Plano Balloon Festival, 2004
I took Ann up on her promise to let me crew for her in Plano a couple of weeks later. Phone calls and I meet the crew in the "staging" room of the Motel before Friday's "Media Launch". This is not really open to the public; most festivals have a morning launch before the real event begins to talk to and give rides to local reporters to help bring the locals out. I'm too sleepy during the pre-flight gathering to take pictures, but here's what happened later that Friday morning.
Here's Mike and Judy "cold-packing" SunKissed's envelope for the "Media Flight". Ann is scheduled to take a local TV station reporter up on this ride and Judy is keeping an eye out for him or her. ..... a "no-show" so far.
I lend a hand as the envelope fills.
The first round of balloons are away. Scare Crow (from Brazil) is about ready to launch. Can you tell which balloon that may be?
Pirate is close to launch.
That's our chase vehicle, bottom-right. Launch time is close but our passenger has yet to show up.
Pirate makes the skies. ..... but our passenger never shows.
Just before launch, Ann instructs me to enter the gondola and I get my first balloon ride. No time for pictures, I'm afraid, I'm too wrapped up in enjoying the experience. The winds are calm, we drift strait up until we clear the trees surrounding the launch site. As we start to drift slowly, WNW, we get to see Airabelle (Schwepps' flying cow) land on the campus just West of the launch site. We next passed over Dallas' "North Central Expressway" (US75) and I laughed at the Friday commuters jammed up, trying to get to work. THIS IS SO MUCH MORE FUN THAN COMMUTING!" Freeway cleared, Ann switches to the "Whisper" valve on the burners. Don't want to scare the horses in the Plano "Gentlemen's Ranches". Urban ranches, cleared, we start our descent with an eye on a vacant lot, just behind a shopping center that fronts the next freeway to the West. Ann knows her descent vectors and we pick up just a couple of leaves from the tops of the trees surrounding the lot as we descend. Wind speed drops to 0 after clearing the trees and Ann makes a touchdown softer than almost any elevator stop.
While almost everyone knows about the tradition of celebrating a successful landing with a champagne toast, it's done in a special way for a first-time passenger. Want to know what it is? Take a balloon ride in SunKissed and find out for yourself.
After our return to the motel, Ann was gracious enough to sign and date the champagne bottle we opened and let me keep it, my "crew badge" from the event and my toasting glass. All three found a prominent display place on my fireplace ledge for years to come. I spent the rest of the weekend as part of the chase crew and here are a few of the better pictures I was able to capture.
SunKissed rises in to the skies on the opening (Saturday) morning flight.
This is a good day. .... Any day you can keep the balloon you are chasing in sight is a good day. To spot them directly overhead is even better.
Some of the "Special Shapes" and unique envelope graphics at Plano this year.
A most un-complementary picture of part of Airabelle (the flying cow) during one evening's "glow party".
How high/far can THIS frog jump?
Only a bank named "Plains....." would still have a double-headed buffalo nickel!
Airabelle in her full glory. .... this is a BIG balloon!
From the Plano fire department, Sparkie. (That's the name on the back of the jacket.) In honor of my Son's black lab, named ..... "Sparkie".
Some of the private pilots that can't afford the special shapes make up for it in the envelope design.
Pictures of the crew at the closing dinner - in the hotel parking lot, under a tent:
Our pilot and owner of SunKissed, Ann Kirby of Houston, Texas.
Our crew chief, Dick Carter.
Judy Huston.
Plano is over but I'm looking forward to our next outing.