Bad Start to Spring Break Road Trip, March 2021, Part 2

Stranded with a vehicle electrical problem in Albuquerque, at least I had my Kindle Reader and other reading materiel to occupy some of my time, especially at night, when I had to stay in my vehicle.

I had a full day in Albuquerque on Sunday and I needed to find something to do.  I checked a map application on my phone, looking for some place within walking distance to visit.  I noted a number of places of interest, but most were long walks there and back.  I suppose I could have called a Taxi, but I needed exercise, so I looked for places not excessively far away.

I found a “Wildflower Park” on the map not too far away, so I headed there.  The park was much smaller than I expected and there were no wildflowers.  Most of the trees were still barren, too.  There was a small group of several people flying a drone around the park and a lady walking her dog.

I walked to the far side of the park, crossed a bridge over a drainage canal and checked my map app again.  I found a hot air balloon park on the map not too far away.  Rather than walk back through the park, the way the map directions suggested, I walked along the canal, since it appeared that could get to another street and a shorter route to the balloon park that way.  When I got near the street of my destination, there were high fences on my side of the canal.  I had to cross the canal to get to the street.  The sides of the concrete canal were steep, but there was no water in the canal and there were iron loops set into the concrete where I crossed, which I suspect are there for emergency egress from the canal.  I did not need to use those bars to walk down into the canal nor up the other side.

After a short walk, I got to the edge of the balloon park, with metal bar gates across the street entrances from my side of the park.  I could either go around the ends of the barrier or step over from where I stood, so I stepped over and walked along a dirt path beside a fence until I came to a street and I could see a large building in the distance, which turned out to be the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum.

I paid the nominal entrance fee and went inside, wearing my mask as required.  There were interesting exhibits, photographs and much information about the history of hot air ballooning in this museum.

I used my iPhone to capture some of the more interesting and easily photographed items.  There were many large displays that did not lend themselves to being easily photographed.

I captured my reflection in a number of the photos, such as the one above, but I cropped my head off in the post processing.

In the early days of hot air ballooning, entrepreneurs used them to provide entertainment, as depicted in the poster above with the young lady in the swing hanging from the bottom of the balloon basket.  She seems rather scantily clad for that era.

I have to wonder, if the poster above is realistic or just a come on.  The parachute seems rather small and hanging onto that small handle with one hand, while dropping from 8000 feet seems rather risky.  Better have a good grip and no sweaty palms.

This display contains one of the actual swings used in these balloon trapeze acts.  It looks rather small, too.

When I finished my tour of the balloon museum, I walked back to the Tin Can Alley food court, where I had a late lunch, early dinner BBQ sandwich and a couple of pale ale draft beers, then I went back to my vehicle for the remainder of the day.

To be continued,

Ken