January 11th 2020

Up, Up, and almost…

Saturday morning 7am, about 40 or 5 degrees and we are off to the mass ascension, or at least that was the plan. The sun is just peaking over the mountain range to the south east, there was no shuttle in sight so we hiked the mile and a half, as we get to the balloon field there is just one balloon being blown up, but a number of balloons were being laid out to be filled. Once the balloon is stretched out, a large gas powered fan blow air inside the balloon as the a couple of people hold the bottom of the balloon open. After the balloon is is partially inflated from the fan, the first heat from the propane burners is introduced and the warm air starts to help rise the balloon into the upright position which also stands the basket back upright as they have to lay it down to get the burners directed into the balloon opening.

As you can see it was an amazing sight, you can even get a glimpse of a unicorn shaped balloon in the distance between the big balloons, a number of balloon got set to ascend but only one actually lifted off from the field. You never seem to know what is happening or why it is or isn’t happening but as we watched a number of the balloon that looked like they were ready to ascend but now were dumping the hot air and lowered to the ground and then being folded back up. There were a number of balloons in the sky, but they had ascended some where else.

Well look who grew some balls and did the right thing, Iran has finally stepped up and admitted to doing what everyone else in the world already knew they had done…some fool with control got the jitters and shot down a commercial jetliner. Why does everyone in power always think they have to try and deny the obvious, I’m back to my theory that – one politician lies and there are half a dozen ass kissers lined up behind him and say it’s true – to this day if a politician is moving his lips he is most likely lying.