Hot Air Balloon Flight Record - 06-08Jul2012
Lisa&Maryann, Andrea&Harv, Carlos

Nice weather for the drive up this year, and the winds should drop in time to fly. Lisa and Maryann are Peanuts fans so it was a perfect match. The launch window was delayed at 6 due to winds, but we were cleared and launched by 7. Started ESE toward downtown initially, but climbed to turn ENE toward the center of the valley. Maryann was much happier when we came back down to turn toward the soccer fields. Beth landed at the soccer fields but we continued on a low level, through the pungent fields! Crossed Stagecoach Rd, out over the trees, and eventually to RT100. Rick set down along a driveway and I set up an approach into the same spot, stopping short of the driveway. While considering our deflation, the homeowners came home to enjoy the balloons.

Saturday AM had initial showers and we didn't fly when it finally cleared, but others did. Andrea and Harv won the balloon ride from the Stoweflake. We had to delay inflation a bit longer this evening and got off about 7:30. Again headed ESE, but slower. There wasn't any turn to the N this evening. Played around over the river for a while, talking to the spectators that followed a path from around the Rusty Nail. Paralled RT108, heading toward the downtown. At the Blessed Sacrament Church we turned L into the parking lot and with the crew from the adjacent yard we set down. My crew got through the traffic to us in a few minutes and we deflated.

Sunday AM the winds were calm, but forecast to pickup out of the N in the area by about 10. No passengers so Carlos went this morning. Everyone started S this morning which is a good direction if you don't stray too far off RT100. By climbing we turned a bit left but not enough to get to the campground along RT100. A few balloons chose to land in fields on the ridge but I was looking at the other balloons near Moscow Rd. Crossed Moscow, holding enough altitude to clear the river before dropping and turning R which I had seen a previous balloon do... into the adjacent weeds. A balloon behind us also dropped too early and ended up in the weeds, using Jeff to help with the drop line. We moved the basket to the road for deflation.