Another Check on the Bucket List

My good friend (and first cousin) Sarah surprised me for my birthday by taking me on a hot air balloon ride.  I have wanted to do this for a long time!  It was as awesome as I imagined.  I only wished we could have stayed up there longer - like several hours. 

I volunteered to help, so my job was to hold the edge while the balloon inflated.  It was pretty cold and windy until the burners started going.

No, it isn't a picture of us wrecked.  They start with the basket on the side.  It gets put upright as the balloon inflates.

These cute little boys (sons of one of the ground crew members) were pretty good helpers!  They obviously had done this a few times with their dad. 

This shot was while I was still holding on to the edge, looking into the balloon as it inflated.  Those balloons are HUGE!

 

 

I had heard this before, and it really is true ... it's a very smooth, peaceful and quiet ride.  It turns out that you can't truly steer a balloon, all you can do is read the air currents and adjust the hot air.  I always knew the Heber Valley was known for that (years ago I took sail plane lessons), and I guess it's still true. 

 

We got up to 5,000 feet (which in the location we were at was at 12,000 feet above sea level).  I didn't realize they would go that high.  I think this shot kind of puts it in perspective.



As we flew over the pond at the top of this picture, our pilot told us that it's actually heated.  It might be kind of hard to judge the size from this perspective, but if you look at the houses near it you can get an idea. 

This was an unforgettable experience!