It is always on Memorial Weekend.
What does that mean to you... dunno.. how interested are you in Hot Air Balloon Target shootin?
Its a three day many State group competition.. targets and process heavy mappin, checkin, judgin, scorin, insane flyin good time.
I was not really going to go out and I expected to just spend the memorial weekend sitting and editing or just playing on the xbox...maybe working on the balloon or back yard but I kinds threw that out the window and went out yesterday and today. Yesterday the targets were in good places and there were many to choose from and also the winds were more functional for such flying. Today it was bad. Changing and not very useful winds for deciding where to put targets and if you set them a certain way the winds would change and you could never get to them.... balloons go with the prevailing winds... No beating that*
*most times..
It was a blow out day today. After many changes it was called off. I had the perfect location for shooting on the ridge above the Fiesta Park. Watching to get shots of the inflation's and launches then I expected to jump in the truck and get to the first target only a few blocks away and shoot the Pilots dropping in on it.... nope... Took a picture of a feather... a sign and some of the ride balloons across the valley but only one envelope stood up .. Good job Mezz... But even he laid it down when the competition was called off... so what do you do then.... Me.. go on field and take pictures of everything else as well as a new Lindstrand USA Racer balloon.
Ill post some pics from yesterday and today in a moment but let me just note the differences in this racer to mine. Mine is a 69,000 cubic foot envelope with a flat top and solid floor basket and Jetstream Series 2 double burners and dual turning vents, Diamond Weave 100% with hyperlife crown.
This balloon is a 77,000 cubic foot envelope with a flat top and wicker floor and the new Vortec double burners and dual turning vents, rip stop bottom and it looked like two upper bands of hyperlife fabric and crown also. I probably need to validate all that.
Very nice.... Differences... size. When I had mine built 69,000 was the largest racer you could buy. Flat top is great for safety and comfort, I went solid floor as we have lots of volcanic rock here and the wicker gets chewed up quickly.. but this new balloon resides in California so that's fine. The new burners are awesome... Id love to have a set but they are not any more powerful or functional than my set... very clean and shiny and nifty and all get out though.... I have been lazy and have not cleaned mine in a while.
Other differences... and I have not asked why they did what they did ( nor is it good or bad.. just different ) but I will... I went full diamond weave as it is much stronger than regular rip stop and I didn't do the two bands of hyperlife at the top because there is a noticeable color change in the types of fabric... That's me and my OCD... CDO. The hyperlife lasts longer under the heat at the top of the envelope. I expect to replace panels sooner than hyperlife but that was okay by me and as I fly a more limited hour set per year and they will probably last me a very long time.
This new Lindstrand USA system is of the excellent build process expected. Love that attention to detail that is clearly missing in most other manufacturers. Really.. Go look.. closely.. you will see what I mean. Some are good but never as good. Yes I am biased but for good reason.
I didn't mention anything about the bolsters and uprights.. OMG.. they are shiny! New fabrics instead of standard black leather... Wow... very shiny!
I added padding to my insides of the basket and also french hooks to my control lines ( per Craig Kennedy's suggestion ( A very good one too )).
Love Lindstrand balloons.
Okay.. limited shots. Go to my website to see the full photo shoot of the new 77 Racer....
http://invisibleblack.zenfolio.com/
One sheet for one task.... yeah.... with a truck.
I think we are under surveillance.
If the target isn't right.. make it right.
Droppin baggies all over the place.
Fling!
Zip!
Special Shapes in the sky.
Hold my Beer!
And a hit on the X. ( it was not a score-able target sadly ).
Cycling the wind levels.
I know it fell around here somewhere...
Psycho Rabbit!!! Didn't care at all.. hopped about regardless of what we were doing.
Day 2 on the ridge at Gate 14A! Exciting!
Rainbow Ryders bounding down the river area....
Balloon Museum and other bright things.
World Balloon Co. and Rainbow Ryders Co. duke it out in the upper layers.
Even if you are short a few things.. flaunt it. Scoring and bystanders assemble on the field after the comp was called.
77,000 Lindstrand Racer. New, Shiny, cool!
So clean and crisp. Mine used to look like that.
There were other things going on this week but really nothing to compare with the fun to be had with the Top Gun group.
Tomorrow is the last day and I hope we get some flying in so I can take pictures of it all.
Its what I do.
I did edit two more videos of flights since I was able to get my editing program to work again. I have a backlog of video footage needing editing...
http://InvisibleBlack.zenfolio.com/p715442282/e8ba62692
and
http://InvisibleBlack.zenfolio.com/p715442282/e8b9f85b9
Enjoy!
