For 30 years, Pagosa Springs resident Mike Marchand has faithfully floated above Albuquerque during the city’s international hot air balloon festival. This year isn’t any different.

“The first time I flew was in October 1986,” Marchand said, “and I’ve been going back every year since.”

The sheer number of balloons, as well as the opportunity to see old friends, keeps him going back to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which kicks off Saturday.

“There’s just balloons everywhere you look,” he said. “It’s kind of a ‘Wow’ experience, and that’s probably the most common word I hear when we take off from the ground.”

Tom Garrity, a spokesman for the festival, said it would be hard to pinpoint the longest running pilot.

“He’s definitely one of the more tenured pilots, if he’s been coming here the last 31 years,” Garrity said. “But is it the longest continuous streak? I couldn’t say.”

The nine-day event is the world’s largest hot air balloon festival and attracts more than 500 pilots from all over the world.

The festival began in 1972 and grew year after year. In 2000, the number of balloons hit a peak at 1,019, which prompted event managers to limit the number of registered pilots to 600 in 2009. The spectacle draws more than 100,000 spectators.

For Marchand, having grown up in Albuquerque, the sight of hundreds of multi-colored hot air balloons dotting the desert sky became common place: annual school trips would truck students to the launching grounds just outside of town.

Despite what you’d think, the desire to become a hot air balloon pilot did not stem from being so close to the world’s most impressive display of the aircraft. Instead, Marchand wanted to fly jets in the military but was denied when he failed a hearing test.

“I had an interest in aviation, but not necessarily balloons,” he said. “But I’m happy I ended up flying balloons, because I’ve never dropped anything on anyone that was bad, if you know what I’m saying.”

Marchand’s first hot air balloon flight was April 24, 1986 – he remembers the date because it was his 28th birthday. By that time, he was living in Pagosa Springs and finagled his way onto a free flight.

By October of that year, Marchand had earned his private license to fly balloons. Not too long after, he received a commercial permit, which requires a substantial amount of flight time, as well as numerous tests.

Marchand paid for the training out of pocket, but when it came to purchasing his first hot air balloon to begin commercial flights, he needed a loan from the bank. Depending on the size, balloons today can cost anywhere from $22,000 to $45,000.

“When I asked the bank for a loan to buy a hot air balloon, the guy laughed for a while,” he recalled. “I didn’t think it was that funny, but he sure did. So I put the house I built up for collateral to borrow money to get a balloon, and here we are 30 years later.”

Indeed, 30 years later, Marchand owns four balloons and runs the only hot air balloon ride company, Rocky Mountain Balloon Adventures, in Pagosa Springs and has “never borrowed another dime from a bank,” since, he said.

“The biggest reason is Pagosa Springs was growing,” Marchand said of his success. “Tourism really picked up over the years, and I grew as the community grew. But I worked numerous jobs to keep this happening. It didn’t come easy.”

Time for flying for fun has diminished over the years, Marchand said, but he still does his best to make trips solely for enjoyment. Just last January, he was floating above the Philippines.

And though he’s traveled around the world with his balloon, Marchand unabashedly admits his favorite place to fly is his home turf. The beauty of the San Juan Mountains, the abundance of wildlife and the vistas – on certain days he can see Sleeping Ute Mountain nearly 130 miles away – are unmatched.

“Far and away, it’s just a great place to fly,” he said. “I have a great view out my office window.”

Marchand says he’s got at least 10 years left taking people up in the skies. Out of his four children, his youngest son is the only one to show an interest in piloting and is currently pursuing his license.

“That’s what I was hoping for,” he said.

But for now, Marchand is getting all the equipment, paperwork and everything else together for the 44th annual hot air balloon festival.

“Most people come into it thinking its going to be scary, like a roller-coaster-type ride,” Marchand said. “But when they get up there, they find out none of that is happening. It’s just so peaceful and serene.”

jromeo@durangoherald.com

On the Net

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta:

www.balloonfiesta.com