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| Hot
Air Balloon Ride on Our 6th Anniversary |
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We got up at 3:00am
to arrive in Orlando at 5:45am. Here I am with Doug, our
licensed hot air balloon pilot. We met in Lake Buena Vista with a group
of about 20 other people and caravanned to a location determined by the
hot air balloon team based on that day's weather. We almost didn't
get to do the trip, because it had been storming the week before.
It stopped just in time for our trip - Whew! |
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Here are some of the
vans and trucks in the "Bob's Balloon Rides" posse. Our hot air
balloon is actually inside that trailer to the left. Yes, the
WHOLE thing - without the air of course. We later learned that our
balloon flew in a race last year at Albuquerque, a big hot spot for hot
air balloon races. |
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Here are Chris and
Doug mounting the propane engines (at top) onto our "3-person"
basket. We got one on our own to make it a bit more romantic.
The basket is made of wicker, and we climbed to around 500feet
during the trip - in wicker. Yes, let's recap - a propane torch
engine, a flammable wicker basket, one pilot, and no parachutes.
This is gonna be awesome! |
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Here I am holding the balloon skirt, while it gets filled
with cold air. Notice the sun is starting to rise. We do it in the
early morning; Doug explained that in the afternoons, air currents
get really unpredictable and make it difficult to guide the balloons. |
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A longer shot with me
and Rob, one of the team members that will "chase" the
balloons to wherever the air currents take us (hopefully an open field
with no power lines). The team had radios, video cameras and several
vans, reminded us of the storm chasers from the "Tornado"
movie.You can see the industrial fan used to fill the
balloon. Later we crank on the propane engines. |
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Some of our fellow
travelers gearing up. |
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Once the balloon gets large
enough using cold air, on come the propane engines to stand it up. Chris
lost an eyebrow when he got too close. |
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We're the first ones
to take off! We leave the others in the dust. |
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Looking down on this
one presented a cool view. A minute or so later, they came up
beside us and brushed the side of their balloon to ours, which is called
"kissing". Isn't that sweet? :) |
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Doug lets Chris man
the torches to keep the balloon at a desired height or to go
higher. When they turn on, it sounds like someone blowing into a
microphone, and it feels like you're scalp is getting a sunburn you'll
never forget. We figure this is partially why Doug is bald. |
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Doug takes a photo of
us grinning in the cool breeze at a few hundred feet. Thanks Doug,
but who is manning the balloon? |
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A scene showing our
co-flyers on that misty morning. We saw cattle running by, flew
over the interstate with drivers honking to us from below, and flew over
many beautiful wetlands. |
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Another. Erase
the ropes, and you've got a great postcard! We can email you a hi-res
version. Just email me
:) |
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We're taking a
picture of us! This
is a shot from the balloon onto a lake showing our reflection in the
water. |
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Me looking over a
field and community. Chris wanted to make a gratuitous pretty shot
:) |
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At the end of a
balloon ride, it is tradition to celebrate with a champagne toast.
Here we are with our champagne (and orange juice)...ok, mostly orange
juice. :) |
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Here is a short video
tour of our trip (Windows Media - 3MB). It shows the propane engines
blowing, a couple of beautiful skylines from the balloon, and our
landing. No, you won't see Chris's head. |
