THE 1970'S: 1972-1979 1972 One Mile Up, and Still on the Ground By Col. Brent Stockwell From the 1991 Balloon Fiesta program, reprinted with permission from Ballooning, the Journal of the Balloon Federation of America here I was, altimeter indicating 5,000 balloons from eight states had entered the race. Some feet, with some guy standing next to the withdrew or merely failed to appear; some aeronauts basket yelling, "Get ready; you're up soon, were caught in an unseasonal snowstorm in Chicago, get ready to take off ." What in the world but twelve aeronauts representing California, Arizona, was happening? Today was the day I had Iowa, Michigan, Texas, Minnesota, Nevada and of course Tplanned to plant a second crop of lettuce New Mexico, made the launch site. If all nineteen in my tiny, San Francisco-fog-enshrouded backyard entries had appeared, Albuquerque could have claimed vegetable garden. Who was this man and why was he the largest balloon gathering in the United States, telling me to take off while I was already one mile up (and exceeding the seventeen balloons at last year’s National still on the ground)? Championships at Indianola, Iowa. This episode was no aeronaut's mushroom-inspired Radio station KOB, Albuquerque's NBC affi liate, was fantasy, but the Albuquerque International Coyote and celebrating its 50th anniversary in broadcasting. Their Roadrunner Balloon Race, a hot-air balloonist's dream on network affi liation inspired Don Piccard to dub the a mile-high plateau in New Mexico. California contingent 'The CBS Team", representing of On very, very short notice (due to some Madison course, the California Balloon Society. Another Piccard Avenue-type brainstorming, I suspect), the Albuquerque pun, and another club was born. Aerostat Ascension Association had staged a Aeronauts arriving in Albuquerque were treated like professional, BFA-sanctioned race in a one balloon town. visiting brass. In fact, each pilot was commissioned Well, it once was a one balloon town. "Colonel, Aide-de-Camp" on the Staff of the Governor of The amazingly short time in which this race was the State of New Mexico by Governor Bruce King! New organized was matched by the short length of time Mexico now has a balloon air force. needed by aeronauts all over the country to organize Race day started at 6:00 a.m., calm and clear despite themselves and congregate on Albuquerque’s desert the fact that Albuquerque had just suff ered a terrible plain. With notice of a bit over a week, nineteen pilots and sandstorm the previous week and natives pointed ® 62 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta