Fiesta fizzles as last ascension canceled
Posted at: 10/11/2009 7:00 AM
| Updated at: 10/12/2009 7:26 AM
By: Valerie Castro, Eyewitness News 4; Charlie Pabst, KOB.com
A balloon crew packs up after Sunday's mass ascension was canceled due to unpredictable winds.
Thousands of people still made their way to the park, hoping to see the farewell mass ascension.
It was a disappointing end to this year's Balloon Fiesta -- some people who were already up decided to stay and shop the vendors, while others decided just to go back to bed.
The decision was made at the early morning pilot's meeting: No farewell mass ascension for the last day of Balloon Fiesta.
Visitor Sarah Wilson said, "Well, we got up this morning to come out and see the balloons, but we're sad to see that they're not going to go up today-- but it's still pretty out here."
For many who came to watch, it wasn't their first visit to see the balloons that have been filling the Albuquerque sky for most of the week, but for others who were hoping the last day would be a go, it was truly a letdown.
First-time fiesta-goer Manuel Molina said, "First time, and may be my last time. I'm so depressed."
Albuquerque resident Marc Ahlen said the cancellation was, "Definitely disappointing. We've got a guest from out of town who, she had a sick child, and today was the first day that everybody was well. So it was a little disappointing to come here and not be able to see the balloons go up."
After the field was left mostly empty, some in the crowd still hung around, giving vendors some last-minute business, while others decided it was time to go home.
Wilson said, "We'll probably just hang out all day."
Ahlen, who was going to try to make the most of the day, said, "We'll probably stick around for a little while, until her baby gets tired of it and then we'll go home."
Others were headed back to bed.
"We're probably going to sleep in, go back and sleep," Molina said.
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