So yesterday, we got up at the crack of dawn (pics)

[reyd reid reed]

Actually, pre-crack. But what's a little sleep?

[idgiehkt]

1. beautiful

did you go up in one?

[reyd reid reed]

3. Heh

Nah. That would involve my feet leaving the ground; something I'm loathe to do.

[MrCoffee]

2. that is bad-ass. did you go up in one?

[reyd reid reed]

4. Ummmm....

Those things go WAY up there. And they don't have landing gear. And...well...I have this thing with heights...and....ummmm....

No.

[MrCoffee]

5. terrible reasons not to go up up and away in my beautiful balloon.

balloon festivals are so much fun. those are great pics.

[reyd reid reed]

9. I'd be so scared it would be a waste.

I'd probably...well...embarrass myself. You're talking to a woman who'll leave the light at the top of the stairs out for a week rather than climb on a chair to change it.

[billyskank]

6. Lovely pictures!

:hi:

[reyd reid reed]

10. Thanks

Most of 'em are still too big to post...I haven't gotten the hang of this camera thing.

:hi:

[bridgit]

7. nice, i like the last one allot...

:thumbsup:

[reyd reid reed]

11. That last one's my favorite...

That was the crack of dawn. The sun had just cleared the horizon.

:hi:

[coffeenap]

8. Gorgeous--is it CS? My son is thinking of going to college there--

I think those photos just added to the attraction.,

[reyd reid reed]

12. Yup.

Memorial Park. Every labor day they have a balloon festival. We see a lot of 'em flying in the spring and fall but when there are that many of 'em, it's just...

Worth getting up for.

:hi:




Edited to ask: Where's he thinking about going? CC or UCCS or AFA?

[Left Is Write]

13. So gorgeous! Great pictures.

Thank you for sharing them!

[reyd reid reed]

15. Thanks

We had rain on Saturday so the glow was canceled; I couldn't have gone anyway...work 'n' stuff, but I'd love to get pictures of that some time. Very pretty.

Still, there's something about the cool, early morning air and hot chocolate and the colors...

:hi:

[Left Is Write]

17. I know just what you mean.

(And I wouldn't have gone up in one either.)

[reyd reid reed]

20. Heh...

I'm satisfied keeping both feet firmly on the ground. Sometimes they have one that's tethered -- only goes up about 50 feet -- I didn't see it yesterday, though.

Me + heights = :scared:

[Road Scholar]

14. It looks like you DO have the hang of the camera thingy.

So, how ya been? I survived the storm.

[reyd reid reed]

16. I'm getting there...

Still a ways to go, though.

Survived? You done better'n that...you ROCK!!

:hug:

:hi:

[Road Scholar]

18. ...

Thank you. Good to see you again.I have some pics for you later.:hi: :hug:

[reyd reid reed]

19. Oh, cool!

Thank you!!!

:bounce::bounce::bounce:

[Road Scholar]

37. My pleasure. Go for it. Ya get a little boost of "Hey I did it!!"

(sense of accomplishment, self esteem or something like that):toast:

[reyd reid reed]

21. Cheap, shameless kick

Because I can. Hussy that I am.

:hi:

[Debi]

22. I flew in a balloon that was identical to the top one in your top pic

Unfortunately the pilot has passed away.

We used to live in Montana and he'd take us for rides on our birthdays and Christmas - we'd fly over our school and our neighborhood and our church.

Our last trip with him he came here to Iowa for My Waterloo Days. My son got to grab leaves from the top of trees and get close enough to the Cedar River to spit in it (about 3 feet away). That was awesome!

Beautiful pics.

d.

[reyd reid reed]

23. Oh, I wish I had the nerve to go up

Basically I'm too :scared:

I love to look at 'em an dream, though.

[Debi]

26. Since you are standing in a very sturdy basket with a floor and walls

it doesn't feel too scary.

You should go on a 'thethered' ride. They are secured to the ground with people pulling the basked with ropes as well. They only go up as high as you want and then the ground-people will pull you back down if you get scared. That way you can go on a balloon ride w/out the freak-out of being afraid of heights. :thumbsup:

[reyd reid reed]

27. One of these days...

I've done the Royal Gorge bridge and the cog railway that goes up and down the canyon. I've done the Grand Canyon...I've gotta work up to things.

Either that or be in one HELLUVA weird mood.

[Debi]

28. If you've done the Grand Canyon you can do a hot air balloon

:bounce:

Good luck, You'll love it!!

[reyd reid reed]

34. I like the idea of the tethered ride first...

I could maybe actually do that.

Next year...

I'm ready!

(now...ask me again next year)

:rofl:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

24. My dear reyd reid reed...

Wow, these are wonderful pics!

I would definitely go up in one.........it looks like so much fun!

I have no fear of heights!

Lucky you, having this sort of thing near you.......:hug:

Thanks for posting!

:loveya:

[reyd reid reed]

25. Those baskets are...well...

They're baskets. I don't care whether you call 'em 'gondolas' or 'cars' or 'carriers'....they baskets.

I do wish I had the nerve, though. Wouldn't that be an experience?

Maybe some day. I'm not one to cave to my fears...at least not all the time.

Thanks!!

:hug:




edited to fix a stupid typo...grrrrrrrrr.

[Road Scholar]

29. The best way to conquer that fear is........

well I wasn't even gonna say it, but face it right on face to face. I have a built in sense fear of height, but guess who got his private pilot certificate just to overcome the fear. It works, it really works.:toast: :hi: :pals:

[reyd reid reed]

39. When I was in high school

I was in JROTC in Germany. One spring, they offered sky diving...and I wanted to do it for just that reason.

Had to be sixteen to sign up, though. And I was just shy of that magical age.

We went up in helicopters, instead.

Oh.

My.

God.

:scared:

Never.

Again.

[lizziegrace]

30. Wow!

I've always wanted to go to the big show in NM. Colorado looks good too. Beautiful photos RRR.

:hi:

[reyd reid reed]

32. Tell ya what...

Next year I'll have all my ducks in a row, you and Lelapin come out for Labor Day and our Balloon Festival and then we'll all pile in the MomVan ( :scared: ) and drive to Albuquerque for theirs.

:hug:

[lizziegrace]

35. Works for me!

I'd love to be able to take a vacation this time next year. First one in ages. :)

[reyd reid reed]

41. Ooooh...

We'll have to figure out how to do it, then. God, that'd be SO much fun.

It's a date!!!!












I'm glad it's better, God, I hope it's just a teeeeeeeny little flare-up

[LadyoftheRabbits]

36. I'm game!

Southwest, here we come B-) :7 :bounce:

[reyd reid reed]

43. Hooray!!!

Look out world, here we come!!!

Think they're ready for us??

[LadyoftheRabbits]

44. Hehehe....

Doubtful. :evilgrin: :P :hug:

[LadyoftheRabbits]

31. Whoa!

That's amazing :bounce: I'm with you, though... I don't think I could go up in one. :scared:

:hi: :loveya:

[reyd reid reed]

33. Awwwwww....

Sure you could.

It's pretty cool to watch from the ground, though.

:hug:

:loveya:

[Sugar Smack]

38. Those are STUNNING pics, rrr.

:applause: Beautiful!!

[reyd reid reed]

40. Thanks

It really was incredible...all the sounds and colors and then the balloons lifting off, one wave after another...

:hi:

[Sugar Smack]

42. Hey listen, out of curiosity, how many people can

those baskets hold? Are they really big, or are they for three or four people?


:bounce:

[reyd reid reed]

45. Most of 'em look like they'd hold only three or four people

The burner takes up a lot of room. Some of 'em have big baskets, though. And there's on guy who literally flies by the seat of his pants. Looks like he's just got a t-bar under his butt...

[Sugar Smack]

47. Ah, thank you!

:hi:

[WCGreen]

46. I watched them from the road back in 1994...

We were out in Denver for a couple of weeks during one of the balloon fests....

It's so majestic....

And great pics, BTW...

[reyd reid reed]

49. It is...

Something about the way they all lift off together and then they're so silent...

*sigh*

[leftofthedial]

48. I didn't even know dawn was a plumber

purty pix!

I miss the Balloon Festival . . .

[reyd reid reed]

50. No no no...

That'd be Don. This dawn worth seeing the crack of.

:hi: