Hot Air Balloon Flight Record - 17Sep2022
Leo and Margaret

Forecast for light surface winds from the NNW. Rudi and Steve also decided it looked like a nice morning. I got off the ground first, but the lowest level actually moved slowly NNW so I hung around over the beacon while Rudi and Steve got up. Once they were off I climbed just a bit higher and started heading SW.

Just across S Acton road, Steve put down it the nice clear field. We continued on, too early to land. Rudi was further out and a bit more east than our track. After crossing 117 I climbed to 1100 feet to turn SW and head for Crow Island. At the Assabet I started a fast descent to curve SE into the east end of Crow Island. The river currents had a different plan and we turned too far east and missed the edge.

Across the wildlife refuge, we clipped the back edge of the Fire Fighting Academy and crossed Sudbury/Hudson Rd. I figured we would find a large yard in the approaching neighborhoods. Older homes, lots of old growth trees (i.e. TALL, and FULL!), and above ground utilities. After several almost possibilities we were approaching a larger side yard, low and slow, and dropped the line.

With some effort we got into the side yard, and with a lot of help from neighbors we squeezed the deflation into the side yard. The homeowners were not home.

Timelapse Video:

• Saturday Leo and Margaret