Flight from the gravel pit

October 8 - Friday. Our morning started at 4:15am. Karen and I went to the field with John Moran and Becky went with a group to Acoma. Known as Sky City, Acoma Pueblo was strategically built on top of a 357-foot sandstone mesa many hundreds of years ago for effective defense against raiders. Spanish conquerors learned of this defensive stronghold when they entered New Mexico in the 1500s. Acomans claim that their 70-acre village is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the U.S. Johns sponsor and his family arrived from Alaska. The special shapes fly out of the field and all other balloons fly to the field for a money grab and golf. The cloud deck was low and the pilots in the gravel pit was put on hold till after 8:30. John piloted the balloon with the husband wife sponsor and Karen in the basket. After a safe landing, refueling and champagne on the field with the sponsors we met Debby and her crew for lunch.