I crash-landed in a hot air balloon and lived to tell the tale

A van delivers us to the rough, open liftoff field. After a group photo under the Happy Birthday sign, we watch as the heavy basket we will ride in is pushed off a flatbed truck onto a tire.

The basket is turned around atop the tire to align with the balloon cords.

Workers unload fuel, the burner and inflator fans, and they lay out ground plastics to receive and protect the massive balloon.

AN AIR OF EXCITEMENT

The group has a right to feel nervous.

The air is calm, but above our heads, hot winds could be hiding blustery air currents.

“Once in the air, the wind is not a problem, but from land, liftoff must be safe,” a crew member explains. “The large, 13-storied balloon is made of light canvas and costs $130,000. Any safety doubts and the ride is canceled.”

A weather balloon is sent up to test the thermal winds. We watch it go straight up.

“Good to go!” a crew member shouts.

TIME TO INFLATE

Inflator fans begin to fill the balloons. As they round out, the attached baskets are pulled into a vertical position.

Burners turn on intermittently.

Correct inflation.

Our first full visual appears: Huge, beautiful, multi-colored patterns decorate the outside walls of the balloons. It’s thrilling.

TIME TO BOARD

The basket is divided into sections to prevent passengers from slamming into each other in the event of weather changes.

The guide explains foot openings and rope holds.

Folks help with a friendly push or tug to climb up and over the high, rough railing into the basket. Once in, the 16 of us practice the brace position: knees and elbows bent with our shoulders leaning against the side of the railing, and hands grip the rope holds.

The burner shoots a five- to six-foot high flame, which maintains the balloon. It’s loud and prevents hearing most speech.

UP WE GO

The tether released, the balloon flies straight up out of the grove at 400 feet per minute, heading into the safety of the upper layers.

At an altitude of about 500 feet and still close in to the another seven balloons in the area, our pilot veers off to sightsee Mother Earth in an extravagantly fanciful drift. Currents softly rock and turn the basket.

The radiant sunset peeks through streaks of orange and blue clouds.

Horse riders, children in parks and people in cars wave as they watch this amazing parade of colored balloons pass overhead.

TROUBLE AHEAD

The pilot points out our landing location.

“OMG! It’s over! Was that really almost two hours?”

Then, trouble! We are cut off by another balloon.

Furious, our pilot cranks up the flames. Our vessel lurches skyward to avoid smashing into the collapsing balloon that had taken our assigned landing location.

Darkness is becoming a factor. The pilot searches for another landing spot. Going back is not an option. Balloons are floaters.

Miles away from the first, we spot an area; it’s treeless and wide, but filled with rocks and brambles.

Landing crews follow each balloon. Ours rushes onto the field to catch the balloon.

“Get into the brace position, people! And hold on,” the pilot yelled while trying to control landing in the dark. “We’re going down blind!”

We hit the ground hard and bounce. The basket bumps and scrapes rocks. It drags and twists as it sweeps through tangled shrubs and bushes. After several bungled attempts, we land.

Shocked silence.

Then, laughter and whoops.

“We made it!”

Looking for an adventure? Try a hot air balloon ride.

#realstory #reading