42ND ANNUAL RED ROCK BALLOON RALLY 2023 Souvenir Program
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The view from below COUNTY LANDLUBBERS ENJOY BALLOON RALLY FROM THE GROUND By Holly J. Wagner Sun Correspondent
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he Red Rock Balloon Rally is a big deal every year, especially for the balloon enthusiasts who flock here from near and far
to participate. For them, any day aloft is a good day. But the rally is different for the ear thbound: those color ful balloons ha nging over the area like gigantic Christmas ornaments in the sky bring joy and signal the
12 Friday November 24, 2023 • Gallup Sun
real beginning of the holiday season and the winter chill to come. LOCAL PRAISE “W hen we’re h av i ng our ba lloon ra lly, for me, i t ’s , ‘ O h ye a h , i t ’s w i n ter time. Christmas is
coming,’” McKinley County Commissioner Robert Baca said. Baca went up in a hot air balloon for the first time last year. “After going up the first t i me, I’m s t i l l sc a red of heights, but it’s just awesome once you are up there…. As long as I don’t look down I’m good,” he said. McKinley County Com m is sioner Wa lt Eddy spends most of his time on rodeo s, but he love s t he Balloon Rally all the same. “Gallup needs the diversity of events. We can’t just be rodeo, rodeo, rodeo,” he said. “To get people out in Gallup on the weekends we need events. It used to kind of kick off the Christmas season and local retail Christmas shopping.” For lifetime Gallupians, the balloons may bring memories of school days. “[The] Ba lloon Ra lly is one of t hose event s t hat really connects the community -- there’s a buzz in the air Balloon Rally weekend in Ga llup, a long w ith the balloons, and everyone participates in some way,” gallupARTS Executive Director Rose Eason said. “When I was a teacher, we timed our fire drills to the balloon launch that Friday so we’d have an excuse to take the kids outside to watch the balloons fly past.” A COMMUNITY STAPLE Ga llupia ns believe ba lloons let ever yone get i n touch with their inner child. “Ever since being a kid, ever ybody enjoy s wat ching balloons. These are just bigger and more exciting,”
Gallup City Councilor Ron Molina said. You could say Molina has an ethereal connection to the rally: He’s been in the propane business for 44 years, so the rally is good for business. But he’s also scared of heights. “I’ve been in the gas business for 44 years. Between being in the gas business, knowing gas as well as I do, and [being] afraid of heights, I’m not about to get off the ground with a bottle of propane under my bottom,” he said. Molina grew up in Belen a nd remember s ba l loon s la nd i ng i n nea rby a l fa l fa fields when he was a child, before there was a Red Rock rally. “ T hey’d apolog i ze a nd vehicles would come and pick them up,” he said. “We didn’t realize at the time that it was such a special thing. It was a normal thing to wake up on a Saturday morning and see them.” He enjoys the ba lloons from the ground, sometimes pulling off the road to watch when he sees them flying or sharing the experience with his grandchildren. ALL-AGES APPEAL Children aren’t the only ones who love to see balloons lingering in the sky like so many sugar plums dancing before their eyes. “Gr a nt e d , out her e i n Ga l lup, New Mex ico, we already have gorgeous scenery. When the balloons are about a nd up it just adds more color to the scenery,” Pam Held, a veteran chase crew member and volunteer organizer for the Red Rock BALLOON RALLY
Balloon Rally Association, sa id. “People from ever ywhere ca n get toget her a nd not k now ea ch ot her really well and we all work t oget her a nd h ave a f u n weekend.” A fa m ily con nection pushed Cit y Cou ncilor Michael Schaaf to go up in a balloon. His brother, John, a longtime Gallup policeman, wa s involved in the ra lly through the 90s, before he retired and moved away. “A number of times he had me be a judge. They’d fly me out – they put out an X and people would have to fly by and drop a wooden block with their name on it,” Schaaf said. “The closest to the X won a prize.” In recent years Schaaf has been called away over rally weekend for school board training in Albuquerque, so he’s missed the rally. Others try to get out for the mass ascension every year. “It’s one of the premier events for the county. For BALLOON RALLY
the last couple of years, since COVID we’ve been one of the sponsors,” County Manager Anthony Dimas said. “Usually if I’m in town I go out to see the balloon lift. I think it’s a great event.” BOOSTING THE COMMUNITY One thing that’s sure to get a lift from the rally is the local economy. “The balloon rally has a big impact. It’s a great thing for the citizens. We get to see all these beautiful balloons and meet pilots from other areas. They come into town, they spend their money here,” Schaaf said. Ga l lup Tou r i s m a nd M a rket i ng M a n a ger M a t t Robinson ran the numbers from last year as an example. He found that the 13,000 people that at tended la st year’s rally pushed the area’s hotel occupancy rate for the weekend to about 56%. That’s roug h ly 2,600 hotel room nights, which accounts for nearly half of the estimated
Michael and John Schaaf pose for a photo back in the 2000s. As a police officer, John was often involved in the Red Rock Balloon Rally in the ‘90s, and he would make his brother Michael judge the rally’s competitions. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Michael Schaaf $1.014 million in direct impact the rally had on the local economy. Much of the rest was from food and beverage sales. “It does attract a healthy crowd. They have discretionary income, and they spend it here. It’s good for t he economy. They are a happy group and it’s a good bonding
time for all of them. In that respect, it lifts the spirits of the city a little bit,” Gallup BID Director Fra ncis Bee said. Bee credits the rally association and Gallup McKinley Cha mber of Com merce Executive Director Bill Lee for making each year more memorable.
“Bill does a very good job of being an ambassador for Gallup and McKinley County to these people who come in from out of town for the balloon rally,” Bee said. “Those people in turn can become goodwill ambassadors for Gallup themselves, because they came here and had a good experience.”
Gallup Sun • Friday November 24, 2023 13
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Ballooning strengthens a relationship ALBUQUERQUE COUPLE REFLECTS ON YEARS OF PILOTING By Molly Ann Howell Managing Editor
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his year at the Red Rock Balloon Rally there will be 124 hot air balloons floating among the red rocks at Red Rock Park, but there will also be one gas balloon. Peter Cuneo and Barbra Fricke will be the pilots flying the gas balloon. They’ve been together for nearly 40 years and flying for almost 35. GETTING INTO BALLOONS Fricke was the first one who became interested in ballooning. Before she retired, she worked as the Director of the Medical Technology Training Department at the University of New Mexico. One of her colleagues invited her out to go ballooning one day, and she was instantly hooked. But finding time for her new hobby proved to be difficult. Ballooning requires early morning wake up calls, and with a full-time job that can be near impossible. But when Fricke became the director of her department, she began setting her own hours, and was able to take a week off to volunteer for a pilot as a crew member. Fricke was soon assigned to a pilot from Las Cruces in 1982, and she became one of his crew members. After a couple of years, he began giving
her flying lessons. It was a slow process though, as the pilot was only able to give Fricke about one lesson a year. Soon after Fricke began taking lessons, the couple bought a used balloon in 1988. PATH TO PILOTING In an interview with the Sun, Cuneo said he initially wasn’t really interested in his partner’s new hobby, but he was willing to support her. “We were going to go 50/50 on it, and she was going to be the pilot on it and I was going to be the silent partner,” he explained. After buying the balloon, the next step was for Fricke to receive her pilot’s license. In order to get a pilot’s license you must go to ground school, where you get all the information needed to pass the written test that the Balloon Federation of America requires. Cuneo said that while he was watching Fricke go through ground school, he began to have a change of heart. “I said, ‘well geesh, I could do that, I’m an engineer, I can learn all the technical side of things and I still wouldn’t have to fly the balloon,’” Cuneo said. After ground school Fricke started taking flying lessons from another pilot in Rio Rancho and Cuneo decided to tag along. “I thought it would be a good BALLOON RALLY
idea to go along and protect my half of the investment and make sure nothing bad happened to [the balloon],” he said. Fricke received her private pilot’s license, and Cuneo soon followed suit. “Eventually I decided it wasn’t such a bad thing, and it’s grown on me since then,” he said. Fricke said her favorite part about ballooning is bringing new people up in the air. “I love taking new people up who get really excited about it,” she said. “Flying our crew is also wonderful, and I love giving them the chance, but for me it’s somewhat the adventure that it is, because you never know quite where you’re going to land or what exactly will happen at the landing site, because you’re at the mercy of the winds to take you someplace, and you can change the altitudes, you can try to get the right winds, but you’re still at the mercy of the wind to go where you’re going to go.” BR I NGI NG PEOPL E TOGETHER While discussing his favorite aspect of ballooning, Cuneo talked about the social aspect of the sport.
Barbra Fricke and Peter Cuneo have been together for about 40 years and flying for almost 35. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Peter Cuneo “You can take a plane and fly the whole thing solo and never see another person besides the person who’s refueling the plane, [but] ballooning is a much more social endeavor,” he explained. “It takes five or six people to get the balloon in
the air and then a chase truck to follow along underneath the balloon and a couple of passengers. It becomes a family.” Cuneo continued the airplane comparison by talking about the different experiences between the two modes
of transportation. “Maybe this is why RE/MAX has a balloon as their logo, but when you get up in the air you have time to very slowly observe everything that is beneath you since you’re going maybe three or five miles per hour as
opposed to 150 miles per hour in an airplane,” Cuneo said. “It’s a very different feeling, there’s no glass window between you and the outside world, there’s no vibration from the engine.” The couple goes to about eight balloon festivals a year with their gas balloon, and they say they have no plans of slowing down any time soon. D u r i n g t h i s ye a r ’s Albuquerque International Balloon Festival in October, the Fricke and Cuneo competed in the 66th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett race, otherwise known at the FAI World Long Distance Gas Balloon Championship. Na m e d a f t e r G o r d o n Bennett, who initiated the race in 1906, the race awards the balloonists who fly the longest distance. Fricke and Cuneo placed fifth in the competition, with a score of 1947.68 kilometers, or just over 1,200 miles. GOING WITH GAS The competitive trip lasted 66 hours, but the couple have spent much more time up in the air together. They said the most time they’ve ever spent is 72 hours. Their gas balloon allows them to do that.
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Unlike hot air balloons, which use propane to lift up into the air, gas balloons use helium or hydrogen. Hot air balloons also use colorful fabrics and a lightweight fabric. A gas balloon is usually white, and a heavier fabric. The balloons are also used
differently. Hot air balloons can only fly for a couple of hours and are usually used for entertainment and can usually hold up to 12 passengers. Although the gas balloons’ baskets are bigger than a hot air balloons, they are not typically used for entertainment purposes.
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Instead, since gas balloons can fly for longer amounts of time, they are often used to transport items or people. Fricke and Cuneo have traveled all over the U.S., Canada, and Europe. They said the long journeys are like “camping in the sky,” and they have to bring many supplies with them, including food, water, comfortable clothes, and a pot to use the bathroom. The gas balloon’s baskets are slightly bigger than a hot air balloon’s basket, which allows the couple to stretch their legs and get comfortable during long trips. BUILDING TRUST A 72-hour trip is a long time to be in a small space with someone. But Fricke said it hasn’t caused any problems in their relationship. “It definitely hasn’t harmed it at all,” she said. “It’s kind of neat to have done this all with Peter.” Traveling for that long requires excellent communication. A single person cannot fly a balloon for that length of time, and Cuneo said communication is key. “There’s definitely a joint decision-making process. We kind of have an understanding that when we’re in the air if either one of us says it’s time to get on the ground we don’t question it, we just get on the ground,” he said. “So there’s a lot of trust because half the time you’re sleeping and the other person is flying the balloon and you have to be able to relax enough to go to sleep. If you’re a control freak and you want to be flying the balloon all 72 hours that it’s up there, it’s not going to work out.” Cuneo believes he has the best partner to be taking on this adventure with. “I can’t imagine doing it with anybody else but Barbra,” he said.
Peter Cuneo and Barbra Fricke bought this gas balloon in 1988, and they've been flying it ever since. A gas balloon is different than a hot air balloon because it uses hydrogen or helium instead of propane. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Peter Cuneo BALLOON RALLY
Full of hot air BALLOON RALLY CHASE CREWS HELP GIVE PILOTS A LIFT By Holly J. Wagner Sun Correspondent
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t’s said that you have to walk before you can run. Very few people learn to fly when they’re still learning to walk. But that’s how it was for longtime Red Rock Balloon Rally committee member Pam Held. “I’ve been with the rally for 41 years. I’m only 44,” she said, explaining that her mother worked on balloon chase crews when she was a baby and brought her along. “When I started walking, I became involved in holding things. I’ve been around since I was very small.” These days she spends most of her time on the ground, helping to coordinate the rally and especially the volunteer crew members who help pilots get their balloons off the ground. Ballooning is a group project. Balloons generally fi ll up a trailer or truck bed for transport. On site they have to be unloaded, have their gondolas put together and their envelopes spread out and inflated (that’s balloonist speak for puffing up the pretty, floaty part). Four or five crew members are an essential part of this project. “We don’t fi ll a balloon, we inflate it,” Held corrected. “It’s just a large envelope and we kind of blow air into it. Once the envelope has been filled to the pilot’s desired fill, we heat the air up and with hot air, it rises. It’s just kind of a contained bubble of hot air that rises.” Setup generally takes 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how many people are helping. “The envelope and the basket are quite heavy,” Held said. “More hands makes for light BALLOON RALLY
Peter Procopio’s stepdaughter Marissa Myers mans the burner that heats air to get a balloon aloft as crew member Gabrielle Browder holds the balloon’s cables. Myers is a veteran Red Rock Balloon Rally crew member and took her first turn piloting a balloon at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in October. Photo Credit: Peter Procopio
vertical. That’s when the real fun begins. “Once all that is set and done and the balloon is up, those who want to ride can go for a ride,” Held said. “Sometimes the pilots fly a little way and then set down and change out passengers. Those in the basket will get out and those in the chase car will get in.” The chase crews follow the balloons until the pilots are ready to come down, then they help pack everything up and get it back into the trailer. “We take volunteers all the way up until the morning of our fl ights. Even if they don’t call me in advance, they are invited to come out to the park and say
work. We all work as a team to take everything out of the trailer [and] spread out the envelope. We all help hold the throat open so the air can blow in.” TAKING FLIGHT How hot does the balloon air have to get? Rally founder Peter Procopio explained: “Flight of a hot air balloon is achieved by heating the air in the envelope until the heated air in the balloon is lighter than the ambient temperature. The point at which this is achieved is called equilibrium and varies with the outside air temperature. The colder the ambient air, the lower the balloon temperature needs to be to achieve equilibrium,” he said. The balloon is filled with cold air with the use of an inflation fan, which is placed at the throat of the balloon and operated by a crew member. Once the balloon envelope is fully packed with air, the pilot fires the burner to heat the air, causing the envelope to stand Gallup Sun • Friday November 24, 2023 19
they want to be in a chase crew,” Held said. “I will always have pilots that would like to have somebody help them.” No s peci a l sk i l l s a re required to be a part of a chase crew.
“Just being able to follow instructions is enough,” Held said. The rally association only asks that volunteers who are under the age of 18 be with a legal guardian.
Of course, one of the perks of working a chase crew is the likelihood that you’ll get a balloon ride. “I always let people know, it’s a good chance of getting a balloon ride,” Held said. “You get
to meet people from different areas and you get to see your own backyard from a different perspective.” What’s the view like from up there? “It’s a unique way to go rock
climbing,” Held said. For information on the rally or to volunteer for a chase crew, see the rally association’s website at https://redrockballoonrally. com.
Welcome Participants & Spectators to the 42nd Red Rock Balloon Rally
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BALLOON RALLY
Let your dreams take flight RAINBOW RYDERS OFFERING HOT AIR BALLOON RIDES AT BALLOON RALLY By Molly Ann Howell Managing Editor
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or 41 years, only balloon pilots and sponsors of the Red Rock Balloon Rally were allowed to go up in the air during the Red Rock Balloon Rally. But this year, thanks to a partnership with Rainbow Ryders, the general public will get a chance to be among the 125 registered pilots and their balloons during the mass ascensions in the early mornings. Rainbow Ryders is the largest hot air balloon company in the U.S. They serve the Southwest region, flying both commercially and for corporate promotions in Albuquerque, Phoeni x, Scottsda le, a nd Colorado Springs. The company’s founder and president Scot Appleman fell in love with balloons when his parents took him to the first Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 50 years ago. He got his pilot’s license in the early ‘80s and started flying recreationally, and then turned ballooning into a career. “ I n e v e r wou ld h a v e expected it to do what it’s done, in a good way, but I’m very blessed and very lucky to have my hobby as my career,” Appleman said. Nowadays, the company helps about 10,000 people a year cross something off their bucket list. “Flying in a hot air balloon is a bucket list experience, without a doubt, and we’ve really seen a lot of that after COVID where everybody just wants to get things checked off their bucket lists,” Appleman said. “Flying in the Red Rock Park is simply magnificent. It is just BALLOON RALLY
Rainbow Ryders is the largest hot air balloon company in the U.S. They serve the Southwest region, flying both commercially and for corporate promotions in Albuquerque, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Colorado Springs. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Rainbow Ryders beautiful.” FEES AND GUIDELINES Rainbow Ryders’s flights during the rally will cost $395 per person. Each ride is about 45-60 minutes, but people will need to carve out about three and a half hours in the morning for the whole experience, including boarding the balloon and traveling back to their cars. The mass ascensions are at 7:30 am each morning of the rally. A balloon ride is limited to 4-12 people each trip. People can request a private ride, which can be done with two or three people, but that will cost $500 per person. The other rides are considered “shared rides,” and multiple groups will be flying together. Appleman said he expects his pilots will give 40-50 people a ride each day of the rally. The hot air balloon enthusiast said his favorite part about his hobby-turned-job is exposing people to the activity of ballooning.
“They’ll come up, about 70% of people say they’re afraid of heights, and then five minutes into the fl ight they’re going ‘oh, well this isn’t too bad, I can do this,’” Appleman said. “I think being able to provide the experience and allow people to face personal challenges or to just enjoy the true feeling of floating in the air, that’s what ballooning is all about. Watching people’s smiles and watching how they react after their balloon ride is probably my favorite part.” To make a reservation with Rainbow Ryders for the Red Rock Balloon Rally, visit the company’s website at rainbowryders.com.
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The anatomy of a hot air balloon Staff Reports
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Gores
Envelope
n New Mexico, the sight of a hot air balloon is common. But not everyone knows what parts make up this iconic vehicle. There are three main parts of a hot air balloon, and they all work together to create an amazing flying machine. THE ENVELOPE The first part of a hot air balloon is the envelope. This is the “balloon” part of a hot air balloon. The envelope, also known as the canopy or kapok, encloses all the other parts and helps the vehicle get off the ground. It has several different layers which serve multiple purposes: • Inner liner - This thin layer protects passengers from getting burned by embers that escape from the burner during flight • Beaded netting or skirt - This layer holds in heated air after it leaves the burners, creating an inflatable shape • Outer shell - This outermost layer prevents heat loss while providing protection against environmental factors such as water and ultraviolet light damage Envelopes are typically made
of nylon and coated with a fireproof material such as Kevlar or Nomex. This ensures that if a fire does break out, it will not spread quickly or burn through the envelope. The top of the balloon is held in place by a hoop of flexible fabric called the crown. This is the part that often has fun designs and colors, which adds to the beauty of a hot air balloon. T H E B A SK ET OR GONDOLA The second part of a hot air balloon is the basket or gondola. This is where passengers stand and supplies are stored. Typically, hot air balloon baskets are made of steel or aluminum alloy to ensure that they are lightweight while sitll being able to hold large numbers of passengers. The parts of the gondola include: • Pilot seat - This is where the pilot sits to control the direction of flight • Passenger seats - These are used to transport people sitting down • Supply area - This is where supplies or luggage can be stored during flight • Fuel tanks - These tanks
Skirt
Burners
Propane tanks
Gondola or basket
There are three main parts of a hot air balloon: the envelope, the basket, and the burners.
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carry propane or natural gas which is used to power the burners. The number of fuel tanks a hot air balloon has will vary depending on size, but each balloon must have at least two • Sand bags - These bags prevent the balloon from tipping over and helps it maintain balance under certain weather conditions THE BURNERS Lastly, the third part of a hot air balloon is the burners. Without a way to heat up the air inside of the envelope, a hot air balloon
wouldn’t fly. The parts of a burner include: • Fuel container - This is where the propane or natural gas is stored during flight • Ignition switch - The pilot uses this switch to start the burner • Chamber - Air is forced through here, where it is heated and released to create a strong burst of hot air • Valve - This part controls how much propane enters the chamber • Combustion chamber This part ensures that the fuel
does not explode, but instead burns in a controlled way Burner parts are typically made out of stainless steel to prevent rust from forming due to the humidity and rain that can get trapped inside of the basket during flight. Usually, the burner or burners point directly into the mouth of the envelope to ensure that hot air is released as quickly as possible. On average, most burners produce around 400,000 British Thermal Units of heat. This is equivalent to around 148,000 watts of energy. BALLOON RALLY
42nd Annual Red Rock Balloon Rally schedule THURSD AY, NOV. 30 6:00 pm - Butler’s Office Supply - Sponsor & Pilot Registration at Sammy C’s Rock N’ Sports Pub & Grille FRIDAY, DEC. 1 - LAM CORPORATION DAY 7:30 am - iHeart Media/ Castle Fur niture - Mass Ascension at Fox Run Golf Course and Red Rock Park 6:30 pm - Cedar & Ivy Real Estate - Glow in the Rocks at Red Rock Park 6:30 pm - McKinley County Indian Dances at Red Rock Park 7:30 pm - Four Corners Welding and Gas Supply Pilot Registration at Sammy C’s Rock N’ Sports Pub & Grille Richardson Trading Post Pilot Appreciation Sponsor Fa m i ly Med ici ne Associates Platinum Sponsor S AT U R DAY, DEC. 2 SUPERSMITH INC. DAY 6:30 am - Amigo Automotive Group Dawn Patrol at Red Rock Park 7:30 am - Rocket Cafe/Equipment Share - Mass Ascension at Red Rock Park 8:30 am - Pinnacle Bank/ Rico Motor Co. - Pyramid Rock Run at Red Rock Park 6:30 pm - Gallup Eye Group/ Rio West Mall - Balloominaria at Rio West Mall Rico Auto Complex/Earl’s Restaurant Pilot Pack Sponsor Jerry’s Cafe/Thunderbird Supply Company Platinum Sponsors SUNDAY, DEC. 3 - SONIC DRIVE IN DAY 6 : 3 0 a m - Hor izon BALLOON RALLY
Ent er pr i se s Plu mbi ng & Heating - Dawn Patrol at Red Rock Park 7:30 am - Sammy C’s Rock N’ Sports Pub & Grille - Mass Ascension at Red Rock Park 10:00 am - New Mexico Gas. Co - Awards Brunch and Auction at Red Rock Park Big Mike’s Equipment Rental Platinum Sponsor Perry Null Trading Company Pilot Appreciation Sponsor Mass balloon ascensions are scheduled daily at Red Rock Park and other select locations. “Special shape” balloons from around the
there is an incredible brunch and auction featuring the area’s beautiful Native American art and other great items and prizes. Additional festivities during the three days include: Native American jewelry and art vendors; Native American dance performances (as Gallup is in close proximity to the Navajo reservation, and the pueblos of Zuni, Laguna and Acoma); a parade in downtown Gallup; an art show; and nightly balloon glows. The city of Gallup also has a wide variety of restaurants, galleries, museums and other attractions for visitors to enjoy.
count r y , including Red Rock Balloon Rally’s very own Koshare Gallup, will participate in the rally. On Su nday mor n ing following the fl ight Gallup Sun • Friday November 24, 2023 23
42nd Annual
Red Rock Balloon Rally December 1-3, 2023 New Mexico's Premier Ballooning event since 1981
Admission is FREE to all events!
(with a small $5.00 parking fee for each event at Red Rock Park)
redrockballoonrally.com