"Boon"

Last Saturday Evan and I got to go on a hot air balloon ride. Marv's Body Shop sponsored a hot air balloon in the "Central Plains Hot Air Balloon Race" and since Evan is now part owner in the business we were the lucky ones that got to ride along.

We had to be out at the field at 5:30a.m.. Needless to say that didn't provide me with much sleep. We went to bed around 11/11:30p.m., Makenna was up to eat at 3:30a.m., and then the alarm went off at 4:30a.m.! It was well worth it though.

The hot air balloon race works like this: one balloonist takes off, then lands, and lays out an X. The other balloonists then take off and try to throw their "beanie" (like a bean bag) on the X to win.

Evan and I during the preparation time of getting the balloon ready

Evan was part of the crew that helped get the balloon ready for take off. To fill the balloon with air they run a fan and 2 people hold open the bottom of the balloon for the air to go into.

Look at those big muscles!

There were lots of balloons, so the field was very tight with all the balloons as they starting blowing them up with air.

Starting to set the balloon upright. The balloon comes upright by the heat of the fire, which also is what takes the balloon into the air.Up, up, and....away!

A look down at all the other balloons just taking off or getting ready for take off.

Depending on your height in the sky depends on what wind current you hit. In order to get to the X we had to stay pretty low to the ground as the wind had changed since the first balloon had taken off therefore most of our ride was not high in the sky.

What a view!

Coming back down. We had a nice landing, although the basket did bounce into a fence.

The crew followed us and helped as get the balloon down and put away.

After the balloon was all put away we participated in a "ceremony". The first balloonists could not really determine where they would land therefore they landed on someone's land. They also thought that it was the smoke that made the balloon fly (when really it was the heat from the fire), so they were covered in soot. The landowners saw this big balloon fall from the sky and these dirty, sooty people came out of it. They did not know what to think so they went running after them. The balloonists got away, but after that they decided they better come baring a gift. At this time champagne was created and so they brought this as their gift. Thus a tradition was made that after landing you were to be "baptised" with this gift. They fill up a glass with champagne, have you face towards the sun, and then you must kneel and pick up the glass (without your hands) and drink it. The pilot then says some things which I cannot remember exactly what he said, but something about thanks to God for arriving at the destination safely, etc. While you are drinking your champagne the pilot then pours some champagne on your head.

At the end the balloonist prayer is said:

"The Winds have Welcomed you with softness. The Sun has blessed you with his warm hands. You have flown so high and so well that God has joined you in your laughter and set you gently back again into the loving arms of Mother Earth."

We thought that Denver would enjoy seeing the balloons too and there was a race in the evening as well, so we took the kids in the evening to watch and for Evan to be extra hands to be a part of the crew if they needed him.

Daddy and Denver

Makenna hanging out in her stroller.

Denver and Mommy

Watching all the "boons" as Denver says.

"Look Dad, they went up high in the sky. Bye, bye!"

Here is a video of the balloon getting ready for take off. Towards the end of the video you can here Denver say "hot" as he could feel the heat from the flame.