Nothing could have been better for a hot air themed vacation bible school than a real hot air balloon on the back lawn! Kids of all ages gathered around for an up close look at The Pride of Forest. Most seemed impressed, but a few thought it was just a little too warm to get real close to. Forest Winds extends a great big thank you to Cheryl for inviting us out to kick things off. We loved being there!
With unusually cool morning breezes from the North, The Pride of Forest was lifted aloft from the grounds of the Boonsboro Ruritan Club with Bruce (back), Maria (front) and Nancy (right) aboard. Flying with our friends from Freedom Flights (Harbor Inn), we pretty much stayed together throughout the flight and landed only one cow pasture apart. Wind speeds varied between 5 to 23 mph and the landing off Rt. 668 (Goode Rd) was perfect. Bruce and Maria drove all the way from Northern Virginia to see family and friends, and this balloon ride was just the right touch to start a great weekend!
The mother and daughter duo (Patsy & Lorrie) drove all the way to Forest from Richmond to enjoy a balloon flight over Central Virginia. With moderately high winds, the balloon covered a pretty good distance, but the landing was nothing less than perfect. Was the drive worth it?….You bet!
While most folks hesitate to awake the early morning hours for a sunrise flight, not Ed! There’s nothing better than to peacefully float across the skies of the Virginia countryside with the sun barely peeking up from the horizon. With no hesitation on Ed’s part, the Forest Winds Hot Air Balloon Team gathered together for an early crew training flight. Nice job by Ed…5 text book landings in The Pride of Forest.
Moderate winds lifted Phil & Tamara high above the Smith Mountain Lake Airport on July 4th and quickly pushed The Pride of Forest northeasterly towards the city of Bedford. Flying between 1200 and 2000 feet MSL, Phil and Tamara enjoyed all the beauty of Central Virginia…stopping once in route for a little goofing off over a cut down wooded area (with the balloon actually reversing directions). After a safe high wind landing, the crew and passengers returned to the Smith Mountain Lake airport for a champagne celebration. Happy 4th of July!
Jim & Kristina and Pat & Heidi enjoy an afternoon out on the town aboard The Pride of Forest. Ascending from the streets of Madison Heights to an altitude of 1250 feet MSL and slowly floating across the James River, the balloon settled into the nice grassy backyard of a local friend in Boonsboro about an hour later. The skies were clear and the visibility unbelievable! After the landing, everyone enjoyed a beautiful toast of sparling champagne to celebrate a very successful flight and an unforgettable memory.
