Preparations...

Its Friday and tomorrow is Saturday..... Sounds rather mundane right.... NOT!  Tomorrow is the first day in months that I will be flying. Too much going on.. too sick.. too beat down... but I am over the months long sick feelings and I think its time to step out there.... granted I have to get current... which means... if you havent flown in over 90 days you have to launch and land safely three times to get "current". So tomorrow I have to fly solo... wow .. been ages... solo and launch and land three times... then I can take passengers up.

Preparations...

 Flight bag and documents ready and waiting.

Flytec instruments, GTA Radio, Radios, GPS and video cameras packed away.

Extension cord is plugged into a functional socket.

Plug is plugged into the exterior plug to the interior power strip.

Cooler is filled with things to drink..

 primarily water.

Tank for the fan full of fuel... stinky! About an inch of space from the level to the cap.

Helmets, tie down ropes and in the back a cameron envelope squeezer I have never used.. Oh and pad for the fan so the dust isnt blown into the envelope.

Heaters are set to 79 degrees. Both are on and at temp. so I should ahve close to 150 psi tomorrow.. probably more around 140 since I will disconnect and travel to the launch site before we test and launch.No.. I dont think they really need to be plugged in but hay... better to do so and not nee it then need it and not do it. Okay... okay

Envelope is packed away and strapped to the wall of the trailer. Cinched up tight.

Burners are strapped upright inside the basket with the uprights and covers also strapped. The two arms for the cameras are tied up too so I dont forget them.

I still have my packing slip taped to the wall.

Facing the fron tof the trailer. Have you been wondering why my tanks are sitting there?

Facing the back of the trailer. Basket on Right, strapped in. Mylar runners on the floor to help the basket slip in and out of the back. Pouches on the wall for gloves and equipment. Bags with refueling hose and other things that might be needed too.

Right.. not the same balloons. Patturns In The Sky is resting now. Patturns Highperactive is the flying balloon. No time nor moola to change the graphics yet. Still looks great after all these years. FAST SIGNS on the east side did a very good job.

Bumper stickers on the back of the trailer... Not that I have added to them as I should but some are still fun to read... Grey Meat?

Ready to pull out in the morning. raring to go... Hope I get some sleep tonight... that probably would be a good thing. Cant wait to see my friends. Got a bunch of  "You bet, we will be there" replys. Also there are going to be a bunch of other balloons out with those friends. Gonna be a mini rally in the desert. YAY!

National Weather Service Weather chart for tomorrow.. well from when I clipped it to Sunday. Always check the weather even though those winds your seeing may .. hah.. probably wont be the same in the morning. Best to keep checking until you commit to launch or not launch.

Weather underground site. Never rely on one weather site. never believe what your reading. Always ckeck and check again.. then talk to other Pilots while your in the field. never fly past your abilitys. Very smart.

Past ready to go... just for fun... here is what is sitting on my back covered patio. Stacks upon stacks of old envelopes in old bags... there are about 50 skunks hiding in those bags.. or at least it smells like it. Ugh!

Skies look real nice.. some clouds out there but nothing ominous.

One of the walls in our balloon corner. A colored picture of Patturns In The Sky by "T" on the left and on the right a watercolor of Kiss A Hoy. The cneter poster is a cool repro of a painting by mark Pacan. Love it.

Now my blog is written.. tomorrow.. Hopefully pictures and video of the flight in Patturns Highperactive... I will have some cool stuff to report tomorrow evening. 

Links..

http://lindstrand.com/about/gallery/

This is the link to the picture gallery for Lindstrand USA and also the owners pictures... where you can see PH.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/abq/

NWS Albuquerque!! Get your forecasts here!!

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/abq/http://www.wunderground.com/

Backup for the winds and weather.

http://www.pacan.com/

Mark Pacans site.

See ya!