Get Involved in Ballooning
preparing for a balloon rideIf you are one of us who find hot air balloons fascinating, you've probably dreamt of going for a balloon ride, or maybe even becoming invloved as a pilot or crew.
Did you know it's relatively easy to get involved in ballooning? Getting involved can be as simple as following a balloon and meeting it at its landing spot. There are lots of other ways to get involved, a few of which we explain here:
Buy a balloon ride
Buying a balloon ride for yourself is often the most direct way of learning about the sport. Ask if you can help with the inflation and deflation of the balloon - most passengers enjoy helping since it maximizes your experience.
There are lots of companies who offer balloon rides. The flight lasts generally an hour, and you should plan to spend about 3-4 hours for the entire adventure. Flights will take place near dawn and dusk since that's when the wind is the calmest.
You can find a balloon ride company in our Ride Directory or in your local phone book. If there aren't any balloon companies near you, plan to go for a balloon ride during your next vacation!
Call a Local Pilot
If there are any local pilots in your area, give them a call and tell them you are interested in crewing. Most pilots are very happy to accept new crew people and will train you as you go. You'll help with all aspects of the flight, and will ride in the chase vehicle as it follows the balloon during flight.
Don't expect to fly, as this very important job will keep you grounded. Your efforts will be appreciated and you'll learn all about balloon flight quickly. Every balloon needs dependable crew people to inflate the balloon prior to flight, follow it from the ground during the flight, and retrieve the balloon and passengers after the flight.
Some pilots do try to reward their crew with a flight at the end of the flying season or when space in the balloon permits.
Go to a Festival
Balloon Festivals are a popular place to watch balloons fly. There are hundreds of balloon festivals around the world each year, with the majority occurring in the summer or fall. Not only will you get to see balloons up close, but most festivals have other attractions like entertainment and food, making a festival a great family outing. Some festivals allow spectators to walk amongst the balloons, while others may keep spectators away from the pilots and crews. Be prepared to get up early, since some of the flights are likley to take place at dawn.
If you go to a festival, don't be shy -- balloonists are happy to answer your questions, and its possible you'll find a balloonist that lives near you. We are working on the new version of our Festival Directory, and if you'd like to know when it's available, just subscribe to our newsletter (in the box to the left).
Find a Balloon Club
There may be a balloon club near you, which would be a great way to find a balloonist to help. Many pilots welcome new crew members, and volunteering to be a balloon member crew is probably the quickest way to learn about the sport. Ballooning is a very social sport and you'll surely make new friends when you join a balloon club.
Our Balloon Club page is a great place to find out of there is a club near you.
Read about Ballooning
We've got many great articles about ballooning, so feel free to spend some time here exploring our Frequently Asked Questions, Ballooning Basics, and Pilot sections. We also have a great intro to crewing, Unsung Heros. You can learn quite a bit here - but we warn you: this sport is addicting! Once you go ballooning the first time, you're bound to be hooked. Say goodbye to sleeping in on weekends and say hello to a wonderful family activity!
Once you get hooked, you'll want to fly all the time. Like these guys:
from http://www.hotairballooning.com/
Who Doesn't Want A Hot Air Balloon Ride?
It's one in a lifetime. Why not you?
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Hot Air Balloon over the Pyramids and Luxor
This is one for the geography nuts, history buffs and adventurers — a sunrise hot air balloon flight over Luxor. It's like a history lesson taking place in an open air balloon. After a few minutes, you're 1000 feet in the air looking at one of the most spectacular views in the world — the Valley of the Kings. You'll also see the ancient Luxor, once called Thebes, in all its glory, plus the world's longest river, the Nile. The one-hour flight, including guide, costs around $260pp.
Luxor is where the great Pharaohs governed the country. Its charm is in the mixture of palace halls, gardens and glimpses of past British colonials and Egyptian monarchs. Perhaps the most stunning scenery unfolds when the hard, arid countryside finally meets the fertile land surrounding the magnificent waterway that is the Nile.
On the other side of the Nile is the village of Gurna. The dead of Thebes were buried on this side and colourful houses decorated with wall paintings are built on the tombs of noblemen.
To find out more:
Allsun Holidays/MISR Travel
Ph: (02) 9241 3211
Toll-free: 1800 227472
E-mail: things2try@allsunholidays.com.au
Website: www.allsunholidays.com.au
For flights:
Emirates Australia
Website: www.emirates.com/au/
How I Spent My Vacation, a hotair balloon and a llama
Last month, my story was about the four-horned Jacob Sheep we met on our summer family outing. Not only did we learn about these unusual sheep but we enjoyed getting acquainted with their owner, John Stegemoller. John is a neighbor of our son Doug and his family near Lebanon, Ohio.
Now in his 80s, John lives alone in his home, which was once a one-room school house. He is the father of a family of 15 children, 10 of whom are his biological children.
In 1992, John had a tragic accident. While helping take down a tree in a church yard, a large limb broke and struck him on the head. The injury cracked his skull, and he had other severe head injuries. The long recovery and the disabling effects made John’s future uncertain.
John had to use a walker and it was hard for him to get around. A neighbor encouraged him to take part in a 4-mile charity walk in Springdale.
Finally he agreed and to help John make the walk, he was given a companion — Yawkee the llama. John could lean on the friendly animal, and he was so encouraged he made the whole four miles. Yawkee was given to him and is still an important part of John’s animal family.
Llamas enjoy a good reputation among hunters, fishermen and packers. They are easy to train, have a tranquil nature and require little care. A mature male can pack up to a third of its body weight.
But it is only recently that llamas have earned new accolades as sheep and goat guards. They can be trained to guard the flocks and soon become very protective of them.
If a coyote or dog tries to attack the flock, llamas will use a variety of methods to protect them. They will run after a predator with the intention to either stomp or hit it with their legs and chest. They might place themselves between the predator and the flock or herd them into a safe area. Some llamas will sound their alarm call, a high-pitched, pulsating vocalization as soon as they see a danger.
Since it is a relatively new use for llamas, information about their guard work is limited. But some guard dogs are being replaced by llamas. The U. S. Sheep Experiment Station in Dubois, Idaho, recently bought llamas to guard their experimental sheep.
Yawkee was friendly to us as we petted and fed him. After learning John’s story, we could understand his love and appreciation for Yawkee. He more than earns his keep by being a friend, a pet and a working guard for the Jacob sheep.
John is generous with his animals, and Yawkee has been a 4-H project for several youngsters over the years. Friends, neighbors and groups of school children come often to visit John and his animals.
I stopped by later for a longer visit with John. One wall of his living room was lined with birdcages containing finches and a parakeet. The finches multiply rapidly, and John sells them for less than a dollar to children who want a bird. His theory is that if they have to pay a bit for a pet, they will take better care of it.
After our visit with John, we spent the next day at Kings Island. All but one of our grand children are old enough to go around the park without an adult. There was a water area and lots of rides.
The grandparents mostly walked around, ate ice cream and watched the water fountain show. None of the other shows were open, but we watched a rehearsal.
The day was beautiful, the people cheerful and the young ones had a lot of fun.
Our vacation experiences were coming to an end. Everyone but the grandparents stayed up to watch a movie that night. Where they found energy for such a long day, I don’t know. Finally, everyone went to bed.
On Thursday morning, Doug had to be out by 7 a.m. for a business meeting in Columbus. Ed and I were up but everyone else was still asleep. We sat quietly, looking out the windows at the clear bright morning.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the front door. When I opened it, a man said, “Do you mind if we land our hot-air balloon in your back yard?”
Not knowing what to say, I went to our daughter-in-law’s door and asked her. She sleepily said, “Sure, they can land.”
As it turned out, the balloon already had landed. It was still quite muddy so the balloon had to be brought to the front yard near the driveway to be loaded into a trailer. The balloon pilot kept heating just enough air to keep the balloon off the ground. The other handler easily pulled it around the house. What a sight!
We roused the rest of the sleepers, and everyone had a good look at the beautiful balloon. Even the neighbors and passing drivers stopped to get a view.
When the balloon was loaded and on its way, the family gathered in the sun room. We relaxed and visited for a while before breakfast and time to be on our way.
We were greatly blessed during this vacation with meeting interesting people, getting reacquainted with family and having new experiences.
Family outings can be fun and pleasant or full of emotional and physical stress. Our family has chosen to set aside any differences and just appreciate the time together.
Meeting four-horned sheep, guard llamas and hot-air balloons certainly made for a surprising and interesting vacation.
Carolyn Lafever of Hagerstown writes about topics of local interest for Maximum Living. To comment on this article, visit the forums at www.pal-item.com, e-mail maximumliving@pal-item.com or call (765) 973-4468.
from http://www.pal-item.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
