommendations on things to do and see in NM are appreciated. We’re planning the normal loop of White Sands, Taos, Santa Fe, maybe Los Alamos, Sandia Mountain, but open to other suggestions for a 92 hour trip around the state.
Click to expand...
I recommend you save White Sands for another trip, as it will waste a lot of your precious time.
Places I love:
- Ghost ranch (and sunset hike to Chimney Rock)
- Rio Grande gorge bridge west of Taos
- High road from SF to Taos, with stops at 2-3 missions
- Bandelier NM
- Valles Caldera NM
- Overlook park in White Rock
- SF mexican restaurants + Paper Dosa
 
White Sands Missile Range Museum is interesting, with V2 and many US rockets. Here’s my photo of the museum’s German computer for rocket launch planning - much bigger than an E6B:

1729890915208.png
 
modes_of_transportation.png
 
No reason to go up to Los Alamos. The Natl lab tours only happen twice per year, and there's little or nothing to see if you just drive through. However, it's a nice drive into the Jemez mtns, but there are a lot of nice drives in NM. Taos - is a spithole. Noisy, dusty, commercial, and expensive. Another place to avoid. Santa Fe is a relatively nice town, but nothing much to see or do there. White Sands missile museum is great for engineers but 'normal' people will be bored quickly. There are a few decent wineries in the area if you like to sample that. Also some gambling establishments in that area for the players.

Most of NM is stark, and inhospitable. I have land and a cabin N of Taos, and also way down south near Cloudcroft. If you want an adventure, contact the White Sands soaring society in Alamogordo. They have two place sailplanes and offer glider rides along the western ridge of the lower Sacramento Mtns. Cloudcroft east of Alamogordo is a cute little town up at 8400', plenty of hiking, and there's elk hunting depending on the time of year. You're going to be driving a LOT, and very little of it on interstates. Stop and fill the gas tank often.
 
Brad Z said:
Also, bonus recommendations on things to do and see in NM are appreciated. We’re planning the normal loop of White Sands, Taos, Santa Fe, maybe Los Alamos, Sandia Mountain, but open to other suggestions for a 92 hour trip around the state.
Click to expand...
Take Highway 550 north from Bernalillo, and then NM4 through Jemez Springs to travel the "back way" to Los Alamos, or do the reverse coming from Santa Fe. You'll skirt the huge Valles Caldera dormant volcano on the way, it's a natural wonder that's beautiful in the fall.
 
Definitely do the balloon ride and find a smaller basket. I am terrified of falling (not exactly heights, mostly you won’t catch me enjoying the view from the edge of a cliff or top of a ladder). I loved the balloon ride I went on with a few family members. Bring your logbook. I didn’t have mine but the pilot said he could have signed our flight as instruction. There is no CFI-balloon, so any CPL-balloon can give flight instruction.
 
Probably too late but thought I’d put this out there. Check the notams at Taos. They are frequently out of avgas
 
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