Hot Air Balloon in Temecula Valley
March 25, 2006




On the evening of March 24 we left Linn with good friends and crossed the mountains to Temecula Valley.
It was time to finally use one of our wedding gifts:
A Balloon flight over the wine country!

In the morning we took off from our hotel before sunrise, driving through the vineyards to our meeting spot.

Final preparations before finding a suitable launch pad.

Ulrika gets a second breakfast before the work begins

Lots of fabric...

Large fans are used to blow air into the balloons.

Top valve (covered in next picture) used for letting air out of the balloon in order to descent.

Still only cold air being forced into the balloon. With a few spurts of heated air from the burners the balloon rose up...

...like this.

Ready or not, here we go!

Captain in action. Red rope for rotating left, Green for rotating right and Black for descending.

Temecula Valley




Some really nice estates in this area...

For a while we were down on a few feet above ground, "scaring rabbits". Then we rose again to join our friends.

Safely on the ground again, between two houses.
(Kids came running out in their pyjamas, shouting: "Mom, Dad, we have a balloon in the backyard!")

Since they weren't sure where they would land, the French started the tradition to bring some bottles of champagne in the basket as a piece gift. Navigation is more precise nowadays, but the tradition remains.

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