popmonkey photo: 9909 Balloon ride in Napa

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Napa Balloon Ride
Sept. 19, 1999

(click on images for larger versions)

	we started this grey day at 5am, meeting the other balloonists to be for breakfast and getting to fill out the usual if-you-die-we're-not-at-fault paperwork. the day grew grey and cold and we would be limited to below cloud level flight. i used the eos-3 and a rented canon 15mm f2.8 fisheye as well as the 50mm f1.4 lens. film used was astia (pushed to 400) slide film and pj800 (pushed to 1600) print film. i used a bogen monopod to get the camera outside the basket on a few shots.

the above images show the balloon inflation process. first, gas powered fans fill the envelope. later, a flame thrower mounted at the top of the basket is used to heat up the air within the envelope.

the takeoff is simple. everyone gets in and the pilot applies enough heat to make the balloon rise.

we stayed mostly below the cloud layer, between 20 and 1500 feet. the pilot can only control our vertical ascent or descent, lateral motion is achieved by finding the right layer of air moving in the right direction. or, as we learned quickly, just winging it...


after a fairly boring flight, we were able to talk our pilot into flying through the cloud layer. for a few minutes, we floated above the sea of clouds, warmed by the sun.

on two occasions, our pilot showed off his skills by literally skimming some trees and even a rooftop while moving inside a particular layer of air.

the chase crew received us by grabbing onto the basket and pulling the balloon along while the pilot stabilized the altitude. everyone couldn't get out at once since that would have made the balloon too light, so we came out one by one, each person holding on to the basket for the next group to come off.

in the end, the envelope was "milked" and the passengers received their "wings"...