June 7, 2013 Passengers: Lori Allen & Salvador Cazares After a day off we are back in Keizer at the boat ramp and I’m loving this “new” asphalt to set up on. We get “Starship” pumped full of air and get the passengers on board then hit the air about 6:15. We slip over the tree line and onto the river for the first few minutes of the flight with a chance to skim the water then back over the trees into Keizer for a bit. The pi-ball (toy test balloon) that I released before sunrise showed a turn to the west (look at track) at about a thousand feet so I add some heat and go looking for it. This move puts us back into West Salem for a bit and over the farm country there. I drop lower to find some “down slope” wind off the Eola Hills to the west and hit it at about 400 feet and we again get the push to the east southeast, over the dairy heading back for another river crossing. We are again in the urban area and get a bit more speed so I adjust the track by getting some altitude and we cross the river AGAIN. I look for the down slope again and hook us back to the east and cross the river back into north Salem. I call the “gang” on the radio and have them stage (wait) for a landing at the park off river road. The track has gotten a bit more north push and will give me a perfect line to the park. I set the shot for the break in the tree line, we cruse past the trees and the gang is on the field waiting for me to dump some heat and slip right into there hands. The soccer field is wet so we get a short tow to the lot for the deflate and pack up of the gear. Time for the passengers to do the sit, then load up and head back to the park for the picnic. I get the story started, the toast is done and the certificates are presented. PASSENGER COMMENTS: Salvador: “Great flight with the one you love, Happy Anniversary sweetie. Great Captain!!” Lori: “Wonderful! Scratch one off the bucket list.” A BIG thank you to today’s Crew (I can’t get in the air or back on the ground without’um) Cory, Cecil, Ed TRACK Average Speed: 3.0 MPH Distance Flown: 2.9 Miles Websystem hosting provided by WolfPk. | Site Map Copyright © 2003-2017 Balloon Flying Service of Oregon, Inc. Legal Information All Rights Reserved.