From 2010 (YouTube Version): ANN Got Up EVERY Morning at 0400 To Bring This Coverage To You -- SO YOU BETTER WATCH IT (Grin)

It was one of the finest weeks I can recall in many moons... as our ANN/Aero-TV crew braved early morning wake-up calls to enjoy the very best of the 2010 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta experience... and we had a seriously good time.

We flew, we chased, we spent a LOT of time with hundreds of balloonatics and we truly got in touch with the true magic that makes sport ballooning one the most amazing past-times on/over Earth.

The 39th Balloon Fiesta featured 500 registered hot air and gas balloons and 650 balloon pilots representing 17 countries and 39 states.

Registered pilots from 17 countries include Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

Topping the list of states contributing the most pilots is New Mexico with 177 pilots, followed by Texas (40 pilots), Arizona (26 pilots), Colorado (25 pilots), California (22 pilots), Illinois (14 pilots), Florida (11 pilots), Missouri (10 pilots), rounding out the top ten are Indiana and Kentucky with 9 pilots from their respective states.

New Mexico is the state that boasts the largest number of balloon pilots and is home to almost 200 balloons. Pilots from around the world thrive in Albuquerque’s unique fall weather and take advantage of the “box” – a combination of upper and lower-level winds created by the Rio Grande Valley and enhanced by the Sandia Mountains.

The box enables balloonists to sometimes backtrack their flight path and land close to their launch site. 

Please join ANN and Aero-TV for the first of several dozen amazing programs shot and researched on and over the cool terrain of Albuquerque, New Mexico... which we assure you that for one week each year is easily the most uplifting place on the planet.

FMI: www.balloonfiesta.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews