My Story

"This is SO COOL" -Me, every time I saw a hot air balloon.

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated and awed by the beauty of hot air balloons. As a young adult, I would often use balloon iconography as cake decorations, because I loved the idea of floating through the air from life adventure to life adventure without a care in the world. Seeing hot air balloons has always made me feel happy and at peace, despite not seeing my first balloon in person until the early 2000's. 

My first physical experience with a hot air balloon was at the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, on a trip with a longtime friend and our youngest children. Hundreds of balloons filled the sky, and my life was permanently altered because of the magnificence. Life happened, and I didn't return to Fiesta until my youngest daughter started college in New Mexico, and visiting her was a perfect excuse to see the flock of balloons fill the sky once again. On this trip, my mind began to race with thoughts of flying in one, owning one, and becoming a pilot. When I told my children that I "was going to buy one of these someday" they politely reminded me that I A) was afraid of heights, and B) had never even ridden in one. I decided then and there that I would remedy both of those issues as soon as possible. 

I bought my first ride as a memorial to my mother, who had been under my care during the final years of her life as she valiantly battled Alzheimer's Disease. I was fortunate that the weather held out so that I could ride on her birthday the year she passed, and I felt more at peace than I had since she had left us. I knew then that I was not done with balloons, and I wanted to go on more rides and join the community. I purchased my second ride through a silent auction, and rode with the amazing pilot who would soon become my dear mentor and friend. This pilot invited me to join her crew whenever I was able, which just so happened to be at Fiesta in 2019, where my daughter and I got to ride with her on the final day. She said that she would teach me how to fly, and so naturally, I bought a balloon before having even gone through ground school or a single lesson. 

I went to ground school in early 2020 and got my student pilot's certificate despite the pandemic. I had lessons with a skeleton crew made up of my immediate family, and learned how to fly. I got my private pilot certification in October that same year, approximately one year after I had first crewed. I learned that I loved being in the sky, and I loved the community that came with ballooning, so after many conversations with seasoned pilots that became the best of friends to me, I decided to get my commercial certification. 

In April 2022, I became a commercial hot air balloon pilot, and have loved every moment of it. I love meeting all of the amazingly diverse people who hop into my basket, and have hosted memorials, weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries from the sky! I strive to fly at every given opportunity, and am a self-described Balloon-atic!