When I was a little girl my parents took me to a fair that had a hot air balloon launch. I fell head over heals in love with hot air balloons that day. I can remember watching the balloons getting filled up and then lifting off into the air like it was yesterday. I always told people I wanted to be a hot air balloon guide when I grew up. That was the last time I saw a launch until yesterday.
The first of over a hundred balloons to take launch was a Pepsi balloon. This site was so joyful I can't even explain.
It started several months ago when I saw an add for the Quick Chek Ballooning Festival in Readington, New Jersey. I knew I had to go. The event is three days long. Everyone I know who has gone before didn't get to see the launch because of the weather.
Friday didn't work for us, so maybe Saturday. The launches go off twice a day 6:30 am and 6:30 pm. It was a wash out for Saturday night. They don't let you know if they are going to launch or not, so I sat at the computer checking the weather and the festival's FB page hoping for updates. Since the festival was over an hour away I didn't want to drive all that way pay $30.00 for each of us to get in and no launch.
I called my mother Saturday night and asked her if she wanted to go to the launch at 6:30 am Sunday morning. She was so excited and told me yes. So we made our plans. I set my alarm clock for 4:00 am and was going to pick her up at 5:00. I also checked in with Debbie. She had been to the festival and was planning on going to, but wasn't sure what time.
I checked the weather on Sunday morning at 4:00 and it looked like all thunderstorms around the launch area. My mother and I decided not to go. I got a text from Debbie at 6:18 am and she was there and the balloons were launching. I was so sad we didn't go.
So I decided rain or shine we were going to head up for the 6:30 pm launch.
We got to the festival and thousands of other people were there. We waited in a very long line to get in. As we were waiting a mother and son came up to us and asked if we would like two tickets. My face lite up and I couldn't stop smiling (tickets are $30.00 a piece). I couldn't express my gratitude enough to those wonderful people. Now we just had to stay in line to buy one more ticket (Tiny was young enough so he was free). And amazingly someone else approached us and gave us another ticket. I did have a tear in my eye at that point. People can be so kind sometimes and I am not sure if they will ever know how much we appreciated it.
We walked around the festival there were blue skys and it was hot! We were sweating buckets and the boys got cotton candy and went on some rides. There were no signs of balloons getting launched and after a while the skys turned dark. oh dear
We got a spot by the launch area and started talking to someone that has been to the festival many times. He said that it wasn't looking good for the launch because the balloons should be getting set up by then.
Then it started to rain. It rained harder and harder and we headed to the car for cover.
But we didn't leave. We ate our dinners I had packed. Then the rain stopped and we headed back into the festival. The temperature dropped to the mid 70s and it was so much nicer. Still no signs of balloons.
Then the announcement came on "The balloons are going to launch!"
The thousands and thousands of people there roared with applause. Especially me :)
Music was blasting "Up Up and Away" "Rocket Man" "Star Wars Theme" "Happy Birthday" it was so incredibly exciting. As each balloon lifted off the ground everyone cheered and waved. It was so exciting!
I only took 400 pictures :)
We had a sunset launch.
Rocket Man. Elton John's "Rocket Man" song was playing as he lifted off. Oh it was so much fun.
The balloons are in a race. There is a disk dropped somewhere and whoever lands closest to it wins $250,000.00! I really should be a hot air balloon guide.
They were interviewing the balloon pilots and one was saying they land in peoples yards sometimes and they usually get invited in and the people will feed them dinner or breakfast depending on when they land. I wish one would land in our yard.
I hope all the balloons landed safely and thank you so much Debbie for motivating me to get to the festival. It was absolutely magical.
I plan on making a photo book with all my pictures. I have so many more and I have to do something with them all.
