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I just got back from the annual Reno Balloon Race. What an awesome event. Last year was my first visit and thoroughly enjoyed it so I decided to return this year. And I was not disappointed!

While getting up at 3:30am is painful, once you are out on the field among all the activity and spectacular colors, the horrors of that alarm clock are quickly forgotten.

The event starts with a Glow Show, where several balloon are inflated in the pitch black. The burners light up the inside of the balloon like a lightbulb, providing a spectacular view. Then there is the Dawn Patrol where a few of the balloons ascend in the dark. Apparently you need a special license for this so there are only a few balloon that go up at this time.

The shot below is of one of those early risers that had drifted off towards the rising sun. In between bursts of the burners, I liked how it silhouetted against the sky with the hills forming an interesting line along the bottom of the frame. Whil eI realize this shot contrasts what I have just been saying about the spectacular colors of the balloons, I find this shot portrays the sense of peace and quiet that hot air balloons seem to exude. There is no sound other than the odd “whoosh” of the burner. It’s very peaceful.

Colorful Reflections

Last year I had seen some pictures of balloons reflected in water and I was determined to find out where those had been taken. Turns out there is a pond nearby that provides the perfect mirror-like effect, if the conditions are right! When I got there, there was a family of ducks floating around, seriously disturbing the water, causing more ripples than one can imagine and totally destroying any chance of nice still water for reflections! I seriously debated whether or not to go and fling a few rocks in their general direction to scare them off, but thought better of it. I do like animals and the poor ducks were just doing what ducks do. However, no sooner had I resigned myself to the idea of no reflections when the ducks upped and left, leaving the pond to settle into a glass-like state.

Colors Galore

So here is the shot with the colors I was alluding to earlier. Just spectacular reds, greens, blues, golds and purples.

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One word to express this event  . . . . WOW!

What an explosion of color! Such apparent chaos when 100 balloons are inflated for a mass ascension! You just do not know where to look, with every new balloon filling up, new wonder and excitement.

All this from someone who had never heard the term “Balloon Glow” before. Well, if you have not either, this is what it looks like:

Taken at 5:30 am. A small number of balloons ascend in the dark, synchronized to music that is being piped through a PA. Only a few pilots are licensed to go up in the dark, so this early morning event typically only has 4 or 5 balloons as you can see here. Then, when they go up, they light up upon count-downs.

So beautiful and such a stark contrast against the black sky.

Then, after these balloons have gone up, chaos erupts on the fields. No less than 100 balloons are inflated. Each is brought onto the field in a truck and trailer combo, then laid out and inflated with cold air. A balloon stretched out on the ground is about the size of a basketball field, so quite some real estate is needed to accommodate 100 balloons.

As they are inflated, the air inside is heated up and they ascend. What a sight! It takes about an hour for all to get ready and start floating upwards. Here is a scene that hopefully depicts that chaos. There are balloons EVERYWHERE!

Such colorful and peaceful sight.

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