I have always been fascinated with hot air balloons. There is an annual hot air balloon festival in Lake Tahoe or Reno that I always wanted to go to, but the date was always Labor Day Weekend, and I was preparing for another school year that began the day after Labor Day, so I never made it.
Well, today I made up for those lost opportunities.
I was with 15 other people flying high over the desert in a hot air balloon.
What a sight!
I met the group at 5:00 this morning, about an hour from home. We then drove deep into the desert where the balloons were laying flat on the ground. A controlled blast of fire/heat was used to inflate the balloon and there were ropes that formed the framework of the balloon that were used to steer it once we were airborne. Mostly, the altitude and direction was controlled by the frequent blast of blistering heat.
The basket holding us was divided into five parts, two on either side, with the captain housed in the center. Each part held 3-4 people. There were 16 folks in our balloon, including the captain.
There was a second balloon that had about the same number as ours. It was on its maiden voyage. I was fine riding in the older one. It had a proven track record.
Once we were all inside, the ropes keeping the balloon tethered to the ground were unfastened, and off we went. Regular blast of the intense flame kept us high and on track.
It was such a serene experience. Very calming, almost mystical. The ride lasted about an hour, but I could have stayed in that ballon all day . . . just floating around.
We had a briefing before we boarded the ballon, demonstrating the position we needed to be in when landing. We had to face in the opposite direction of the way we were landing. So, with our backs to the target, we held on tight to the ropes that lined the inside of the basket.
And down we went.
One bounce.
Two bounces.
Three bounces.
And we're on the ground, then . . .
We're tossed on our backs.
Although this position was a little disconcerting, it ended up being great because it made climbing out of the basket a breeze.
This was so much . . . fun!
I loved every minute of it
And
I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Well, today I made up for those lost opportunities.
I was with 15 other people flying high over the desert in a hot air balloon.
What a sight!
 |
| This is the buddy balloon. I'm in the basket of our balloon as we're flying next to it. |
I met the group at 5:00 this morning, about an hour from home. We then drove deep into the desert where the balloons were laying flat on the ground. A controlled blast of fire/heat was used to inflate the balloon and there were ropes that formed the framework of the balloon that were used to steer it once we were airborne. Mostly, the altitude and direction was controlled by the frequent blast of blistering heat.
 |
| The crew is inflating our balloon. |
The basket holding us was divided into five parts, two on either side, with the captain housed in the center. Each part held 3-4 people. There were 16 folks in our balloon, including the captain.
There was a second balloon that had about the same number as ours. It was on its maiden voyage. I was fine riding in the older one. It had a proven track record.
Once we were all inside, the ropes keeping the balloon tethered to the ground were unfastened, and off we went. Regular blast of the intense flame kept us high and on track.
 |
| Buddy balloon as it's taking off. |
It was such a serene experience. Very calming, almost mystical. The ride lasted about an hour, but I could have stayed in that ballon all day . . . just floating around.
 |
| View of a camel farm. The camels didn't like the noise that the blast of fire caused. |
We had a briefing before we boarded the ballon, demonstrating the position we needed to be in when landing. We had to face in the opposite direction of the way we were landing. So, with our backs to the target, we held on tight to the ropes that lined the inside of the basket.
 |
| Great view of the thousands of sand dunes. |
 |
| Buddy Ballon sailing away. |
And down we went.
One bounce.
Two bounces.
Three bounces.
And we're on the ground, then . . .
We're tossed on our backs.
Although this position was a little disconcerting, it ended up being great because it made climbing out of the basket a breeze.
This was so much . . . fun!
I loved every minute of it
And
I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
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