Reflections
It's been fun to come home to my Granddaughters very happy face. Its been too long visiting with her via a computer screen where you can't really see what her face is doing when she is talking.
She is very emotive and her expressions and mannerisms are a sight to see. I laugh a lot.. which is very good for the soul.
On the ballooning side of the reality... I had to skip flying this weekend due to shortness of crew.
We went out to try and fly the AAAA rally in Rio Rancho and I had only two die-hard members show up. The people we were going to fly and use as crew didn't show. So we helped Mo get in the air and chase after the target.
He did well and his maneuvers got him close to the target but the winds shifted as he was making his final run to it and stopped him and sent him back the way he had come.. and then it started to rain lightly so everyone dropped to the ground and packed up as fast as they could.
Here are a few clips from the Kodak 360. Oh..and I have not done anything with any videos in ages... just keep collecting it. I just have no mood for it.
Liftoff over the Civil Air Patrol balloon. Just slipping over it low heading Southwest after they hare balloon.
Clearing the field and dropping down to see what was below wind wise and also line up I think.
Target down after 30 plus minutes instead of the 15 we were all told. Ray had some fun out there.
Heading for it at about 3 mph. Sloooooowwwww......
Total reverse of the ground wind and here come the clouds. Jump over some power lines and lay it down quickly..and backwards.
So the 360 camera digs into the very soft damp sand...much better than rocks. I have to clean the lens cover more but it came through AOK.
Here are some I took of various things...with explanations.
Pfred inserts a toggle into the rope support for the basket. Not unlike the toggles on some coats. Just much bigger.
The hare balloon dragging its tail. The way the competition goes... Hare balloon cold inflates, then hot inflates. All other balloons cant cold inflate until the hare balloon hot inflates and stands up. All other balloons cant hot inflate and stand up until the hare balloon launches. Then they have to navigate to where the hare balloon lands after 15 or so minutes using the available winds. Sometimes it works out.. some times it doesn't.
Mo checking all of the carabiners to make sure they are set right prior to hot inflating. Secondary ignition system in back pants pocket. Mine are in pockets on my second tank.
Deep blue burner flames are very nice. This morning it was pretty humid so all that heat, even though it's going forward radiates a lot of heat in the water in the air. Uncomfortable at times. The rope is the tie-off to the truck so the balloon does not leave the ground prior to its lift-ability.
Alan dances with the crown line and hand loop. The orange loop is padded and much softer on your hands when trying to control the balloon during cold inflation and hot inflation when it wants to roll and move left and right.
Will gets lost under the envelope of the Civil Air Patrol balloon. Really he is walking under the envelope and looking for any holes or tears or problems.. he will also poke his head into a turning vent and look at all the lines inside to make sure it all looks right.
This triangle basket has some nice supports to keep the burner aligned with where the throat is and make it easier to hot inflate and not burn anything.
Ground tarps. Very fussy to lay out and a lot of work to repack. They are to protect the envelope from poky things or dirt or damp. Some people want to keep their balloons free of the dust use them all the time. I have one, a bright yellow one, but only for damp situations. Living in the desert is living with dust.
Mo goes over the CAP balloon. He was having some fun.
Grond tarp out the crew of this balloon drags out the envelope. It's attached to the basket at this time and they are letting it come out of the envelope bag as they move forward. There are many different ways to put an envelope out but this is the easiest.
See how the flame is right in the middle. Off a little bit and you have a singed or burned balloon. It's a very close thing every time. The statement is... There are two categories of balloon Pilots. Those that have burned their balloon and those that are going to in the future. It happens. To what degree...
My truck and trailer sitting sadly. We chased in Rory's truck and we were in and out of arroyos and down and up banks that the trailer would have had issues with. Loads of off-roading fun.
See the target? Me Neither!!! See the people. They are the scorers. The target is hidden from all but from above by the green brush!
Three balloons working for the target which was South of them only to hit a wall of air going North and the front came up faster than was expected.
The hare balloons find s a nearby road to layout on. Its a choice here. You can layout on a dry road, but the road has little rocks on it and they could cause tiny holes in the envelope or you can layout in the brush and get a hole from a sharp bush or get some damp on it. Choices choices.
You rolls the dice.. you takes your chances.
So much for that fun day.
Sunday was a down day and get some rest day. I went on google earth to see how fresh the overheads were. They weren't. Pretty old. I looked at some old haunts...
Italy! I was stationed at a listening post for what is called an overseas long remote tour. Saw a lot of friends come and go in the time I was there. It was a great time and a hard time.
Brindisi on the left... See the road going from right to left. Halfway from Brindisi to San Vito Dei Normanni is the Air Station San Vito. Now closed up and shuttered.
Where I worked. The building with the silver roofed section. That's new stuff. Old New Stuff. The ring of markers to the top is the edge or the FLR 9 Elephant cage antenna. It was huge. A cage for big elephants.
My apartment in San Vito Dei Normanni. Top floor. The landlord lived below. The market on Mondays set up shop down this road and others. The wool merchant used to sit on my doorstep.
Above view. Even after all these years, I can find it quickly. The front was modern but the back had a very high full square arched ceiling of stone. Right in the center of the Clip.
A view of the Air Stations dorm area. Everything looks so dilapidated. no one is taking care of anything. It's all going to be piles of junk soon if not already.
Overhead view of the whole station.. tiny really. Its called an Air Station because there is no runway. You can see the size of the Elephant cage from this view. It was one of those places that as soon as you hit the front gate the people at the back of the base knew who you were. The best thing about the base was the musicians we saw at the base club. They were top-notch! Lots of memories of this place. Some good, some bad.
Id like to go back and check it out but it's off-limits and has security patrolling it. A bummer.
Reflections.
Another week ahead. Many things to do. Need to get Patturns In Czech out of her bag and get her right ways around as she is packed backwards as I had to do a minor repair on her crown. That's always fun to do. Took 15 minutes once I had the pieces and parts.
Might have to wait till the week after next as this upcoming weekend is Top Gun both days. Sigh!
Time to find some nourishment of some form.
Cheers!
