We checked one off the bucket list today - a hot-air balloon ride. My husband's birthday is on Tuesday, and I decided to surprise him with a unique adventure. It was amazing.

Apparently many other people also had this experience in mind. As we looked back at the other balloons, we realized we were the first launch of seven balloons. Most carried 12-14 passengers plus a pilot.

Air is first blown into the opening of the balloons with large fans. Flames then heat the air in the balloon to make it rise and right the gondola. We climb aboard using holes in the sides of the gondola as steps. The ground crew works to release the balloon as we slowly rise. To control altitude, the pilot intermittently activates the flames. He is also able to control direction slightly by catching the breeze with a flap of fabric on the bottom of the balloon much like a sailor catches the wind in a sail on a sailboat. When it's time to land, the pilot quits activating the flames, and the balloon descends. The ride is incredibly smooth and very relaxing. Landing is a different story. As the balloon touches down, members of the ground crew, who have been in communication with the pilot via a walkie-talkie, and who have been following us in vans, run over to grab the side of the gondola to keep it from tipping over. Once it's stabilized, we climb out and head to the vans for our ride back and a light but lovely champagne brunch.

We checked one off the bucket list today - a hot-air balloon ride. My husband's birthday is on Tuesday, and I decided to surprise him with a unique adventure. It was amazing.

Apparently many other people also had this experience in mind. As we looked back at the other balloons, we realized we were the first launch of seven balloons. Most carried 12-14 passengers plus a pilot.

Air is first blown into the opening of the balloons with large fans. Flames then heat the air in the balloon to make it rise and right the gondola. We climb aboard using holes in the sides of the gondola as steps. The ground crew works to release the balloon as we slowly rise. To control altitude, the pilot intermittently activates the flames. He is also able to control direction slightly by catching the breeze with a flap of fabric on the bottom of the balloon much like a sailor catches the wind in a sail on a sailboat. When it's time to land, the pilot quits activating the flames, and the balloon descends. The ride is incredibly smooth and very relaxing. Landing is a different story. As the balloon touches down, members of the ground crew, who have been in communication with the pilot via a walkie-talkie, and who have been following us in vans, run over to grab the side of the gondola to keep it from tipping over. Once it's stabilized, we climb out and head to the vans for our ride back and a light but lovely champagne brunch.

We checked one off the bucket list today - a hot-air balloon ride. My husband's birthday is on Tuesday, and I decided to surprise him with a unique adventure. It was amazing.

Apparently many other people also had this experience in mind. As we looked back at the other balloons, we realized we were the first launch of seven balloons. Most carried 12-14 passengers plus a pilot.

Air is first blown into the opening of the balloons with large fans. Flames then heat the air in the balloon to make it rise and right the gondola. We climb aboard using holes in the sides of the gondola as steps. The ground crew works to release the balloon as we slowly rise. To control altitude, the pilot intermittently activates the flames. He is also able to control direction slightly by catching the breeze with a flap of fabric on the bottom of the balloon much like a sailor catches the wind in a sail on a sailboat. When it's time to land, the pilot quits activating the flames, and the balloon descends. The ride is incredibly smooth and very relaxing. Landing is a different story. As the balloon touches down, members of the ground crew, who have been in communication with the pilot via a walkie-talkie, and who have been following us in vans, run over to grab the side of the gondola to keep it from tipping over. Once it's stabilized, we climb out and head to the vans for our ride back and a light but lovely champagne brunch.

We checked one off the bucket list today - a hot-air balloon ride. My husband's birthday is on Tuesday, and I decided to surprise him with a unique adventure. It was amazing.

Apparently many other people also had this experience in mind. As we looked back at the other balloons, we realized we were the first launch of seven balloons. Most carried 12-14 passengers plus a pilot.

Air is first blown into the opening of the balloons with large fans. Flames then heat the air in the balloon to make it rise and right the gondola. We climb aboard using holes in the sides of the gondola as steps. The ground crew works to release the balloon as we slowly rise. To control altitude, the pilot intermittently activates the flames. He is also able to control direction slightly by catching the breeze with a flap of fabric on the bottom of the balloon much like a sailor catches the wind in a sail on a sailboat. When it's time to land, the pilot quits activating the flames, and the balloon descends. The ride is incredibly smooth and very relaxing. Landing is a different story. As the balloon touches down, members of the ground crew, who have been in communication with the pilot via a walkie-talkie, and who have been following us in vans, run over to grab the side of the gondola to keep it from tipping over. Once it's stabilized, we climb out and head to the vans for our ride back and a light but lovely champagne brunch.