Up, up, and away...

Saturday we finally got to go on our anniversary balloon ride. Amy, Jennifer, and Ashlynn came over and hung out with GG Friday night while we slipped away to Newberg. We went to see Harry Potter that evening.
We were at the airpark around 5:00 Saturday morning for our ride. You don't have to help fill the balloon but can if you want to and I wanted to.
Six balloons went up, but I only remember the names of 3, "Sunrise", "Thunder", and "Ridgerunner".
We were in the balloon "Sunrise" and our pilot was Kelly Haverkate. She took us out over the Willamette and set the basket down on the river. Then we went up to about 2,000 feet and drifted SSW 4 to 5 miles before setting down in a hay field. The trip took about an hour.
Each of the balloons has it's own chase car and ground crew that follows to bring you back to the airpark. When we got back, they had a champagne brunch ready for us. (There was juice if you didn't want the bubbly.)

Getting started

Open wide
Filling

Firing up
Looking up inside
Almost ready
First two off
3 up
Sunrise
The airpark
The WillametteOur reflection
2 on the river

Our chase car
3 down at Skookum Lake
We're down
Folding the balloon
In the bag
Kelly and us

It was a great day! Thanks girls for a wonderful Christmas present.