A Lot of Hot Air

The Hot Air Balloon competition held at our little local airport over the week end was well received as several thousand people were in attendance to view the thirty spectacularly colorful expertly piloted floating baskets. It was the second year Tri- State Airport hosted the event which earns national points for the winner, the contest requires the pilots to drop a weighted ball with a clothe tail toward a pole adorned with a large hoop. The one whose ball falls closest to the hoop wins, in addition the contestants actually try to catch the hoop and earn extra points when successful. No one achieved that goal when we watched although I was surprised by how close the balls landed to each other.

It was exciting as the first balloons appeared from the southwest on the gentle breeze. The balloons ranged in style and size some as little as twenty foot tall and others over seven stories. The colors against the clear, blue, summer sky were vibrant and varied. With names like Green Hornet, Blaze and Tropical Breeze the balloons floated lazily overhead as their pilots maneuvered in air currents at various altitudes thrilling the crowds when they roared directly above firing their burners and gas. Whoosh came the gas and a big ball of flame shot up the center of the balloon good, cheap entertainment.

My personal favorite was the penguin. A homemade balloon taking hours of sewing, design and ingenuity it was a beauty to behold. Whether homemade or manufactured all rigs must pass federal safety standards before ever taking aloft.

We did not see 'fire-up' which takes place twice during the event at dusk. Fifteen balloons line up on the tarmac and inflate with their gas blowers open as darkness envelopes the multi colored spheres. The bright gas flames and the heat rises to fill the sky with brightness. Next year that will be one my calendar.