My Weekend

My last post was on Thursday, Sept. 24. Friday, Sept. 25, I spent the morning packing and getting ready to go camping at the Glens Falls Balloon Festival with some friends. Once I left, I had no access to internet until tonight. So this is a summary of the past three days.

I've never been to this balloon festival, or any other for that matter. I was really looking forward to it, with visions of the great images I would make just dancing in my head. Little did I think of the weather--oh, our great northeast weather!!!!

Friday afternoon was very windy. Would they fly??? We waited, and waited, and waited, and finally around 5:30 it was obvious that the wind was waning and there was a chance that some balloons would go up. By 6 it was a go!!

I was enthralled with the entire process. I found out that one particular balloon cost $50,000. (and we think photography is expensive). Balloon rides were offered to anyone who was willing to pay the $175/person fee--and there were no shortage of takers.

The balloon is first "cold packed", meaning it's inflated, while on the ground, with cold air blown into it by an ordinary fan. Once it's practically full, the flame is turned on to heat the air, which causes the balloon to begin rising.

As the balloon is floating, the crew and passengers get in the basket and prepare for lift-off.

Then up, up and away. I was so happy that the sky was blue that afternoon.

Now, Saturday morning (Sept 26) was a whole other story. We sat at the camp ground, right across the road from the airfield, waiting (at 6 am --that's 6 in the morning folks) for the balloons to inflate and begin flying. The weather had something else in mind. F---O---G, FOG!! And lots of it. About 20 hardy pilots took their balloons up, and as they did the fog got thicker and thicker as the sun rose--instead of burning off like it was supposed to do. But I got a few shots in spite of the fog.

Finally the fog was so thick (we couldn't even see across the road) that the other balloonists gave up.

My friend's grandson had a football game later that morning, so I went along to watch. By then it was beautiful--clear air & sky, bright sun, not too cold, not too hot.

My friend, who has recently taken up photography and who is doing a great job, had her camera too. We were a mini-paparazzi group. I sat in the bleachers for just so long before I couldn't stand it any more--I said, "let's go" and we ran down onto the track. Just then her grandson, #22, received a pass and began running for the endzone (is that the right word for where they make a touchdown??). We were RIGHT THERE. Oh--My--GOSH. It was awesome. Even more so because it was the only touchdown his team made in the entire game. Go Spencer!!

Later that afternoon we went back to the campground. Windy again. But this time the wind didn't cooperate and die down, so no balloons flew that afternoon AND the balloon festival was canceled for Sunday because of the rain forecast. Sigh.

Sunday, Sept. 27--got another license plate.