I work with Jennifer at Mid Valley, one of the Samaritan Health medical clinics in our area. Jennifer and Chris spent 11 weeks and 300 hours sewing this balloon!!! Can you imagine that? Talk about the largest air-quilt in the world and the largest blocks ever to sew together!!! WOW, I am so impressed by their work! Truly inspiring!
We arrived at their house at 5:30 am, loaded up and headed to the take off field not far from their house called Field of Dreams because of the baseball diamond that the farmer built for his children!!! He allows the balloonists to lift off from his farm!! A very friendly farmer indeed!!
We got to help the crew set up the balloon in preparation for our flight. It was so interesting and a wonderful learning adventure!! And hard work!!!
 |
| Filling the balloon with air |
Once everything was done and ready, we got in the basket and prepared for take-off!! But first we needed our photo taken :^)
 |
| Chris the navigator on the left, me-notice my u of o duck sweatshirt, my husband Briese on the right |
Once that was done it was time for us to ascend into the sky and wave good-bye to the hard working ground crew!!
 |
| Jennifer is the one waving :^) |
 |
| and off we go |
 |
| up up and away!!!!!! |
 |
| The ground crew from our point of view, all packed up and ready to follow!! |
OK, sometimes it wasn't completely silent, like when we needed a little heat to stay afloat!!! The propane is noisy but needed!!!!
And now to find a place to land!! This time of year is difficult because the crops are growing and you do not want to land in a farmers field that has not been harvested. We found a perfect driveway in between all the fields, so the crew went to the house and asked the homeowner if it would be OK to put the balloon down there. We got the OK and began our descent!!
 |
| Our goal landing site is that house in the upper middle right |
Once we got low enough, Chris had my husband throw out the landing rope for the ground crew to grab and pull us to the driveway to put down on.
 |
| Our shadow on the field |
 |
| The ground crew pulling us over to the driveway so we don't land on the freshly cut field. |
 |
| Getting all the excess air out of the balloon in the bag!! |
 | ||
| The Heaven Bound Crew!!! Jennifer is the second from the right and Chris second from the left, they are the two who sewed this balloon!!! Amazing!! |
We want to thank the six of you for a wonderful ride and experience. You are such kind, generous people, and we are so blessed to have been given the opportunity to know you :^)
Thank-you Thank-you Thank-you!!!!!!
To everyone reading this, I hope you enjoyed this adventure!! If you ever get the opportunity to go up in a hot air balloon, or sky quilt as I see them, take advantage!!! It is so much fun!!!
Happy Quilting everyone, take care and keep those needles sharp!!
Martha
How exciting is that...the balloon is awesome. Seeing that first picture, I thought it was a quilt...would make a good one.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great adventure.I have always love hot air ballooning and have been to many balloon festivals. We got married in a hot air balloon in CO 27 years ago. It was great with family around the balloon for the ceremony and then we took off over the foothills. It is amazing she made the balloon which is alot of work.
ReplyDelete