Hot Air Ballooning & Flying Sports

Hot Air Ballooning & Flying Sports

The excitement of floating through space untethered is incentive enough for most people to take to the air. The bonus here is what you can see from above: the glistening gypsum expanses of White Sands National Monument, the sinuous flow of the Rio Grande, the woodee peaks, valleys, and flat-topped mesas of the high desert. Check out the hot-air ballooning and soaring opportunities for the ride of your life!

Hot Air Ballooning

Year-round festivals and ballooning events let you test your skills against other entrants or just take in the eye-catching action from the ground. You can also sample the experience on your own, with lessons and customized adventures at any time-ballooning companies in Albuquerque, Gallup, Farmington, Taos, Angel Fire, and Alamogordo can arrange it all.

International Balloon Fiesta

The world's largest balloon event is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, held each October. Balloons of all shapes and sizes, some elaborately whimsical, can be spotted over head during the eight-day event. Best of all is the breathtaking Mass Ascension, when all of the participants take to the air at once for a spectacle you'll never forget.

For more information, call the Kodak International Balloon Fiesta (888) 422-7277 or visit www.aibf.org.

Ballooning Resources - To find out how you can take to the skies, visit the following sites:

Hot Air Ballooning - www.launch.net

Pueblo Balloon Company, Taos - www.puebloballoon.com/

Affordable Balloon Rides of New Mexico - www.1pcom.com/webmate/webmate/1stpage/page/sharednet/index/balloonrides/

Sheneeda More Balloon Rides - www.yourstrulybb.com/balon.htm

Hang Gliding

To find the most popular soaring spots, head to the mountains of the Central and Southeastern regions.

Central
The Sandia Mountains, with a 4,000-plus-foot vertical drop, are the state's most popular hang-gliding spot as well as the site of a major international competition each June. Imagine watching the sun set over the broad desert landscape while you soar a mile above it all. To join the paragliders launching above the east end of Menaul Boulevard in Albuquerque, call Sandia Soaring Association (505) 298-2922.

Southeastern
The Sacramento Mountains in the Southeastern region are a popular launch pad for hang-gliders taking advantage of the annual 300 flyable weather days and stunning views of the San Andres Mountains. Rio Grande Soaring knows all the best hang-gliding and parasailing sites all across the Southeastern region. They also have tow launch sites for experienced hang-gliders at Las Cruces and Hobbs. Flying over 300 acres of gypsum in White Sands National Monument has to be experienced to be believed, and the view of the vast plains to the north isn't so shabby either. For more information, visit the Rio Grande Soaring Association site at www.riograndesoaring.org/.

Hobbs - The Soaring Capital of the World
The town of Hobbs in the southeast corner of the state enjoys ideal thermal currents and the resulting updrafts, making it a renowned center of soaring activity. That's why it was selected as the site of the National Soaring Championships (standard and world class) held each June. Hang-gliding world records on both distance and altitude have been broken here. Sailplane rides, glider instruction, and rentals are available. For more information, call National Soaring Foundation at (505) 392-6032 or Soaring Society of America at (505) 392-1177.

Getting Up to Speed
If you want some lessons before you head out and take flight, visit White Sands Hang Gliding at www.whitesandshanggliding.com.

Flying

If a pilot's license is something you carry, you might want to rent a small plane while your here and tool around in the friendly skies of our enchanted land. With municipal airports located all over the state, you're sure to find a flight-plan that adds a touch of the magic and mystery to your New Mexico vacation. For a complete list of New Mexico airports and their amenities, go to Online Highways.

Online Highways - www.ohwy.com/nm/f/flying.htm