Tuesday, June 19 (Ron)
This is the day for our new adventure. Today we will float above Sedona with spectacular views of the Red Rocks, Verde Valley, Boynton Canyon, and other natural landmarks. All good things come at a price and the price we paid (other than monetary) was getting up at 3:45am.
The anticipation helped energize us and we walked to the resort’s office to be picked up at 4:50. It’s another beautiful day – comfortable temperature, wonderful clear blue skies that allow you to see forever, quiet and peaceful as a monastery.
After a five minute ride we were at the launch site. There were four or five other groups there in various stages of preparation so it was interesting to watch the whole process. We chatted, took pictures, and just watched as a wicker basket and large nylon bag became an instrument to allow man to float thru the air like dust in the wind.
Soon our balloon was ready, raised high above us, tugging at the basket as if to say “C’mon, let’s go.” We all climbed into the basket, Pat and I, two other couples, and the pilot, Scott. The ground crew released the tethers and with a blast of hot air we rose into the morning sky. There was almost no sense of movement other than the ground falling away from us.
We rose up, not into the stratosphere, but just high enough to be able to view the entire area and still pick out details below us. We went higher or lower as Scott caught just the right air current to take us where he wanted. We dropped down into a dry creek bed, below the tree tops (and trees don’t grow very tall in this climate!) Then we rose up catching a different current, just brushing the top of a tree with the bottom of the basket.
Scott pointed out landmarks and various areas, talked about what he was doing and what effect that would have on our flight, and what the air currents were doing, but much of the time he just kept quiet, allowing each of us to experience the flight in our own way.
We touched down with a bump and a bounce. The balloon was aloft for an hour and twenty minutes and traveled seven miles. After all balloons, passengers, and crew were back on solid ground we had a champagne toast with strawberries and a pastry. It was a great flight and a wonderful experience for both Pat and me.
We were back at the resort by 8 or 8:30. Pat took a nap and I was on the computer for a while. Around 11am we went to the pool to get some sun before it got too hot. We didn’t make it – not the pool, we made it to the pool OK. But it was hot! I checked the temp at 12:30 and it was 104 degrees and 8% humidity. We stayed out till a little after 1pm, then came in to cool down.
Mid-afternoon we drove out to Cottonwood to meet some friends. They drove us up to Jerome – an old mining town built on the side of a mountain. There are a lot of old homes and businesses, some restored, some pretty run down, but a very interesting place.
We got back to their house at 6pm and said our good-bys. Pat and I then drove back to Sedona, thru town, and out to a hiking trail northeast of town called Margs Draw Trail. It was a nice, easy hike in a neat area. Great scenery as always, plus lots of plant life. Lots of small pine trees, prickly pear and other cactus, century plants, and many other (unknown) desert flora. We watched the sun go down then back to the resort to chill out for a while before going to bed. A very enjoyable day!
This is the day for our new adventure. Today we will float above Sedona with spectacular views of the Red Rocks, Verde Valley, Boynton Canyon, and other natural landmarks. All good things come at a price and the price we paid (other than monetary) was getting up at 3:45am.
The anticipation helped energize us and we walked to the resort’s office to be picked up at 4:50. It’s another beautiful day – comfortable temperature, wonderful clear blue skies that allow you to see forever, quiet and peaceful as a monastery.
After a five minute ride we were at the launch site. There were four or five other groups there in various stages of preparation so it was interesting to watch the whole process. We chatted, took pictures, and just watched as a wicker basket and large nylon bag became an instrument to allow man to float thru the air like dust in the wind.
Soon our balloon was ready, raised high above us, tugging at the basket as if to say “C’mon, let’s go.” We all climbed into the basket, Pat and I, two other couples, and the pilot, Scott. The ground crew released the tethers and with a blast of hot air we rose into the morning sky. There was almost no sense of movement other than the ground falling away from us.
We rose up, not into the stratosphere, but just high enough to be able to view the entire area and still pick out details below us. We went higher or lower as Scott caught just the right air current to take us where he wanted. We dropped down into a dry creek bed, below the tree tops (and trees don’t grow very tall in this climate!) Then we rose up catching a different current, just brushing the top of a tree with the bottom of the basket.
Scott pointed out landmarks and various areas, talked about what he was doing and what effect that would have on our flight, and what the air currents were doing, but much of the time he just kept quiet, allowing each of us to experience the flight in our own way.
We touched down with a bump and a bounce. The balloon was aloft for an hour and twenty minutes and traveled seven miles. After all balloons, passengers, and crew were back on solid ground we had a champagne toast with strawberries and a pastry. It was a great flight and a wonderful experience for both Pat and me.
We were back at the resort by 8 or 8:30. Pat took a nap and I was on the computer for a while. Around 11am we went to the pool to get some sun before it got too hot. We didn’t make it – not the pool, we made it to the pool OK. But it was hot! I checked the temp at 12:30 and it was 104 degrees and 8% humidity. We stayed out till a little after 1pm, then came in to cool down.
Mid-afternoon we drove out to Cottonwood to meet some friends. They drove us up to Jerome – an old mining town built on the side of a mountain. There are a lot of old homes and businesses, some restored, some pretty run down, but a very interesting place.
We got back to their house at 6pm and said our good-bys. Pat and I then drove back to Sedona, thru town, and out to a hiking trail northeast of town called Margs Draw Trail. It was a nice, easy hike in a neat area. Great scenery as always, plus lots of plant life. Lots of small pine trees, prickly pear and other cactus, century plants, and many other (unknown) desert flora. We watched the sun go down then back to the resort to chill out for a while before going to bed. A very enjoyable day!
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