Healthy Living and Travel Tips

Be Healthy at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

The Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is in full swing this week in Albuquerque, NM–the other mile high city.  Ballooning is a healthy sport undertaken in the wee hours of the mornings and late afternoons so if you want to stay healthy, layer your clothing, carry a jacket and wear a hat.  In October the mornings are chilly around 44 degrees but by mid-afternoon the temperatures will be around 71 degrees.  The hat will keep your ears warm but it is also a great collection place for one of the many balloon pins that can be purchased and worn proudly as a souvenir of your visit.  And one more thing, while the port-a-potties do have sanitizing gel dispensers, it’s also best to bring some of your own because the crowds are expected to be several hundred thousand this year.

There’s a wonderful tradition of arriving at the launch field about 5:00am and having a breakfast burrito from one of 40 food vendors.  But if you are new to the Albuquerque scene or simply a traveler to the Fiesta for the first time, please have your red, green or Christmas chile on the side as the “heat” can be overwhelming.  Varieties of the pepper grown in New Mexico tend to be hotter than those grown in California so be careful.  The mature red ones tend to be hotter than the green but this also depends on the season so we highly recommend having it on the side until you build up your tolerance.  

What do we mean by red, green or Christmas chile?  Well it’s not the Chilli con carne (made with meat and beans) that many of you might have grown up eating.  New Mexico’s chile is actually an Anaheim pepper (also known as a Hatch pepper after the town of Hatch, NM).  It is often stewed in water and/or lard until fully broken down into a sauce.  Red and green chiles are medium-hot peppers that are a major feature of Southwestern cooking and New Mexicans put this stuff on almost everything.  Green chiles are not fully ripened while the red ones are and by Christmas we mean that you want BOTH with your meal. 

You may have seen 1-4 feet dried, red pepper chains strung to make decorative wall hangings or ristras in books and magazines about the Southwest.  Well, if you visit Albuquerque, chile ristras can be found just about everywhere.

Chile as the locals know is also very addicting.  Here’s an excerpt from Allrecipes.com about the New Mexico Green Chile Breakfast Burrito:

“Hatch green chile from New Mexico may be the most addictive substance on Earth.  At the famed Chicago Dog in Santa Fe, NM they will line up in a blizzard to get their variation of this recipe.  Dozens of local Santa Fe eateries, stands, gas stations and taco trucks make their own variation.  This may be on the Heart Association hit list, but you will die with a smile on your face.”

Please check out the breakfast burrito recipe made with potatoes, green chile, bacon, eggs and cheese at Allrecipes.com.  It may not be the healthiest but it certainly is tasty.

Getting back to the Balloon Fiesta – it’s held the first full weekend through the 2^nd full weekend each October at Balloon Fiesta Park located on the north side of town.  Anywhere from 500-800 balloons participate in the many activities including Mass Ascensions, tethered Balloon Glowdeos, Gas Balloon Races and the Special Shapes Rodeo.  There is also an Art Show, a Car Show, Chain Saw Carving, Fireworks, the Anderson-Abruzzo Balloon Museum and the Annual Quilt Raffle to keep you busy between the morning and afternoon launches.

People begin arriving in Albuquerque in cars and RV’s the week before this even and almost all planes into the Sunport and most hotels are typically full this time of year so sort out your transportation and lodging early to keep your wallet healthy.  Traffic can be heavy for this event, so keep your mind healthy and avoid the crush of cars by using the Fiesta Express Park and Ride Service to be delivered just outside the gates.  Or use the Rail Runner Express where you can save $5 per ticket by purchasing early online.  So check out all the festivities and enjoy healthy Ballooning the Albuquerque way.