July 27, 2013 Passengers: Sheri Green, Susan Long, Donna Rightenour We have been down for a day and I’ve call for the Brooks site for our flight today, the first of five in a row. I picked up the passengers at the Grand Hotel on the way and was disappointed that one was taken ill and will miss the “fun” that we will have this AM. The gang gets the balloon out and on the tarmac and ready for the pump-up. Once we have it filled it’s time to add the heat and get it standing tall. Once we are up I call for the passengers to come on board. We lift off the field and head out over the hops and toward the ponds at Knife River. The winds are light so I will take a shot at doing a “dip” in the pond and hit it just right with a slight breeze to our back so I get a couple of dips in and the gals have a real giggle fest on the water. We break out of the gravel operation and toward Wheatland where the gang is waiting for the chase. We head toward Keizer and over the farm country for a bit and the gals tell me the reason for today, they (all 4) are old college roomies and do a “thing” every year and this year it’s US. We are close to the end of the hour and I have spotted our LZ for today the 2 million $ field off river Rd. When I drop for the shot I get a big hook to the east and will miss this one and the next is the soccer fields at the school. I drop some altitude to get the best use of the hook and we creep up on the field while the gang make the move to us. We land un-assisted as the hit the parking lot and then give us a tow to the parking lot for the lay down and deflate. The gang get the envelope “tubed” up and the passengers do the sit. We load up and head back for the picnic. I get the story started, the toast is done and the certificates are presented. PASSENGER COMMENTS: Sheri: “What fun! I loved the flight, thanks so much.” Susan: “Wish I had done it sooner and what an experience of a lifetime. Thank you all!” Donna: “It was all I hoped it would be! I will talk my husband into going.” A BIG thank you to today’s Crew (I can’t get in the air or back on the ground without’um) Mike, Cecil, Tim, Richard TRACK Average Speed: 4.0 MPH Distance Flown: 4.9 Miles Websystem hosting provided by WolfPk. | Site Map Copyright © 2003-2017 Balloon Flying Service of Oregon, Inc. Legal Information All Rights Reserved.