Right Here Looks Good
I've never thought much about hot-air balloons.
In fact, the only time I can ever really remember thinking anything specific about them was when Miss Tesmacher sprung Lex Luthor out prison using one in "Superman II."
But this year, our region's big Memorial Day festival was moved from its longtime location almost an hour away to its new home about five-to-ten miles from my house.
The balloons are the signature of the event, if you count out the opportunity to pay $20 to see the Goo Goo Dolls and enjoy the exotic aromatic cocktail of sweat seeping through wool NASCAR hats worn backwards and piss stewing in portajohns as the hot, almost-solstice sun bears down.
Needless to say, we decided to enjoy the festivities from afar.
It's quite a sight to look out from your front yard and see a hot-air balloon passing by. Or 10. Or 20.
You can hear the burners igniting to keep the air hot and buoyant. They creep over the trees, huge floating masses that barely move. Like jellyfish that appear slowly but everywhere, 360 degrees all around, when you're diving and lose for a moment the orientation of which way is up.
There's something else about hot-air balloons: If they're anywhere near you, keep your eyes open. Not to the skies, necessarily. But to your community's cul-de-sac or swimming pool or perhaps your own backyard.
They pretty much land wherever the wind blows them, and they never end up where they started.
And they were everywhere. Landing everywhere. Nowhere special. These big balloons with these little wicker baskets holding these people who only had a general idea of where they'd end up.
They were able to land wherever they pleased without protest because, of course, hot-air balloons are an enchanting sight to behold.
Enough to compel people to look for them when they disappear behind the trees.
And the balloon code mandates that anyone who takes the time to find where one lands gets to jump in and feel the heat of the flame as the wicker basket floats from the ground (even if it's only a story high).
They can land on my house anytime.
11 comments:
Very nice! Happy Memorial Day. Your kids will remember that forever.
There is truly something magical about the simultaneous sound and soundlessness of the balloons.
"North Miss Tesmacher, North".
I've always had a thing for Miss Teschacher. She's definitly a good looking broad.
You couldn't pay me enough to get in to a hot air balloon.
I've also always had a thing for mutilating Miss tesmacher's name.
leslie, i also understand that there's something to the fact that you don't really feel any wind, because you're blowing with it. there's something very natural about the whole thing.
corky, you wouldn't take a million dollars? come on, what's your cut-off? $1,000? you do it for that. you know it.
here's the best quote from that jail break ... if my memory serves ... when they make it to the north pole and miss tesmacher asks "why are we here?" lex says "miss tesmacher, this is a getaway, not a philosphy seminar."
something like that.
So pretty! I've never been up in one, but it's on my to-do list.
I always thought hot air balloons were something straight out of a fairy tale. "You mean they ride in a basket tied to a large balloon?! No way." Love the pictures.
I guess I would ride in one of those for the right price. But, it would be a hell of lot more than the $1,000 you offered Corky.
They just don't look all that safe. And I like things that can actually be controlled.
before you name your price, you have to consider that it costs $175 for a ride.
would i do it for $500?
hold on ... let me google "hot air balloon tragedy" ...
there's usually at least one fatality a year in britain as a result of ballooning. or maybe that's bullshit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_air_balloon_festivals
Albuquerque New Mexico has the big balloon festival every year. Quite the sight.
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