Elite pilots prepare for ‘camping out in the sky’ as they compete in prestigious gas balloon race

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — It’s been 15 years since the world’s elite gas balloon pilots have gathered in the United States for a race with roots stretching back more than a century. They’ll be launching for this year’s Gordon Bennett competition during an international balloon fiesta that draws hundreds of thousands of spectators to the heart of New Mexico each fall. The launch window opens Saturday. This year some worry that the massive balloons could be mistaken for Chinese spy balloons as they spend several days traversing the upper reaches of America’s airspace. But pilots are more concerned about charting a course that will keep them out of bad weather and give their hydrogen-filled balloons a path to victory.