Hot air balloon ride pics

[bull]

My wife and I just celebrated our 11th anniversary so I surprised her with a hot air balloon ride this morning. It was a great day for it. The wind was blowing between about 8 and 15 mph and it was sunny and warm (once the sun came up). We covered 15 miles in a little over and hour and only missed our planned landing spot by a few miles. We got up to about 3,000 feet at one point but for the most part we stayed around 1,000-1,500 feet.

1. Me 'supervising' the setup
2. Carol helping inflate the balloon
3. Ready to go
4. Liftoff

[bull]

More...
1. Fire in the hole
2. Sunrise on Mt. Hood
3. Long way down
4. The reflection of our balloon on the Tualatin River

[bull]

1. Our shadow in the trees.
2. Me pulling the top down after landing
3. Inflation shot
4. Champagne brunch at the winery after our ride

[4402tuff4u]

Thanks for sharing the nice pictures.  It's always nice to soar with the birds.

[TruckDriver]

Cool pics........ But NO amount of money in the world would get me up in a ballon, NO WAY!!!

[Khyron]

i would so throw up


but thanks for the pics!

[4402tuff4u]

You should of taken the 30-06! That's the best "tree stand" ever! Any white tails in your neck of the woods?

[bull]

You should of taken the 30-06! That's the best "tree stand" ever! Any white tails in your neck of the woods?

Not where we were. The forests are so dense around here you can't see a thing from any angle. It would work dandy in Eastern Oregon though.

Posted on: Today at 08:16:11 AMPosted by: Khyron 
Insert Quote
i would so throw up
but thanks for the pics!

I'm not afraid of heights but many people who go ballooning are afraid of heights and it doesn't bother them. Both the pilot and the one crew member are afraid of heights and they go up almost every day in the summer.

[RD]

that is awesome, but one question because I have never known, how do you navigate one of those?  is it just by the wind and your coattails or is there a science to that I am unaware of?

[Shakey]

And good job taking care of the better half.

You're a good man for treating her to something special on your anniversary!

Kudos

[Charger_Fan]

that is awesome, but one question because I have never known, how do you navigate one of those?   is it just by the wind and your coattails or is there a science to that I am unaware of?

I've always wondered that too. It seems that more often than not, you'd end up miles away from where you intended to go.

Nice pics, Bull. That ought to keep a smile on her face for a while.

[Badbob]

Went ballooning over Lake Tahoe, they use a very large balloon and take off and land from a boat on the lake, worth every $$$.

http://www.laketahoeballoons.com/

[bull]

that is awesome, but one question because I have never known, how do you navigate one of those?   is it just by the wind and your coattails or is there a science to that I am unaware of?

I asked the same question and the pilot said the wind blows in different directions at different elevations so you usually get to where you're going by zig-zagging your way across the sky between 500- and 3000-ft. He told his chaser where he intended to land before we took off and we ended up pretty close to that spot so there is a science to it, though not an exact science. I could feel the wind blowing whenever we changed our altitude until the balloon decided to go with it, then you don't feel any wind because you're traveling at the same speed and in the same direction.

[BigBlackDodge]

Cool! Thats the perfect Charger hunting platform ever!.............stealth!

"Hi there..........I was ballooning over your house yesterday and noticed an  old Dodge parked around back............."


BBD

[MoparYoungGun]

Really neat pics Bull, thanks for sharing.

I always thought that there was more to guiding a one of those balloons than just changing altitudes. I guess you learn something new everyday.

[2fast4u]

  Bull !!!!
   You are AWESOME Dude!  You not only did something wonderful for you wife and yourself, but ALSO managed to take us along for the ride "so to speak"! 

   My hats off to you my friend......and thank you for sharing your experience!  thats prolly about as close as I'll get to a ballon ride.  Always wanted to do that.

2fast

[Silver R/T]

looks like it was plenty of fun, congrats on the anniversary

[8WHEELER]

Bull I give you an A+ for doing that for your wife.
I have never been in one and never will, if I tried to do that for my wife she would hit me in the face.
We lost our first dog to one of those that was landing real close to our house one day, we were almost
home and the neighbors told us about the balloon that they thought was going to hit our tree's
out back or land in our back yard. Well we got home and only one dog left in the yard, got a call at 6am
dog is dead 11yrs ago now. They do seem like fun but lots and lots of dogs and cats get scared to
hell and run away not to be seen again.
OK I am done play on, I am glad you did that for your wife I am feeling lame right now, need to do
something cool for my wife soon    .

Dan

[Lowprofile]

And good job taking care of the better half.

You're a good man for treating her to something special on your anniversary!

Kudos

Thanks. My wife says I gotta take her for a balloon ride now. You suck.

[Steve P.]

  Bull !!!!
    You are AWESOME Dude!   You not only did something wonderful for you wife and yourself, but ALSO managed to take us along for the ride "so to speak"!  

    My hats off to you my friend......and thank you for sharing your experience!   thats prolly about as close as I'll get to a ballon ride.   Always wanted to do that.

2fast

I could not agree more.. What an extraordinary gift to your wife..   You Da Man, Bull.....  Happy anniversary to both of you...