July 5, 2012 Passengers: Tina Babb, Alton Hyde, Tim Gregory (crew payout) . Today we have a reschedule from a prior rain out and the weather looks great today. We meet at City Hall and I move us to the church parking lot a “quieter” spot to launch from. We get the balloon out and pumped up then Cecil takes the passengers inside for a look see. I call for the passengers to board and I have a late cancellation so I need more ballast and Tim gets the okay from the “gang”. We are off the lot and catch the push from the east, as expected and start the drift southwest over Keizer. We pass by the retirement center and the hotel along the way and I notice that the first selected launch site in Brooks is all fogged in. Good thing I decided to stay in town today. We catch a slight push from the east and we will be over the river soon. I think we really need to get a closer look at the Willamette this morning so we drop down between the trees for a look. We get a bit of “down slope” off the west hills and for a bit drift back to the east. After some searching I find the push west again and we are on track to the berry fields and later the gravel pit. Alton knows this area well as he is at the Cemex pit almost daily to pick up top soil for his landscaping clients. He knows the “weigh master” well so I drop in low so we can give a “honk” HELLO. The hour is up and the “gang” has been staged at the church just waiting for us to pop up and for me to pick a LZ (landing zone) for today. We wont make the church so I have them move across the street to Somerset Heights for the LZ this morning. The “gang” (all 3 of them) including Mackenzie (the little one) are at the LZ long before we get there as the winds on the surface are just about “nil”. I wind up on the wrong side of the fence so Cecil has to “climb” under it to get us and give us a shove so I can fly us over it and onto the newly mowed field for the deflate and the pack up. We get the “sit” done in style then load up and head back to City Hall for the picnic. I get the story started, the toast is done and the certificates are presented. PASSENGER COMMENTS: Alton: “Thanks to you all for a wonderful time!” Tina: “Beautiful, I loved it!!!” Tim: “What an awesome day. Thanks for a fantastic flight and a great catch from the crew!” A BIG thank you to today’s Crew (I can’t get in the air or back on the ground without’um) Cecil, Tim, Beth & Mackenzie TRACK Average Speed: 3.0 MPH Distance Flown: 3.7 Miles Websystem hosting provided by WolfPk. | Site Map Copyright © 2003-2017 Balloon Flying Service of Oregon, Inc. Legal Information All Rights Reserved.