It’s the 39th annual Red Rock Balloon Rally

The skies over Gallup will soon be filled with an inviting sight, one that signals the arrival of one of the staple events of Gallup. One, then dozens, and finally hundreds of hot-air balloons will dot the sky when the 39th annual Red Rock Balloon Rally takes flight from Dec. 6 to 8 over Red Rock Park and surrounding areas.

“We expect about 135 balloons this year,” Balloon Rally Co-Founder Peter Procopio said Nov. 25. “Balloons and pilots are coming from all over. We have a pilot coming from England named Graham Bell. He’s in his last year of flying.”

Bell, who hails from Malvern, Worcestershire-Great Britain, has...

Annual closing breakfast warms hearts

Two separate fundraisers for The Community Pantry will be part of the Red Rock Balloon Rally this year.

The Community Pantry will cater their annual breakfast for the ballooning family on Dec. 8 at Red Rock Park.  Even as you read this, the Community Pantry staff members and volunteers are preparing for the big spread.

During the Balloonminaria at Rio West mall Dec. 8, volunteers from the Community Pantry will be moving amongst the crowd in purple hoodies and yellow vests (see picture on bottom right) selling hot chocolate packets for $3 apiece.  Each packet contains a cup, hot chocolate, marshmallows and a candy cane stick stirrer.

Each...

If you’ve never been up close to a hot air balloon, it may appear to be a large, colorful teardrop, sitting on a field or traveling in the air.  But when you get near it, or inside, or maybe you’re lucky enough to help blow it up, you see that it’s more than a single element.  It has parts.

The main parts of a hot air balloon are:

Parachute valve: Holes in the envelope at the top and bottom of the balloon allow hot air to escape and make it possible for the balloon to lift off and land.  The top of the balloon, or the crown, has a hole in it called the parachute vent or valve.  It can be opened by pulling on a cord. When the pilot pulls the cord, hot air can escape, lowering...