William (5 years old), his father (Bill) and his grandfather (Gus) were lifted high into the skies over Forest this morning (October 21st) aboard The Pride of Forest to celebrate William’s 5th birthday. Actually William turned 5 back in February, but he wasn’t tall enough to see over the basket at the time. So he waited until he could. Today was the day. The balloon took off from Ivy Lake and ascended to an altitude of 3000′ MSL. With a heading of 220°, it looked like the crew would ultimately land somewhere down off Rt. 460 near Owens Market, but as the balloon descended towards the tree tops, the heading changed back north. Our new destination became Goode Station Road, and with a gentle breeze from the south, The Pride of Forest found its mark…a perfect textbook landing on the front lawn of a friend’s house (thanks Debbie). A great ride, a beautiful morning, and a soft landing..what more could you ask for? Happy Birthday William!
On October 16th, Gene and Erm took to the skies over Bedford County in The Pride of Forest.  The morning was cool with light winds, creating an ideal day for taking a leisurely stroll in a hot air balloon. The Pride of Forest took off just a few miles east of Bedford on Rt. 460 and drifted northeasterly towards Forest. An hour later, the balloon set down in an open field just off Rt. 221 close to the Forest post office. The field wasn’t exactly made of soft green grass, so a special thank you goes out to Gene and Erm for helping the crew deflate the balloon and keeping the envelope on the protective tarp.
On October 7th, Ed took command of The Peaks of Otter Trotter under Ken’s instruction for another training flight. This time the lesson focused on emergency procedures and landings. Ed’s really getting a good feel for the balloon and should be ready to solo real soon!
On October 6th Forest Winds traveled to Salem, Virginia to celebrate Kobi’s 80th birthday! Among family and friends, Kobi climbed aboard The Pride of Forest and was lifted high into the air to provide an unbelievable view of the family farm and surrounding area. As the sun began to set over the horizon, the lights of Roanoke became more prominent and spectacular. When the balloon rose over the tree tops, you could clearly see the Star of Roanoke. Pretty cool! Kobi was certainly blessed to have such a great family and Forest Winds was honored to be a part of the celebration. Happy birthday Kobi! We hope to see you on a flight in Forest real soon.
