Adventure Aloft

One of the main reasons to drive north to spend a couple of days in Napa Valley was to ride in a hot air balloon.  We were originally scheduled to fly Monday, May 4.  So, we set our alarm for 4:30 AM to be sure and make the 5:45 AM check in time.  Every flight requires a weather check and we were disappointed to call and find out the weather wasn't good enough for ballooning on Monday.

Fortunately, we had planned to stay over into Tuesday and were able to reschedule. So, for a second day we got up at 4:30 AM.  This time we got lucky.  Napa Valley Aloft, the company we picked for the ride, has three possible sites to launch from - one right in Yountville where we were staying, one in Pope Valley and a third near Winters, east of Lake Berryessa.  After checking in at V Marketplace and waiting for a half hour or so, we got word that the weather was good at the site near Winters.  We loaded into vans and after a 50 minute ride, spotted the hot air balloons being prepped to go aloft.

Approaching the launch site

We'll ride in Hula - on the left 

Crew inspecting our 12 passenger balloon.
Yes, we rode in a big wicker basket.

The photo that proves I was actually there.  (iPhone 3G camera)
In the background, one of the other balloons ready to go aloft.

Balloon aloft with passengers

Third balloon filled and ready

The field we launched from

We are in the air!  That's our shadow in the center.

I was lucky to get a place on the side opposite the sun - best for photography.

The ground crew rolling up tarps and getting ready to follow us to a landing spot.

You'll see the view changing as we rise higher

Napa Valley Aloft vans and trucks that track the balloons

That's Putah Creek in the middle

Our highest elevation was ~2000 feet

We weren't alone in the sky.

The shadow of our balloon is to the right of center

Zoomed in on this big house

Cattle ranch - another zoom shot

Our pilot kidded about landing in the center circle with USAF mowed into the grass.

No good places to land in town.
We need a field with no animals in it and access from the road.

Our shadow - getting close to landing time

Just over those trees maybe

Almost down

The wind wants to take us right up the hill

We need to be closer to a road or driveway

This looks promising

It took two ground crews dragging us by ropes to get us over the fence to our landing spot.

Looking up into the balloon just before it's deflated

Erick getting out of the basket

Ground crew at work prepping for to load it back on a truck 

The field owners' dog wasn't quite sure where we all came from. 

The folks whose back field we landed in.

Into a van for the trip back to Yountville

Reflections on our hot air balloon adventure:  Going up and cruising around was very relaxing.  The carrier basket was steady and the ride smooth - almost like standing on our deck.  The high point of adventure was the landing process. It can be unpredictable. The ground crews have to get an OK from whoever's property the captain wants to / is able to land on - and that can change from minute to minute as the trackers follow the balloons.  Many thanks to the pilot, ground crew and office staff of Napa Valley Aloft for arranging a wonderful first-ever hot air balloon experience for us!

Note: Photos by B. Malinoski using an Olympus SH-1 camera (with the exception noted above)