Albuquerque crepuscule

It's an amazing sight: over a thousand hot-air balloons rising in the morning crepuscule above Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lasting nine days this time each year, its the largest balloon event in the world. German brewer Warsteiner is the main sponsor as well as the only beer sponsor.

Pictured is Chris Hallahan, mid-Atlantic rep for Warsteiner. For a couple of years, he had been the Baltimore-area rep for Clipper City Brewing

I witnessed this uplifting convocation nearly 20 years ago.