As we were driving (in the cage) to Seattle early Saturday morning to meet some friends, we noticed the hot air balloons were out playing to the east of Albany.
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- Au Revoir
"I have known today a magnificent intoxication. I have learnt how it feels to be a bird. I have flown. Yes I have flown. I am still astonished at it, still deeply moved." - Le Figaro (1908)
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Hot air balloons always look so graceful to me. Even though I hate being off of the ground - I think i'd like to try it once, too.
ReplyDeleteYou first, though! :)
I agree, they look so nice floating along. I think being in the air would be okay but being trapped in the little basket maybe not so much.
DeletePretty! I have no burning desire to do that, but if the opportunity happened to present itself, I'd probably hop right in.
ReplyDeleteI think that is how I would be - if the opportunity presented itself maybe, just to see how it is.
DeleteThat direct sun shot is a keeper.
ReplyDeleteI liked it too, but it was a second later than I wanted. Hard to time i when you are doing 70 mph down the freeway, hubby was driving so that helped.
DeleteAgree with Martha. The direct sun shot is interesting. As to a great way to travel...only if you don't quite care where you end up. ;) We had reservations once to do it years ago. But there was lightning within 50 miles and it was canceled. :(
ReplyDeleteMaybe one day you will have another opportunity. I can see why no one would want to be in a helium balloon with lightning around - that doesn't bode well.
DeleteNo helium just hot air. They just want to manage risk plus customers may get pretty scared if there is lightning. Easier to postpone.
DeleteI guess that is why it is called a hot air balloon. You'd think I'd have thought of that before I typed.
DeleteYou need to do it. My last hot air balloon ride (of four) was in 2003 here in Fairbanks. Back in 1981, I took a class at a Chaffey College in California where the class made an Ax6 balloon, which can carry 4 people, including the wicker basket. We took an old one apart to make a pattern and decorated it with large butterflies. We all got rides! Plus ballooning is a lot like riding as food (champagne, fruit, sweet cakes, etc.) seems to be an integral part of the experience. All of the rides were about 2-3 hours.
ReplyDeleteThat does look like fun. Thanks for the link to the photos, such a great view.
DeleteBuilding your own sounds fun and how can you go wrong when food is involved.
When you come upon a hotair balloon it's always so aw inspiring isn't it. Not sure if I'd like to try it or not.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is awe inspriring.
DeleteWe won't know if we like it until we try. What happens if we really really like it?
The girls and I saw them landing, so we must have left a little after you guys did! I love Saturday and Sunday mornings when they are out, makes me feel like I am sharing a special secret. Gorgeous :o)
ReplyDeleteI can't help but stare at them whenever I see them. I guess the air festival is coming up in a week or so and there will be a lot of them. I think we are in Tacoma for the motorcycle show that weekend though.
DeleteTrobairitz:
ReplyDeleteI've never been anywhere where they have offered "balloon Rides", but perhaps their basket wouldn't be able to carry my weight anyway. The last time I saw hot air balloons was in Bellingham where they had a "gathering", but these were private balloons, and none were offering rides.
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
My Flickr // My YouTube
I've never seen any offered rides either, but think it might be pretty cool to do it at least once. Just think you could go barefoot through the sky.
DeleteAll the more reason to travel east - there's a place near Ottawa that offers hotair balloon rides - but it's very unpredictable.
DeleteI think that insurance is pretty pricy for that business since there is more risk than normal aircraft due to the unpredictable landing. There may be more businesses doing tethered rides but it really isn't the same thing.
DeleteI can understand it being unpredictable seeing as how it is so contingent on the weather.
DeleteMakes sense that insurance would be higher too. I don't think tethered would feel the same. I am sure just as with motorcycling there are risks.
Balloons are always nice to look at and very photogenic.
ReplyDeleteNot sure, if I would like to travel in one though. There is no control... you have to go were the wind pushes you. Well, I on the other side rather prefer to go where I want to go ;-)
Hmmm the no control thing. After having ridden pillion for years I don't think that would bother me that much. Well as long as nothing happened to scare me anyway.
DeletePretty to look at, fascinating in concept, but I'll stay firmly on the ground, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI think there is some steering capacity by pulling ropes from the basket to the balloon. But still pretty "iffy"...
The only control is up and down. Burn propane to heat the air an rise or open a flap on top to release hot air to descend. The wind direction changes with altitude so you find the altitude and wind for roughly the direction you want to go.
DeleteThank you for all your information Richard. It is nice to have someone knowledgeable chime in with little tidbits the rest of us just don't know.
DeleteSo pretty and festive!
ReplyDeleteI would love to go up in a balloon.
Would be kind of neat wouldn't it?
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