Forest Winds Inc. Blog

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December 4th, 2011 | 0 Comments | Uncategorized |

Couple Celebrates 24 Years!

October 7th, 2011 | 0 Comments | Uncategorized |

Phyl and Tike (from Concord) wanted to celebrate their 24th wedding anniversary in a very special way, so they called Forest Winds to set up a September morning hot air balloon ride over central Virginia. This Sunday however was not just an average Sunday, it was September 11th. The temperature was 57F, the winds were fairly calm on the surface, and the skies were clear. With only a slight breeze from the northeast, we chose to launch from Ivy Hill Golf Course. This would carry us down Perrowville Road and ultimately cross over Rt. 221. By 7:55 AM, we were inflated and ready to go.

Ivy Hill Golf Course

As we ascended over the driving range, we began to drift almost due east towards Ivy Lake. Looking towards the sky, it was absolutely unbelieveable how blue it could be.

Blue skies!

We slowly climbed over the tree line and made our way towards the lake. You could see from the air that there was a slight breeze blowing north to south across the water….the small ripples produced by the wind was a sure give away. It’s not often we get an opportunity to fly over the lake, so we wanted to take that opportunity and catch a quick glance of our reflection.

Reflections over the lake!

After playing on the lake, it was time to check out a better view from high above. So with the addition of a little more heat, we were well on our way to 2000′ MSL.

Phyl & Tike

Visibility was reported at greater than 10 miles, but it seemed much better than that to us.

Looking northeast

We continued to navigate to the southeast and cross over Rt. 221. It wasn’t too long however before we needed to set down. The surface winds had picked up quite a bit and we were covering ground pretty quick. With a speed of about 6 mph, we needed to find a field that would provide enough of a margin to make the approach. As luck would have it, such a field became available. It was a field located on Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest home. Skimming over the treetops, we made the approach to the field and set down with a textbook landing. There was one problem however. We had landed behind the fence line and the access gates were locked. Sometimes these things happen, but we just have to work around them. Since we had just experienced a great flight on 9/11 and landed on Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest to boot, it only seemed appropriate to celebrate Phyl’s and Tike’s anniversary. So we did!

We’d worry about picking up the balloon later…sometime after the gates open

Happy anniversary!

For more pictures of Phyl and Tike’s flight, click on the following link:
Phyl and Tike Flight

A Father & Son Outing in the Sky!

September 10th, 2011 | 0 Comments | Uncategorized |

Ken wanted to do something pretty cool for his son (Cole) this Saturday. So he got him up out of bed pretty early and headed out to McDonalds. Cole however had no idea what his father had really planned. Both father and son had a leisurely breakfast, talked about stuff, and enjoyed being together, but around 6:50 AM, Ken finally told Cole why he had gotten him out of bed so early…..it was to take a hot air balloon ride! Cole was pretty pumped!

Since the winds were out of the northwest, we headed out to Goode Station Road. By 7:55 AM, we were inflated and on our way up … drifting easterly towards the sunrise.

Airborne!

It didn’t take too long before we crossed over Rt. 221. We continued to drift to the east at about 4-5 mph just barely over the treetops. Every once in a while we’d check with Cole to see if he knew what type of tree we were flying over. At one point we came real close to a squirrel’s nest located high in a tree, but when that squirrel heard that burner come close, he high tailed off to another tree.

Into the sunrise…

Cole, being the daredevil that he was, wanted to go higher. So after a little bit, we gave the balloon some heat and ascended to a higher altitude. We couldn’t go too high however because the winds aloft were cruising at a pretty good speed. So we leveled off at about 2000′ AGL. At this altitude, our direction changed dramatically to the southwest.

Ken and Cole

Over Bedford County

As we continued to drift to the southwest, early morning folks looking up would wave and say hello. We also saw all kinds of deer running across open fields. Before long, we were coming up on Rt. 460, so we decided to drop down to a lower altitude and try to catch the wind from the west. As planned, the wind did in fact change our course to a more easterly direction. For a moment, it even looked like we might reach Ken’s house.

Slowly we floated along Bellevue Road. At about 8:45 AM, it was time to start thinking about selecting a landing spot. Not too far in front of us was a large open field off Great Oak Road. That seemed like the perfect spot, so at that point we began preparations for the final approach.

On final approach

Our ground crew had already arrived and was prepared to provide assistance as needed. With a pull of the vent, we touched down with a hop, skip, and a jump. It was a perfect landing!

And with such a perfect landing, it only seemed appropriate to have a small celebration. So we did! Father and son raised their glasses to toast the sharing of good times!!!

To soft landings!

For more pictures of Ken & Cole’s flight, click on the following link:
Ken and Cole Flight

Not the Voyager II Launch, but Still Pretty Cool!

August 21st, 2011 | 0 Comments | Uncategorized |

On this day in 1977, NASA launched the Voyager II, but in 2011, it was Edward and Joanne that were looking for a launch of their own in a hot air balloon. The launch was originally scheduled for August 6th, but Mother Nature didn’t allow that to happen. On this day (August 20th) however, she ended up being a little more accommodating. The time was 6:30 AM; the place was Forest, Virginia. Surface winds were light, the temperature was 64ºF, and the visibility was around 10 miles. Parts of central Virginia were calling for fog, but not over Forest. Launching from Thomas Jefferson Elementary School would no doubt provide the best flight path for the given wind conditions.

Once all the required paperwork was taken care of, we all got into the chase vehicle and drove out to the school. It didn’t take too long before we were inflated and read to go. Edward and Joanne climbed aboard, and of course, we had to taken a photo moment.

Ready for launch!

While ascending to altitude the lower winds pushed us to the east over Rt. 811 towards Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest.

Looking good so far!

We continued to drift east for a while, but needed to change direction to the south to preclude flying into limited landing areas. So we began the ascent to find the forecasted northerly winds. At about 4000′ MSL, we found the winds we were looking for, and began drifting to the south at about 14 mph. This change in direction eventually took us over Timber Lake. Although it was still very early, below us were folks enjoying a boat ride, and a few people were out in their backyards looking up as we floated by. The wind conditions set up up for a perfect opportunity to fly low over the lake, so we slowly descended to just above the lake and drifted just above the water without actually touching. The reflection in the perfectly calm water was really cool. Folks along the lakefront waved as we drifted by.

Edward & Joanne

After playing on the lake, it was time to return to altitude and continue our journey to the south. By this time, we had neared Rt. 460 and it was time to begin looking for a landing spot. As we drifted over Rt. 460, trucks and cars below honked their horns with a friendly good morning!

Over Rt. 460

Just off Sable Drive, a couple of fields came into view and these appeared to provide the best opportunity for a safe landing. Since the number one rule in ballooning is to always take the first opportunity for a safe landing, we elected to set our approach for this particular field.

The landing spot

The landing was spot on, but once we were on the ground, it wasn’t really clear how the chase vehicle was going to get to us. The field seemed to be completed surrounded by trees with no access road, but as it turned out, there was. The property was owned by a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and he and his family were nothing less than exceptional with their help. Since it wasn’t often that a hot air balloon landed on the property, even the kids had to ride out in the golf cart to check it out. Once everything was secured and the balloon was safely deflated, it was time to celebrate!

Edward, Joanne and crew

Forest Winds would like to thank Edward and Joanne for all their help on this flight. Both of these folks selfishly pitched in to help the crew, and we’re very grateful they did!

For more pictures of Joanne & Edward’s flight, click on the following link:
Joanne and Edward Flight

Birthday Surprise!

July 17th, 2011 | 0 Comments | Uncategorized |

Jim had always wanted to take a ride in a hot air balloon, and since today was his birthday, Cheryl was going to make that happen for him. But Jim had no idea that Cheryl had contacted Forest Winds a while ago to set this date up. Everyone had to keep it a secret. The hard part was going to get Jim up very early in the morning, drive all the way from Chatham, Virginia, and not disclose the purpose. But as it turned out, Jim was a pretty good sport. Jim and Cherly left Chatham at 4:00 AM and arrived in Forest around 5:30 AM, stopping along the way to have a little breakfast. We met up with Jim and Cheryl precisely at 6:00 AM (9 minutes before sunrise). Jim was still blindfolded. Cheryl helped Jim out of the car and escorted him over to where we were waiting.

Jim and Cheryl

Cheryl finally removed the blindfold and revealed the surprise…the gift he had always wanted! The morning was moderately cool and still very humid. The sun was just beginning to rise in the east, but the cloud layer overhead wasn’t about to let it poke through. No matter though; visibility was still very good and the surface winds light. Since the winds were still coming from the south, just like yesterday, New London airport appeared to be the best option for a launch point. So we all got in the car and headed that way.

Ready to go!

This morning we had a full ground crew (Nicholas, Ed and Lisa), so the inflation didn’t take long at all. By 6:45 AM, the balloon was standing straight up and ready for boarding. With the preflight checks completed, Cheryl and Jim climbed aboard. By 6:56 AM, we were on our way!

Bye!

We quickly climbed high above New London airport and began drifting north. We had only climbed to about 2000′ MSL, but were cruising at a brisk 10 mph. It didn’t take too long before we were already crossing Rt. 460. The view in all directions was absolutely fantastic.

Over the landscape

Our flight path continued on a northerly heading, crossing Everett Road. By 8:00 AM, we had almost reached Forest Road and it was time to begin looking for a landing spot. The field between Sheetz and Krogers just off Venture Drive seemed to be setting up quite nice. So we began our descent and turned northeasterly. Our ground crew had already arrived and was waiting to receive the balloon. The balloon slowly descended on final approach and ended up landing right on the mark we had selected…a perfect landing!

The entire flight had gone so well and Cheryl and Jim were so impressed. But it wasn’t over just yet. We still had to celebrate (to a successful flight and Jim’s birthday)! With glasses raised high, we toasted to a wonderful morning. To top even that, Cheryl had found a four leaf clover on the ground where we had landed…a sign of good luck! I was so impressed by that, I stored the clover safely in the basket. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have a little good luck on your side, that’s for sure.

Jim had finally taken his hot air balloon ride and seemed to enjoy the entire experience. What’s next you ask? I’m betting sky diving is in Jim’s future. Happy birthday Jim!

Happy Birthday!

For more of Cheryl’s and Jim’s flight, click on the following link:
Cheryl_and_Jim_Flight

Keeping Cool in July!

July 16th, 2011 | 0 Comments | Uncategorized |

Thus far, July has been a blistering month, but this weekend we got a huge relief from the heat, which fortunately ended up being a pretty good time to take a balloon ride for our passengers Richard, Sue and Sandy. Richard & Sue, local residents, received a gift certificate earlier last year, and Sue, from NC, was just passing through Lynchburg and always wanted to take a hot air balloon ride. We ended up getting together just before sunrise. Humidity was still very high, but the temperature remained cool. Winds on the surface were very light and coming from the south. Taking off from the New London airport seemed like our best option. So we all got into the chase vehicle and headed on down to the airport. When we arrived, our friends with Freedom Flights were already preparing for inflation. It didn’t take long however before we too were ready to inflate.

With a pull of the cord, the inflation fan came to life and soon began to fill the balloon with cool air. When it was finally filled, the burners were fired up the middle, bringing the balloon to an upright position. After the preflight checks were completed, Richard, Sue and Sandy climbed aboard. Once we were cleared by the ground crew, we were off, climbing into the skies over Bedford County.

Ready for T/O

After takeoff (T/O), we slowly began to drift to the west, but as we climbed higher, we quickly turned to the northeast. After leveling off at about 700 feet above the ground, we tracked along Rt. 811 towards Rt. 460. A fairly low cloud layer had already moved in from the west and kept the morning sun in check. Looking off in the distance, the usual summer haze had begun to form along the horizon, but the visibility remained good (> 10 miles).

Richard & Sue

After we had cleared the large power transmission lines running east-west along Rt. 460, we decided to descend to a lower altitude in order to catch back up with that easterly wind. The world below us still remained very quiet and peaceful…only an occasional dog bark or cow mooing was heard. As we returned closer to the treetops, the balloon began to drift back towards the large transmission lines, so we decided to climb back up to a higher altitude and resume our northeasterly track.

Sandy

Off to the east, and beyond the James River, you could see the sun trying to peek through the cloud base. We continued our track to north and crossed over Rt. 460. A few cars below us honked hello as they passed beneath us. Our friends from Freedom Flights had already completed their “hop” to exchange passengers and were way overhead further to the northeast. By 7:50 AM, it was time to begin thinking about a place to land. We had ultimately found ourselves just north of New London Academy, but the field below us was just slightly off our course. So, we needed to drop back down to the surface, fly west, go back up and catch the wind to the northeast, and then return back to the treetops to head west again. This we did, but by the time we returned back to the treetops, the winds had shifted directions. As it turned out, this ended up being okay. We just ended up crossing over Rt. 811 and drifted towards the open fields off Willis Way.

Final Approach

Our final approach brought us smoothly back to the ground with our ground crew waiting to receive. The balloon finally came to rest just where we expected, and the landowners were delighted to see we had landed there. They had actually wanted to see the balloon festival in Lexington this year, but were unable to. Landing in their yard was even better!

The Toast!

Having just completed a beautiful morning flight and a perfect landing, it just seemed appropriate that we have a small celebration. So we did!

For more pictures of Richard’s, Sue’s and Sandy’s flight, click on the following link:
Richard_Sue_Sandy_Flight

Kicking Off the July 4th Weekend Up High!

July 3rd, 2011 | 0 Comments | Uncategorized |

Glenda and Jan really got to kickoff the July 4th weekend in style by taking a ride aboard The Pride of Forest hot air balloon. We met in the early morning hour of 6:00 AM when the sun had just begun rising over the horizon. Although this weekend was forecasted to be a scorcher, it was still relatively cool and the ground was still wet from the morning dew. The winds on the surface were calm, but there appeared to be a slight breeze from the northwest at about a thousand feet up. After the required paperwork was completed, we all climbed into the Nissan Pathfinder and drove out to our selected launch site; Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. There we began the inflation process and got ready for the flight.

By 7:00 AM, the balloon was standing upright, hot, and ready to go. Glenda and Jan climbed aboard, and after a brief pause to take a few photographs, we were on our way.

Clear for takeoff!

The climb out…

With little wind on the surface, we slowly ascended over Thomas Jefferson Elementary and began drifting just slightly to the southeast. For a moment, it appeared that the winds had changed from our earlier assessment and would take us over Lynchburg. But, as we cleared the tree line the balloon turned to a westerly direction parallel to Everett Road and we were looking good.

Glenda & Jan

Visibility was pretty good, but you could see haze forming up on the horizon. The world below was still very quiet; only an occassional dog bark or early morning train running west to east could be heard.

Looking northwest

After about a half an hour, our friends with Freedom Flights had already sought a higher altitude in order to catch a northwesterly breeze. It appeared that this breeze was taking them to the east. So, we too elected to climb higher and catch that same breeze. With a little bit of luck, we could actually return to our exact launch point. But Mother Nature had other plans. Our course actually took us south past Thomas Jefferson Elementary and along Bateman Bridge Road. Jefferson’s Poplar Forest was well within view. By this time, we needed to start thinking about a place to land. As we descended back over the treetops, we took up a southwesterly course and found ouselves over a large patch of wooded area. Since the winds were so light, it was going to take a few minutes to get over an open field. This provided us an opportunity to do a little contour flying over the tree line. Jan really enjoyed this part.

Capturing the experience!

Eventually we cleared the wooded area and made our way to the wide open field next to Poplar Forest Golf Course. Weekend golfers already on the fairway looked on from a distance. The balloon slowly descended over the field and we finally touched down with a gentle hop. Our chase vehicle had already staged for the landing just off Ramblewood Road. After the balloon was allowed to cool down a little bit, Glenda and Jan exited the basket and helped tow the balloon across the field to the waiting chase vehicle. At that point, Jan pulled the “green line” to deflate the balloon and begin the pack up process. Once the envelop was fully deflated, it was time to celebrate the flight! So we filled the glasses and made the toast. That cold sparkling cider sure did taste good on a warm July morning!

Toasting to a great flight!

For more pictures of Glenda & Jan’s flight, click on the following link:
Glenda_and_Jan_Flight

Post-Thanksgiving Trot Across the Skies!

December 31st, 2010 | 0 Comments | Uncategorized |

It’s the Sunday after Thanksgiving (11/28/10) … it’s cold (21°F) … it’s early (7:09 am) … but oh what a great time to fly! Nothing but clear blue skies and very light winds from the north. Today was the day Tonya and her two daughters, Hunter and Larkin, were going to take to the air in an unforgettable hot air balloon ride. This adventure however began much much earlier, over two years ago, around Christmas. Tonya, Hunter and Larkin (The Girls) received their ride as a gift from Mike (Santa). Several attempts over the months to follow were made to schedule the ride, but for one reason or another (weather or illness in the family), the opportunities just slipped away. But nonetheless, persistency prevailed, and today was the day worth waiting for.

A quick check of the wind conditions suggested a launch site slightly to the north and west of our current location, so we all got into the chase vehicle and headed out to Goode Station Road. The sun was just beginning to peak over the farm fields to the east. We arrived at the launch site and begin to get the balloon ready for inflation. Within about 20 minutes we had the balloon assembled and laid out across the cold cold frosty grass … everyone stood ready to bring The Pride of Forest balloon to life. With a pull of the cord, the inflation fan’s engine began turning the fan’s blades, pushing cold dense air into the throat of the balloon’s envelop. Slowly the envelop took shape, becoming round and plump, like a pumpkin ready to be cut from the vein. When the envelop was finally packed with cold air, the gas heaters were ignited and directed up towards the center of the balloon. The sleeping giant was awaken, and now with plenty of warm less-dense air, stood straight up, ready to take flight once everyone got aboard.

One at a time Hunter, Larkin, and Tonya climbed aboard and the final pre-flight checks were completed. With the thumbs up from our ground crew okaying everything looked good for the launch, the heaters were once again called into action to provide more heat for lift. At 8:05 am, we were airborne and on our way to where ever the winds intended to take us.

Up & Away!

We climbed out to the southeast, quickly ascending over Rt. 221. As we looked back down on the field from where we just left, we could see a perfect silhouette of our shadow being cast by the morning’s sunrise. Very cool!

Shadow Dancing!

Mesmerized by all the beauty of the landscape below and the quietness of the morning, The Girls just seemed to take it all in … and Larkin wondered if we would eventually go higher.

Tonya, Larkin & Hunter

And higher we would in fact go! With calm winds aloft, we continued to ascend in search of some more moderate winds from the north. Higher and higher we climbed trying to find that sweet spot of direction and speed. Mother Nature however had something else in mind.

High over Bedford Co.

We searched high and low to find that perfect wind direction and speed, but to no avail, it wasn’t to be found. Sometimes we would drift to the east, sometimes to the west, and sometimes to the north. Often times we would just hover high above Goode going nowhere in particular. You might say it was a post-Thanksgiving walk as opposed to a trot across the skies. No matter though, because the view was absolutley spectacular! It seemed like you could see forever.

We continued to drift every which way, keeping our ground crew below guessing on where we would ultimately set down. We didn’t have any idea, and neither did they. So the chase vehicle parked at the Goode Rescue Squad and waited for our final descent. When it was time to come down, Mother Nature once again decided to throw us a curve ball. As we descended closer to the tree tops, the winds became stronger and pushed us to the northwest. Although generally not a problem, it did significantly narrow our choices for a open field. In ballooning however, patience is key … so we continued to be patient … waiting for that opportunity to conduct a safe descent. 80 minutes after takeoff, that opportunity presented itself … a wide open, upward sloping hill off Prophet Road.

On Final Approach!

At 9:25 am, we were back on the ground, high-fiving each other on a textbook landing. It was now time to celebrate! So we did … glasses raised high. Today Tonya, Hunter and Larkin experienced a beautiful takeoff, a beautiful flight, and a beautiful landing in a hot air balloon. That’s not something you get to do everyday.

Happy Bunch!

Forest Winds would like to extend our sincerest appreciation to The Girls for being so patient on scheduling their flight. Good things come to those who wait, and in this case, it certainly did!

For more pictures of The Girls’ flight, go to:

http://picasaweb.google.com/forestwindsinc/Larkin_Hunter_and_Tonya_Flight_112810#

Fall Engagement at 1500 Feet!

October 31st, 2010 | 0 Comments | Uncategorized |

Fernando (a midshipman at the Naval Academy) wanted to find a very special way to ask the love of his life, Kaci, to marry him. Since their first date was a trip to Sharp Top Mountain, it only seemed fitting to return to that setting for that all important question. So Fernando contacted Forest Winds to see about scheduling a flight that would provide them a view of the mountain from a different prespective. Fernando was able to keep it on the down low so well that Kaci had no idea what was about to happen on the flight. In order to get her up so early on a Saturday morning, he told her they were going to go on an outside outing. It worked! We met at the designated point precisely at 7:30 AM. Kaci was thrilled. She thought she was just going to go on a hot air balloon ride. Little did she know what had been planned.

We drove out to our launch site just off Rt. 460 near Owen’s Market and began the inflation. By 8:45 AM, we were ready to go. Fernando and Kaci climbed aboard, and shortly thereafter we were airborne and on our way.

Airborne!

With clear skies, light winds, great visibility and cool temperatures (37°F), there was no doubt it was going to be a great flight!

Waving good-bye!

We climbed out to the north and cleared the tree line. Once over the trees, we picked up westerly winds and began to head east at about 9 mph.

The climbout.

Fernando continued to play it cool with Kaci, not letting on for one minute what would become of this flight. They both looked out at the scenery below, making occassional comments about how beautiful and peaceful it all seemed to be.

Fernando and Kaci

The morning visibility was absolutely spectacular (you could see for miles) and the balloon’s shadow danced among the colorful fall landscape as we drifted along.

Fall 2010

About halfway into the flight, Fernando began to set the stage. As we floated high above Bedford County, he pointed out to Kaci the beautiful view of Sharp Top Mountain where the two of them had taken their first date. He also talked about some of the other special things and places they had been together. Sharing these experiences was something he wanted to continue to do for the rest of their lives. And with that said, he got down on one knee and looked into Kaci’s eyes. The next words from Fernando took Kaci completely by surprise. “Will you marry me Kaci?”

At 9:12 AM, and at 1500′ MSL over Bedford County aboard the Pride of Forest hot air balloon, Kaci said yes! The moment was absolutely magical and she leaned over to Fernando for a kiss.

Engaged!

Kaci’s morning had really turned into something wonderful. As Fernando and Kaci had sealed their engagement with a kiss, a herd of cows that we were floating over seemed to know what had just happened and joined in celebratory chorus. The moos seemed to sound more like “cooooon…grattttttts….” It was just too funny. We all laughed. Ken (pilot) radioed to the ground crew that Kaci had said yes. Moments later, Kaci’s mom radioed back in with her best wishes and love for her daughter. It was all just a very cool moment, a moment that Fernando had been planning and waiting for for quick some time.

It wasn’t too long after that magical moment that we needed to start thinking about a spot to land. The morning winds had begun to pick up and you could see the leaves in the treetops starting to wrestle around a lit bit. At first, it seemed like the farm land running parallel to Elkton Farm Road would provide that opportunity, but as luck would have, the winds pushed us a little too close to the tree line to make a safe and successful landing. So we elected to fly on to the east, northeast. Several minutes later we were looking at an open field off Woodbrook Lane.

The landing spot

With a slight upward slope, the field was setting up to be a perfect spot to set down in. We first had to clear some power lines that ran north-south along the field’s edge. Once cleared, we descended onto the field and completed a successful landing with only three short skips. We were back on the ground, safe and sound.

Back on the ground.

The ground crew finally managed to find us, which wasn’t easy since we had dropped out of sight when we came in low over the trees for the final approach. But they did, and it was time to get the balloon deflated and packed back up. In about 40 minutes, we were done and on our way to a spot we could join in on a little post-flight celebration. Ken poured the sparkling grape juice and made the toast to Fernando and Kaci. We had a lot to celebrate about…a wonderful engagement, a beautiful flight, and an incredible fall morning that would be long remembered!

Congratulations Fernando and Kaci! May all your life’s experiences bring you soft landings!

The toast!

For more pictures of Kaci’s and Fernando’s flight, go to:

http://picasaweb.google.com/forestwindsinc/Kaci_and_Fernando_Flight_103010#

Wedding Bells and Setting Sail Off Into the Sunset!

October 22nd, 2010 | 0 Comments | Uncategorized |

With their October 10th wedding themed around balloons, it seemed that the only perfect getaway after Audrey’s and William’s reception could be a hot air balloon setting sail into the sunset. With friends and family gathered around the balloon standing ready for flight in the field just behind Glencliff Manor off English Tavern Road, William lifted his new bride into the basket. Winds reported out of the Lynchburg airport were about 7 mph from the southwest and we were cleared for takeoff.

Over the threshold!

Once inside the basket, it only seemed appropriate the bride and groom embrace in a kiss.

The kiss!

After the pre-flight checks were completed, the only thing left to do was say goodbye to the wedding party.

Goodbye hugs …

The goodbyes were made, and it was time to go. At around 6:05 PM, we were finally airborne and ascending over the field below. Just before the balloon caught the southwesterly winds over the treetops, Audrey quickly turned her back to the wedding party below and cast out the bouqet for one luckly girl to catch.

Setting sail!

It didn’t take long before we were picked up by the winds aloft and on our way between the Chandler Mountain and Long Mountain corridor. The sun had already begun to set off into the west.

Into the sunset …

A quick glance behind us showed the wedding party still gathered in the Glencliff Manor field looking on as the balloon drifted out of sight.

The wedding party below …

Audrey and William had made a successful getaway and they were alone at last (less the pilot) high over Lynchburg.

William & Audrey together

The landscape below was absolutely breathtaking! We were high above Lynchburg, drifting to the northeast at about 18 mph, and enjoying the peace and quiet (at least for a little while) of the afternoon sunset. Since our northeasterly flightpath wasn’t ideal however (because of the large area of undeveloped land beyond), and the sun was beginning to set, we needed to return closer to the surface and start thinking about a place to land. As we came closer to the treetops, our speed continued to be a pretty good clip, so the landing was expected to be a little rough. It didn’t take too long before we came across an upsloping hill with an open pasture that would provide both an opportunity to land without interference and a good breaking system once we touched the ground. The angle of descent needed to be pretty steep in order to get down pretty quick. We crossed over Campbell Hwy near Sunnymeade Road and made the quick descent for the field’s edge, brushing through the top portion of a poplar tree that was gracious enough to slow us down enough to make the field landing.

Looking along Chandlers Mtn.

The flight had only lasted about 25 minutes, but what a ride it was. We had just tasted the beauty of a perfect sunset over the skies of Lynchburg. Now that we were safely back on the ground again, it was time to recover the balloon. Unfortunately because of the flightpath over some pretty un-navigable land, we had lost radio contact with our ground crew. Although they were pretty close, it was difficult to describe just exactly where we were with no distinguishable landmarks. We were in a pasture with one lonely cow on the distance (or was it a cow?). Turns out the cow was a bull, but he didn’t seem too disturbed by this strange craft invading his turf. Audrey and William exited the basket and waited safely concealed behind a very large oak tree not too far from where the balloon rested. The ground crew finally arrived and commenced the pack up operations.

Back on the ground!

With the sunlight rapidly diminishing, we decided to hold off on the champagne celebration until we got back to the Glencliff Manor. By the time we had returned, the wedding party of course had long broke up and gone home. But that was okay. We would make a toast to a beautiful balloon getaway following a beautiful wedding. How many couples could actually say they did that?