September 19th, 1783. A sheep, a duck and a rooster become the first passengers in a hot air balloon

August 22, 2003. I take my first hot air balloon ride.

I had my first ever ride in a HOT AIR BALLOON today! I volunteered to spend the weekend as a balloon chase crew-member, lending an extra hand when needed. I volunteered as part of the annual Ballunar Festival they have here on-site. They have 100 balloons that go all over the place every morning and evening for the whole weekend! The real festival starts tonight, but this morning they were doing media flights. Anyway, I helped the pilots of the balloon I was assigned to set up. My big thrill was holding the "crown line" which is the long line attached to the top of the balloon that holds it at the right angle while its inflating.

Anyway, after the balloon was ready to go, I went to help the other crew members hold the basket down while the pilot got ready. And then he says: "You. Get in the balloon." My first response was "Who? ME?" after all, I'm just crew. And he said "Well, you're the only one who's never been in a balloon before!" So away I went!

Anyway, we went over work then over the drop zone (a big "X" where the pilots drop streamers with hopes of winning a prize for the closest drop). And then we flew down NASA Road 1 at about 500 ft. After we crossed I-45, the pilot started mentioning we should find a place to land. We dropped really low over a forest of trees (and I mean less than 10 ft!) and just kind of drifted along. There was one empty pit of dirt in the middle of the trees and there was one guy down there along with a huge yellow plow-contruction truck. The pilot yelled "Did you dig that all by yourself?" The lone guy in the field of dirt looked really confused.

As we landed, we were told by the chase crew that there were a bunch of police cars blocking their path because the local landowner didn't want us on his property (at this point we're really out in the boondocks of Friendswood/Alvin, miles from work). We set down anyway, by two other balloons already on the ground. As luck would have it, the little shack on the edge of this guys land is a lawyer's office, so he'll know where to go. Anyway, in one of the other balloons that landed in the same spot was Ekaterina, the space bride, the woman who just married the cosmonaut Yuri while he resides on board the Space Station. I didn't really know what to think of the whole space wedding thing, but she turned out to be really awesome!

After the ride, the other members of the chase crew were talking about something conspiratorially, and then when I mentioned I had to get back to work, they said "Oh, you're going back to work? Well, we'll have to cerermonize you tonight then..." I feel like I should be worried!

So, that was my exciting morning. I'm going to be working as chase crew for this balloon all weekend (early a.m. and late afternoon every day). In the between time, I will hopefully catch a movie, help Sarah move, see Rich dressed as an axe murdered and have an all-together hectic weekend.