May 4, 2013 Passengers: Matt & Jill Bilka, Todd & Mitchell Zentz Summer has come to the Willamette Valley and we will take all that we can get… 80+ degrees and warmer tomorrow. I call for the Brooks site as the upper air reports has us at northeast at 5/7. We have a light load today and plenty of “boots” today so I infill the basket with 2 crewmen, Todd and his son Mitch will get there “payoff” ride. We get the balloon out and pumped up then I call for Cecil to add the heat. Once up I call for the passengers to come on board and we are off the tarmac with a drift off to the east, southeast. We have some speed at altitude (topped 23 MPH) so I drop down to get some slower speed and give the chase crew a chance to catch up with us. The drift will put us into West Salem and after we cross the river at Keizer Rapids and as we approach Wallace road I spot the “gang” waiting for us. We have a “friendly” field just across the road at the limousine ranch which now has few cows and a lot of crops. I will drop into the sugar beet field and the gang can tow us to the road for the lay down and pack up. The gang gets the balloon in the bag as I go have a chat with our “host” so I get to do what I do best…. TALK….LOL! We load up and head back to the airport for the picnic. I get the story started, the toast is done and the certificates are presented. A BIG thank you to today’s Crew (I can’t get in the air or back on the ground without’um) Tim, Dr. T. & Mitch, Cecil, Mike TRACK Average Speed: 7.0 MPH Distance Flown: 6.6 Miles Websystem hosting provided by WolfPk. | Site Map Copyright © 2003-2017 Balloon Flying Service of Oregon, Inc. Legal Information All Rights Reserved.