From a Bucket List Dream to Reality: Our Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Adventure! 🎈

Ever since I started volunteering at the Plano Balloon Festival and listening to all the amazing stories from the balloon pilots, it became a bucket-list dream of mine to experience the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta for myself. Hearing about the incredible number of balloons, the breathtaking morning ascensions, and the unforgettable atmosphere made me want to see it all with my own eyes someday. And guess what?! This October, we finally made it happen! While this trip was originally supposed to be a 30th birthday adventure, Mom and I eventually decided, “Why wait? Life is too short!” And honestly, I couldn’t agree more. Sometimes you just have to take the trip, make the memories, and enjoy the adventure while you can instead of waiting for the perfect occasion. Originally, Mom’s boyfriend, Ed Dees, was supposed to join us. However, after a recent medical emergency scare and with his daughter’s wedding coming up around the corner, he decided it was probably best not to make the trip. Which meant one thing… GIRLS’ ROAD TRIP!

Tuesday morning, Mom and I packed up the car, hit the road, and officially began our adventure toward New Mexico! Now, I’m not going to lie, a good chunk of that drive consisted of flat land, dust, and more flat land. But hey, we were on an adventure, and sometimes the journey is just as memorable as the destination! Our first stop was Bowie, Texas, where we got to see the WORLD’S LARGEST BOWIE KNIFE! Naturally, I couldn’t resist having a little fun with AI and creating photos of Mom and I getting “stabbed” by the giant knife. Because why settle for a normal tourist picture when you can turn it into a crime scene?! After getting our ridiculous pictures, we continued toward Amarillo, where we checked into our first Airbnb. The house had a really cool artistic vibe, and it was a nice place to settle into for the night. The only downside? The toilet was so short that every time you sat down, you practically felt like you were falling into a hole! I swear, I wasn’t prepared for that kind of experience. Who knew a toilet could become one of the highlights of a road trip story?! Later that evening, we made a quick Walmart run to pick up a few things before heading out to Slugbug Ranch, where we got to spray-paint old cars covered in colorful graffiti. Nothing like legally vandalizing old vehicles for the sake of art and memories! After we finished exploring and adding our own little touches to the cars, we headed back to the Airbnb, heated up our frozen pizzas, and called it dinner. Honestly, after a long day of driving, exploring, and making stops along the way, a cheap pizza and a comfortable place to put your feet up were exactly what we needed. It was a simple first night, but our adventure was officially underway! Wednesday morning, we were back at it! We headed over to Cadillac Ranch, another one of those quirky roadside attractions where visitors can leave their mark by spray-painting the famous row of partially buried Cadillacs. Naturally, we couldn’t resist adding a little more color to our collection of road trip memories! After that, we hit the road again and continued toward Belen, New Mexico, where our next Airbnb awaited us. And for all you Breaking Bad fans out there, we even stopped at the Owl Cafe, a filming location associated with the show, along the way! We were squeezing in the sightseeing wherever we could. After all, if you’re going to make a road trip out of it, you might as well enjoy a few extra stops! By the time we finally arrived at our Airbnb in Belen, we were absolutely wiped out. Between the long drive, all the exploring, and the stops along the way, we were more than ready to unpack, relax, and recharge before the big Balloon Fiesta adventures began. Little did we know that our Airbnb would soon become the setting for one of the funniest and most unexpected moments of the entire trip!

Thursday brought some company! Our friends Jeff and Tracey arrived in their RV to join us for part of the adventure. They got settled in, set up their Starlink for Wi-Fi, and before long, the conversation took a funny turn. They casually asked me, “Isn’t it your birthday?” I looked at them and said, “Nooo, my birthday was back in August!” Mom immediately chimed in with, “Well, it’s kinda her birthday trip!” And just like that, apparently, I was getting the full birthday-trip treatment whether I asked for it or not! Next thing I knew, they were talking about grilling dinner for us. And when I say dinner, I mean SALMON, STEAK, AND SHRIMP KEBABS! Somebody tell me how I got so lucky! We spent the day enjoying the gorgeous Albuquerque weather, leaving the doors and windows open to let in the fresh air. Sure, we had a few flies buzzing around here and there, but nothing too crazy. We didn’t think much of it at first. Then evening rolled around, Jeff started grilling dinner, and we were all going in and out of the house again. At one point, we actually thought to ourselves, “Well, at least the flies aren’t bothering us anymore!” Ummm… Famous. Last. Words. We eventually came back inside, ready to wind down for the night, when we looked up and discovered that the ceiling was absolutely coated in flies! I’m talking a whole family reunion up there! Apparently, every fly in New Mexico had received an invitation to our Airbnb, and they all rsvp'd yes! There were so many that it looked like they had decided to make themselves permanent residents. Mom and Tracey immediately armed themselves with fly swatters and went to absolute war with these things! I don’t know what was funnier: the sheer number of flies or watching the two of them trying to reclaim control of the house. Needless to say, this was not how I imagined ending our evening in New Mexico! And the best part? I only had a few hours to sleep before our lovely little 1 AM wake-up call. Yep, you read that right. One. In. The. Morning. Because when you’re going to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, apparently, sleep is optional, and your alarm clock becomes your worst enemy!

Friday morning was finally the big day! After what felt like approximately five minutes of sleep, Mom and I dragged ourselves out of bed in the middle of the night and made our way to the park-and-ride location for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. We arrived around 4 AM after standing in line, and from there, it was finally time to experience the event I had been dreaming about for so long! But before I get to the breathtaking balloons, we need to talk about something Mom and I learned the hard way. Mom forgot her jacket! Yes this jacket she had bought before our trip at Half of Half, a thrift store! She had found it while shopping before we left, I had even sent pictures of it to my older sister to get her opinion. Well, when Mom and I got to the park-and-ride location, she announced, “I don’t need my jacket! I stood on the front porch, and it wasn’t cold!” And I looked at her and said, “Okay!” in that high-pitched tone that basically translates to, “Alright then… if you say so!” Well, Let me tell you something. Standing on the front porch and standing out on a massive open field are apparently two very different experiences! Once we arrived at the Fiesta, the temperature was around 52 degrees, and that wind was absolutely no joke. Mom and I were freezing! We were so cold that we nearly considered spending $90 on a fleece blanket just to survive out there. Thankfully, we managed to find a smaller blanket for $25, because there was no way we were making it through the morning without something to keep us warm. Lesson learned: Never underestimate the New Mexico morning chill, and always bring the jacket! And don’t even get me started on the food prices! Guess how much a breakfast burrito cost? $14! And a turkey leg? $15! Excuse me?! At those prices, you’d think they were serving us a five-star gourmet meal instead of a burrito and a turkey leg! I understand that big events have vendors and operating costs, but goodness gracious, those prices definitely made us stop and think before buying anything else! But despite the cold, the expensive food, and our severe lack of sleep, we were finally there. And Oh. My. Goodness. After years of hearing the balloon pilots’ stories at the Plano Balloon Festival and imagining what it would be like to see Albuquerque’s famous mass ascension, I was finally  standing there watching hundreds of balloons fill the sky! We witnessed the breathtaking sight of around 500 balloons taking flight, with colorful shapes and patterns rising into the morning sky as the sun came up. Everywhere we looked, another balloon was being inflated, lifting off, or drifting gracefully above the field. There was so much happening all around us that it was almost impossible to know where to look first. One moment, you’d be watching a balloon rise into the sky, and the next, you’d notice another colorful balloon floating overhead. It was one of those moments when you stop what you’re doing, take it all in, and think, “Wow… I’m really here!” Was the 1 AM wake-up call brutal? Absolutely. Was freezing our tails off worth it? A million times yes! It’s hard to explain just how incredible it feels to finally experience something you’ve had on your bucket list for so long. What started as a dream inspired by the stories of balloon pilots at our local festival had officially become a memory I would cherish forever. Sometimes the best adventures begin with a dream, a little spontaneity, and the decision to finally make it happen.

After our early morning adventure, Mom and I headed to the nearest iHop once we made it back to the park-and-ride location. We were both walking zombies at that point, but a stack of pancakes sounded like the perfect way to reward ourselves for surviving the early morning! Once we returned to the Airbnb, Jeff and Tracey were hard at work. We exchanged quick hellos before heading inside, and Mom and I immediately crashed for some much-needed naps. We were exhausted, but our hearts were full! After waking up, we couldn’t stop telling Jeff and Tracey about everything we’d seen. We talked about the incredible colors, the beautiful morning sky, and how amazing the entire experience had been. We might have exaggerated a little in our excitement, but honestly, can you blame us?! We’d finally checked off one of my biggest bucket-list dreams, and we were still buzzing from the experience! Saturday morning began on a much more civilized schedule, thankfully! We all woke up to Jeff making a delicious breakfast of eggs, biscuits and gravy, and bacon. After our previous morning’s 1 AM adventure, having a proper homemade breakfast felt like an absolute luxury. Once we’d eaten and gotten ourselves ready, we hit the road to see what other adventures Albuquerque had in store for us. Our first stop was a neat combination of a thrift store and a coffee shop, which sounded right up my alley! Mom had some fantastic luck and scored a pair of green pants, combat boots, and a long-sleeved shirt. I, unfortunately, didn’t have quite the same shopping success. I did manage to find a gift for my friend back home in Dallas and some stickers for my junk journal, though, so I didn’t leave completely empty-handed! Sometimes the best thrift-store finds are the ones you weren’t even looking for, and other times you leave with nothing but a few little treasures. Either way, it’s always fun to see what you might discover! After shopping, we headed to Sadie’s for some authentic New Mexican-style Mexican food. Let me just say that my enchiladas were covered in so much cheese that I’ll probably be bloated for the next three business days! And no, that is not an exaggeration. The food was delicious, though, and it was nice to sit down, enjoy a meal together, and take our time before heading back out for an evening at the Balloon Fiesta. This time, Jeff and Tracey would be joining us for the evening festivities! We made our way to the park-and-ride location, boarded the bus, and eventually arrived back at the Fiesta. We found our seats, enjoyed the nice breeze, and took some time to wander through the vendor areas. There were so many things to look at, and it was nice to experience the event again without the same frantic feeling of waking up in the middle of the night! However, as the evening progressed, the weather became the biggest topic of conversation. Officials were monitoring the winds out on the field and keeping an eye on potential incoming showers. There was a storm nearby, and because ballooning is so dependent on safe weather conditions, everyone was watching closely. Rain and nearby storms can make balloon operations unsafe, so the weather ultimately determines what the pilots can and cannot do. Unfortunately, the sustained winds on the field meant they couldn’t carry out the full glow as originally planned. We got to experience a candlestick glow, where the balloon pilots fired up their burners, sending bursts of bright flames shooting into the night sky. Even though the balloons themselves weren’t illuminated like they would be during a traditional balloon glow, it was still an incredible sight to witness! There was something magical about watching the flames shoot upward into the darkness and hearing the powerful roar of the burners echo across the field. Although it wasn’t the full experience we’d originally hoped for, it was still a memorable moment and a unique way to experience the Fiesta! Even when things don’t go according to plan, the Fiesta still manages to create some memorable moments. Russell Dickerson, a country music artist, was scheduled to take the stage at 7:30 PM, followed by the drone show and fireworks. The later entertainment had been pushed back, though, and since modern country music isn’t really my thing, we decided to head out after the glow rather than wait around for the rest of the evening. Our main priority was avoiding the massive crowds trying to make their way back to the buses. Unfortunately, what should have been a straightforward ride back to our park-and-ride stop turned into an experience none of us were expecting. Let me just say that our bus ride back was an adventure in itself, and not the good kind! The bus driver smelled strongly of alcohol, and the cigarette smell was overwhelming. That alone made us uncomfortable, but things became even more concerning once we got onto the highway. As we were driving, the bus appeared to drift across two lanes! Like, Excuse me?! We were just trying to get back safely! Between the smell and the way the bus was moving, we were all nervous and concerned about the ride. We couldn’t help but wonder what was going on, and it definitely wasn’t the peaceful journey back we’d hoped for after an otherwise incredible evening. Thankfully, we made it back to the car safely. That experience was a sobering reminder that even a wonderful trip can have a few moments that leave you shaken. We were relieved to be back in our own vehicle, and once we were settled, we started talking about our favorite songs, movies, and TV shows to take our minds off the situation. Sometimes a good conversation with people you trust is exactly what you need to decompress after an uncomfortable experience. By the time we returned to the Airbnb, we were exhausted all over again. It had been a long day of exploring, eating, watching the balloons burner’s, and dealing with unexpected situations, and we were more than ready to call it a night.

Sunday morning arrived, and it was officially time to start making our way back toward Dallas. As much as I’d enjoyed New Mexico, I was beginning to feel that familiar road-trip exhaustion creeping in. We’d spent days driving, exploring, getting up early, and trying to fit as much as possible into our time away. Before leaving the state, we stopped in Roswell, New Mexico, because how could we pass through a town famous for its alien connections without at least making a little detour?! We grabbed a meal at Cowboy Cafe and then stopped so I could take some photos at a mural. Friends and family had recommended that we spend more time exploring Roswell, checking out the alien-themed attractions, visiting the shops, and really leaning into the whole UFO experience. And honestly, under different circumstances, I probably would have enjoyed doing more of that! But by this point, I was simply ready to be home. I was running low on energy, and the thought of adding even more sightseeing to an already long trip wasn’t particularly appealing. Sometimes you have to listen to yourself and recognize when you’ve had enough adventure for one week! We took our little Roswell stop, got some photos, and continued on our way. Since we still had quite a drive ahead of us, we searched for another Airbnb where we could spend the night before finishing the journey home. Our destination? The little town of Snyder, Texas! And when I say little, I mean it. According to my Google research, Snyder didn’t exactly look like the liveliest place in the world, but at that point, we weren’t looking for entertainment. We just needed somewhere to sleep! Once we arrived, Mom and I were completely wiped out. We ended up sitting on the couch, doom-scrolling on our phones, and barely having the energy to do anything else before eventually making our way to bed. No sightseeing. No exploring. No grand adventures. Just two exhausted travelers, our phones, and the beautiful prospect of sleeping in a real bed for a few hours before the final stretch home. And honestly? That was perfectly fine with me! Monday morning, we woke up knowing there was only one thing left to do. Get. Home. At this point, nothing was stopping us! We’d had an amazing trip, checked off a major bucket-list dream, explored some quirky roadside attractions, eaten plenty of good food, and collected enough stories to keep us laughing for years. But we were ready to return to our own beds, our own routines, and the comforts of home. We packed everything into the car, hit the road, and made a pit stop at Jack in the Box in Mineral Wells for brunch. With only about an hour and 36 minutes left before home awaited us, we were so close! Both Mom and I were practically walking zombies by this point. The excitement of the trip had been replaced by that particular kind of exhaustion you only get after several days of traveling, sightseeing, and sleeping in unfamiliar places. Still, there was something satisfying about knowing we were finally on the last leg of the journey. No more searching for Airbnbs. No more packing and unpacking. No more wondering what our next stop would be. Just the open road, some food, and the promise of home. And now? We're finally home! As I write this, it’s 8:46 PM, and I can finally stretch out in my own bed, get comfortable, and start easing back into my normal routine. As much as I didn’t want the trip to end, I have to admit that there’s no feeling quite like coming home after a long adventure. Looking back, this trip was about so much more than seeing hot-air balloons. It was about finally doing something I’d dreamed about for years. It was about spending time with Mom, sharing the open road, laughing at ridiculous situations, and making memories with friends along the way. From taking AI-generated crime-scene photos with the world’s largest Bowie knife to discovering the most enthusiastic fly convention in our Airbnb, from freezing in the New Mexico morning air to watching hundreds of colorful balloons rise into the sky, this trip gave us a little bit of everything. We had beautiful moments, exhausting moments, unexpected detours, delicious meals, questionable Airbnb experiences, and a few situations that definitely weren’t part of the original itinerary. But that’s what makes a road trip memorable, isn’t it? Things don’t always go according to plan. Sometimes the weather changes, the attractions don’t work out exactly as expected, the bus ride gets a little concerning, and your mother forgets the jacket she specifically bought for the trip. And sometimes, those are the very stories you end up telling over and over again! Most importantly, I finally got to experience the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta after years of hearing about it through my volunteering at the Plano Balloon Festival. Seeing those balloons fill the sky in person was every bit as special as I’d hoped it would be, and I’m so grateful I got to experience it with Mom. Would I go back someday? Absolutely! I’d love to experience the Fiesta again, hopefully with a little more sleep, warmer clothing, fewer flies, and maybe a slightly less eventful bus ride! Until then, I’ll have my photographs, videos, and memories to look back on whenever I want to relive the adventure. So here’s to bucket-list dreams, spontaneous road trips, questionable Airbnb toilets, frozen pizza dinners, $25 emergency blankets, expensive breakfast burritos, wonderful friends, and making memories with Mom that we’ll be laughing about for years to come! New Mexico, thank you for the memories. We had a blast, and hopefully, this won’t be our last adventure! And to anyone reading this who has a dream trip sitting on their bucket list, consider this your little reminder that you don’t always have to wait for the perfect time or the perfect occasion. Sometimes you just have to pack your bags, hit the road, and make it happen. Life is too short not to chase the things that make you happy.