May 14, 2014 (b-v) Passengers: Gerald Horner & Gary Kohfield, Oscar Cazares & Evelyn Rodela We are again back to Brooks as the winds are holding still from the north. After flying yesterday I had a “fun” message on the phone from Oscar as he wanted to fly with us today and get engaged to his sweetheart, a total surprise to her. We get the balloon out and filled with cold air and Cecil gets us up and standing. We get the passengers on board and are ready to greet the sunrise. We drift off the tarmac to the south at an easy pace heading to the ponds at the end of the runway. We play over the ponds for a bit as the passengers get settled into the flight. We climb off the water and head out toward a filbert farm on the way to Keizer. Oscar and I have talked about the “surprise” for Evelyn and he gives me the nod so I get the video camera at the ready. He gets the question asked and we proceed to hunt out a LZ (landing zone) for today. First up is Gubser School as it’s still early and we can do this. As I set the shot we get shoved off to the east and will miss this one and the next is Whiteaker School so the gang moves there. This time the shove is from the east and we slip by on the west side of the lot. We have a LDS church close by and the “gang” is there but as I take the shot the steeple becomes a problem so we miss (#3). At about 250 feet I find a track to a park and that will be the one today. As we get there we get that shove to the east again so I climb to 600 feet to get the adjustment to the west and then “hot shot” back to the gang waiting for the rope. With a short tow to the parking lot we get the balloon down and the bagsit done. 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: Gerald: “Excellent ride and scenery. Went over many homes of friends and a sweet landing in Claggett Creek Park.” Gary: “Thank you, was wishing to land on the church spire though.” Oscar: “Thanks for a great time! Couldn’t have asked for anything else.” Evelyn: “Thank you Captain for sharing all you knowledge! Great trip that I will never forget…got engaged!!” A BIG thank you to today’s Crew (I can’t get in the air or back on the ground without’um) Cecil, Ed, Tim, Jason TRACK Average Speed: 4.0 MPH Distance Flown: 6.1 Miles To view the VIDEO of this flight...click on what's BELOW Websystem hosting provided by WolfPk. | Site Map Copyright © 2003-2017 Balloon Flying Service of Oregon, Inc. Legal Information All Rights Reserved.