· aerial · exploring · GIF · rally · Balloon Fiesta 2023
Last year we had a reservation for a ride in a balloon, but it was cancelled due to rain. A big reason for coming to the fiesta again this year was to have another chance for a balloon flight.
This time, the weather was perfect, and we got to experience the ride. And it was indeed a very special experience.
We signed up for the VIP Ryders Club package, which included a shorter line, a breakfast, and some swag:
A boarding pass:
Heading to the balloon:
Our balloon:
Jenn helped hold up the balloon envelope while they used fans to start inflating it:
Hot air inflation:
Raising the balloon:
Getting into the basket:
Burners:
Selfie in the basket. I wore my 360 camera on my head; stay tuned for a timelapse video of our flight:
Liftoff:
Aerial views:
The north RV lot; you can see our coach next to the power pole near the center of the picture:
Another angle of the north RV lot and our coach:
Coming in for a landing:
Deflating the envelope:
Exiting the basket:
Bubbly celebration:
We landed very near the field; the van could have taken us back, but we opted to walk; the blue dot on this map screenshot is where we landed, and our coach was just above the middle of the word “Presbyterian”:
This ride was a magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience. We’re super glad that it worked out to do it this year.