In July of 2005, I went to my first hot air balloon festival in Windsor, California. The festival is actually called the Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic. It was so amazing that my daughter (then only 14) wanted to go back the second day for the Dawn Patrol at 5 AM. She’s a night owl and rarely gets up before noon so you know this must have been pretty special for her to get up a 4 AM to eat and make it there by 5!
The Dawn Patrol launches around 5 AM. It consists of three balloons that go up with instruments to test the temperature of the air and the strength and direction of the wind. If it is not safe, no one goes up that day. This actually happened during the 2006 festival. The winds on the first day of the two day festival were deemed unsafe and no one went up. The Dawn Patrol makes for a beautiful and dramatic moment. The three balloons are unfolded and filled with air in the darkness of the morning and no one sees it happening. Then, like magic, they are launched as the theme from Chariots of Fire blasts through the eerie silence of the dark just before dawn. As they launch, the dark sky is lit with the fire from the “burn”. They will also do simultaneous burns as they float above the crowd.
In the pictures below, you will see the progression of the balloon from the time it is unfolded to the time it is in flight. This particular balloon is named Dream Chaser and is piloted by Mike Kijak of Windsor, California.
The balloons are brought onto the field in a truck. The bulbous part of the balloon is actually called the envelope. The envelope is carefully unloaded, unfolded, and inspected for any rips, loose seems, or signs of weakness. If all is okay, they are filled with air which is blown into the envelope’s opening with huge fans.
Once the envelope is properly inflated, the gondola is attached and then they are both uprighted. The pilot and the passengers board the gondola and off they go. Occasionally you will hear and see the burn of the hot air.
I’ll be posting more pictures and information on balloons. If you like hotair balloons, watch for them.
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