Balloon Rally a Go, but Stay in Your Car!

THE PANDEMIC HAS GIVEN US THE IMPROMPTU DRIVE-IN MOVIE, THE DRIVE-UP CONCERT, AND NOW, A DRIVE-BY BALLOON RALLY AND BALLOON GLOW. YOU’RE WATCHING THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK, BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE PAYROLL DEPARTMENT. I’M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE. THE 5TH ANNUAL ANIMAS VALLEY BALLOON RALLY WILL LAUNCH AS PLANNED ON OCTOBER 16TH, 17TH AND 18TH, BUT SPECTATORS WILL HAVE TO WATCH FROM A DISTANCE OR FROM THEIR CARS. BALLOON MEISTER DOUG LENBERG SAYS THE RALLY IS FOLLOWING C D C GUIDELINES FOR SYMPTOM-SCREENING, MASKING AND SOCIAL-DISTANCING FOR PILOTS AND SUPPORT CREWS. NOR WILL SPECTATORS BE ALLOWED AT THE LAUNCH SITE. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T ENJOY THE MASS ASCENSIONS OR THE BALLOON GLOWS. THE ASCENSIONS START AT 8 A.M. ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM HERMOSA MEADOWS, AND BALLOONS WILL HEAD SOUTH DOWN THE ANIMAS VALLEY. LENBERG ENCOURAGES SPECTATORS TO WATCH THE ASCENSIONS FROM COUNTY ROAD 250 ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ANIMAS VALLEY OR COUNTY ROAD 203 ON THE WEST.I’VE NOTICED IN PAST YEARS THAT PEOPLE ALONG COUNTY ROAD 203 AND COUNTY ROAD 250 HAVE HAD VIEWING PARTIES IN THEIR BACKYARD. AS A BALLOON PILOT, I WOULD FLY BY AND I WOULD LAND IN THEIR PASTURE SO THAT THEY COULD TAKE STILL PICTURES OF THE BALLOONS. AND THAT WILL BE THE CASE. A NEW EVENT THIS YEAR IS A SECOND DRIVE-BY BALLOON GLOW IN THE ANIMAS VALLEY ON SATURDAY.AGAIN THIS YEAR, DURANGO HOT SPRINGS WILL HAVE A BALLOON THERE. THEN YOU GO DOWN TO THE TRIMBLE LIGHT AND IN FRONT OF THE ACE HARDWARE, THERE’S GOING TO BE ANOTHER BALLOON THERE/ YOU’LL HEAD NORTH ON HIGHWAY 550, YOU’LL TURN RIGHT ONTO HERMOSA MEADOWS ROAD, AND THERE WILL BE BALLOONS LINED UP IN OUR LAUNCH FIELD. AND THEN, YOU TURN RIGHT ONTO THE COTTONWOOD, THROUGH THE COTTONWOOD HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. THEY HAVE INVITED US TO BE THERE, AND THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF BALLOONS SET UP IN THERE. ONE OF THEM WILL BE THE CIRCUS BIG-TOP BALLOON WHO’S COMING DOWN FROM DENVER TO SET UP, AND HE’LL BE ON THE DALTON RANCH 15TH TEE BOX. YOU’LL GO SOUTH TO TRIMBLE, TURN RIGHT ON TRIMBLE. AND THERE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY SIX BALLOONS RIGHT THERE IN THE OLD, WHAT DID THEY CALL THAT? THE FOREST SERVICE 20 ACRES. AGAIN, DURANGO HOT SPRINGS HAS MOWED THAT DOWN FOR US AND GOTTEN IT READY. SO THERE’LL BE A CIRCLE. IT’LL BE ABOUT A MILE LONG AND YOU CAN MAKE A CIRCLE AND SEE ALL THE BALLOONS GLOWING.IF YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW MORE, VISIT THE RALLY’S WEB SITE AT ANIMAS VALLEY BALLOON RALLY DOT COM. CAN’T GET ENOUGH? LISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL NEWS NETWORK ANY TIME, ANY WHERE ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST APP. THANKS FOR WATCHING THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK. I’M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE.