Tactical to Practical (Cont'd)

 

And away I went....

 

 

 

When it's not rainy or windy, winter provides some of the most pleasant weather we have in Southern California. It was a perfect day for ballooning.

 

 

It had been several months since my last cluster balloon flight in New York in September, so it was wonderful just to sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

 

I found a wind layer that would take me northwest, where I knew there would be a good choice of roads for my chase crew to follow me.

I floated over citrus orchards and vineyards.

 

 

A number of hot-air balloons were out flying over the vineyards and orchards. An airplane flew past me a few times, and waggled his wings 'hello'. I waved back.

 

After an hour and twenty minutes, I was approaching the French Valley airport and the city of Temecula proper. I released some balloons to drop in and look for a place to land. I put down in a construction area, where I was met by my crew.

 

The ballooning episode of "Tactical to Practical" is tentatively scheduled to air in May , 2004.

 

Celebration XVIII: Tactical to Practical

Chase Balloon Pilot: Ernie Hartt
Lead Crew (Inflation): Ernie Hartt, Larry Vandenberg, Lanny Hendrickson
Lead Crew (Chase): Dave Lynch, David Finley, Larry Vandenberg
Crew: Orval & Bo Choate, Vicki Crom, Susan Dawson, Holly Galbraith, Holly's Brother, John Helsley, Louise Hendrickson, Kim Lynch, Mike Prentice, Helen Quayle, Don Teller, Brenda Theim, Larry Vandenberg, Jenny Wolf

Photography: Dean Ekdahl, Susan Dawson, Brenda Theim, John Ninomiya

 

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