Up Up and Away

So the sixth time was the charm! After five cancellations because of weather, my milestone birthday gift got off the ground on Saturday morning.

Derek and I, all smiles, aboard the balloon

One of the reasons I asked for a balloon ride because I wanted to do something that scared me a little. Well this did not!  Not being a fan of heights, I thought I would be nervous about floating between 500 and 2,000 feet above the city but it wasn’t the least bit frightening. I loved it. It was smooth and easy and so serene.  The world below looked like a Monopoly board. We could easily pick out landmarks in our city. At one point I pointed at an unusual and pretty building and land and was told it was the sewage treatment plant!  Perspective is everything. It was also fun to learn how balloons work.  Naturally, it has to be filled with air, and then that air must be heated so it can rise.

green and white balloon about one-third full of air

And up it goes….

balloon about eighty percent full of air and almost standing up

and before you know it, we’ve all climbed into our own divided compartments of the massive basket and we’re floating on a light breeze!  It was so much fun. I’d do it again! We had what they call a #3 landing, the hardest, but Jimmy had to put us down in a very narrow field between power lines and corn. They try to avoid crops and animals and this was the only cut hayfield around.  We were well prepared for the hit – three hits, actually. The landowner was very nice and we heard some doozy stories about farmers who freak out, get their guns, call police and all sorts of things. I think it’s the surprise aspect that annoys them most. There’s a lot of skill involved in flying a balloon and none of us complained about landing hard because we landed safely! I highly recommend the experience.

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Derek looking out of the balloon with the ground in the background, far below

4 thoughts on “Up Up and Away”

  1. Hot Air Balloon Ride is on my list! Actually, it’s at the top. Glad that you had a great time!

    1. It was wonderful! Do it!! And whatever you do, don’t be in a hurry. Set-up and tear-down take a little time so enjoy the process. 🙂

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