I had a great experience riding in a hot air balloon. I got up before sunrise to watch the balloon fest associated with the Dublin, GA St. Patrick's day celebration. It is unusual for me to get up that early for any reason. I have gotten a new camera, and it motivates me to do things in search of great photo ops! I had beautiful shots of the morning launch, and while I was there I ran into an acquaintance who was going for a ride in the balloons. She is a bit older than I and she was there alone. She said I have always wanted to do this, and now is the time. I realized as she was talking, and also because my best friend had said that riding in the hot air balloons was on her bucket list, that it was a once in a lifetime experience that I wanted to try. It looks so amazing to watch those balloons going up at the mercy of the wind. There is a quality of magic in it.
I made the decision right then and there that I wanted to do it and put my name on the list for a ride. It looked like there might be an afternoon spot available, and so as I watched the morning launch I started to get excited. I got the call confirming my spot and showed up amidst all the balloon captains and crews laying out and preparing the balloons to go. I met a great crew of people and along with my friends to see me off went up in the Blue Flame with David Harwell. David has been piloting balloons for rover thirty years, and he has owned seven different balloons. The Blue Flame is a splendid large balloon that fits three in the basket.
Once the balloon was inflated, it took almost no time for us to be ascending and leaving my friends shrinking on the ground. I was really amazed at how calm I was, but also a bit alarmed to realize how little control there is for these balloons.
You are truly subject to the wind and you have to go in that direction. No control. David explained to my fellow balloonist JoAnn Dotson and I that this was a fairly safe trip with the exception of the danger of landing in electric wires. He would periodically reach up and pull the lever to shoot the flame from the gas burner into the balloon, heating the air and controlling our altitude.
Other than the loud sound of the fire, like a super torch for ten or fifteen seconds it was total silence. Amazing.
Looking at the other balloons ahead and behind us was like being in a dream. It reminded me of jellyfish floating in the water at different levels, but still going with the current. Seeing my hometown from above was very disorienting, but when I recognized a landmark it gave me a whole new way of thinking and seeing things. There were a lot of forests and fields around the town and we drifted over the Oconee River our Captain began looking for a place to set down.
David said that there was a lot of forest ahead and we needed to find some "wiggle room" to avoid drifting over the woods and having to go a long long way. We could see our chase team following us and David decided it was best to try to set down on the side of the road. That was kind of scary because there were electric wires running on the opposite side of the road! I realized we didn't have any brakes, and stopping was totally at the skill of the pilot! Wiggle room??? We went lower and lower and I thought surely we were going to hit the trees., which we did!
The bottom of the basket scraped the trees and helped us go slower. We set down right by the road and it was amazing! The cars coming and going stopped and watched as we set down and then climbed out. The process of deflating and packing the balloon was quite a chore, but it was a great feeling! I enjoyed it a lot! It was a real feeling of adventure, and I was proud that I could have the courage to ride the wind!
I made the decision right then and there that I wanted to do it and put my name on the list for a ride. It looked like there might be an afternoon spot available, and so as I watched the morning launch I started to get excited. I got the call confirming my spot and showed up amidst all the balloon captains and crews laying out and preparing the balloons to go. I met a great crew of people and along with my friends to see me off went up in the Blue Flame with David Harwell. David has been piloting balloons for rover thirty years, and he has owned seven different balloons. The Blue Flame is a splendid large balloon that fits three in the basket.
Once the balloon was inflated, it took almost no time for us to be ascending and leaving my friends shrinking on the ground. I was really amazed at how calm I was, but also a bit alarmed to realize how little control there is for these balloons.
You are truly subject to the wind and you have to go in that direction. No control. David explained to my fellow balloonist JoAnn Dotson and I that this was a fairly safe trip with the exception of the danger of landing in electric wires. He would periodically reach up and pull the lever to shoot the flame from the gas burner into the balloon, heating the air and controlling our altitude.
Other than the loud sound of the fire, like a super torch for ten or fifteen seconds it was total silence. Amazing.
Looking at the other balloons ahead and behind us was like being in a dream. It reminded me of jellyfish floating in the water at different levels, but still going with the current. Seeing my hometown from above was very disorienting, but when I recognized a landmark it gave me a whole new way of thinking and seeing things. There were a lot of forests and fields around the town and we drifted over the Oconee River our Captain began looking for a place to set down.
David said that there was a lot of forest ahead and we needed to find some "wiggle room" to avoid drifting over the woods and having to go a long long way. We could see our chase team following us and David decided it was best to try to set down on the side of the road. That was kind of scary because there were electric wires running on the opposite side of the road! I realized we didn't have any brakes, and stopping was totally at the skill of the pilot! Wiggle room??? We went lower and lower and I thought surely we were going to hit the trees., which we did!
The bottom of the basket scraped the trees and helped us go slower. We set down right by the road and it was amazing! The cars coming and going stopped and watched as we set down and then climbed out. The process of deflating and packing the balloon was quite a chore, but it was a great feeling! I enjoyed it a lot! It was a real feeling of adventure, and I was proud that I could have the courage to ride the wind!
