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Ah yes, time for the National Balloon Classic, that time of year when balloonists from around the city, the state and the country descend upon (or rather ascend from and then descend upon) Indianola for our 9-day balloon festival.
Growing up in Indianola, it's easy to forget that there are quite a few people who have either never or else very rarely have seen a hot air balloon in person. When you live here, you kind of take them for granted, as during the summer, it's a rare calm day NOT to see at least one in the sky.
I've crewed for a few balloons - Midnight at the Oasis (Christine's balloon!), Pup's Delight and O'Henry. For the uninitiated, crewing means that we help set up and take down the balloon, as well as chase after it while it's in flight.
Conditions only allowed for two flights this weekend, so hopefully things will clear up for the rest of the week. It's an awful lot of fun, and it strikes me that they still seem quite beautiful even after all these years of having seen them.
Sadly, Christine was injured :( in a post-landing mishap through no fault of her own. Breaking your wrist in three places is an ordeal, as is missing the classic because of it, but it sure beats an in-flight problem! It's sad though, 'cause she loves ballooning so much, and being an Indianolian with her wings clipped during *our* event is a magnitude harder than missing some other balloon event.
Oh yeah, and Keith and I still hope to get a balloon of our own one of these years. So watch out you other balloonists - 'cause we'll come to play! ;) |