Balloon Race Event, S Florida, Mid April.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

04/03/2007 12:33:48 AM · #1

Sunrise Balloon Race (.org)
I hope that the weather is good for this. It may be an opportunity for an impromtu GTG for any DPC'ers in the S Florida or east coast Fl area.

Message edited by author 2007-04-04 12:42:32.

bvlindalou

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

04/03/2007 12:44:41 AM · #2

Oh, this look fun. I sure hope the weather is nice for you.

04/03/2007 07:37:47 AM · #3

I'll definitely be there. A GTG does sound good.

04/03/2007 08:45:41 PM · #4

yakatme, I thought you might see this thread.
I am planning to shoot my one wedding for the year on the 15th, so if I can make it over, it will be Sat. the 14th. I think that some of my aeronaut pals from the Abq N M Balloon Fiesta will be there. If the balloons will be free flying or tethered depends on the wind conditions, and the dawn lift off is spectacular when they flame on. It is worth getting up early just to experience that.

04/03/2007 10:43:53 PM · #5

Hey Waddy, yes it is spectacular. I've been to it a couple of years ago but I can't imagine why I didn't get any pictures of it. I missed it the last couple of years for various reasons, but my calendar is clear that weekend and I plan on being there well before sunrise.

I didn't even think that the baloons simply being tethered was a possibility. I hope that the weather permits them to fly. I spent hours watching them lift off, following them in my car (I know the area and all the backroads and dirt roads very well) and watching them drop their sandbags a the target. Another game they played was "Fox and Hound" in which one balloon (the fox) departs and is soon followed by the hounds.

The whole event was fun to watch and be around. Speaking of being around, the public can walk around and approach the balloons as they are preparing to lift off. They are all very accessible and affords great opportunity for photos. I won't miss it this year.

I think that this would, in fact, be a great foundation for a get together. Hopefully, we can get some interest from others and make this happen.

04/04/2007 12:45:57 PM · #6

Bump, for the daytime people. : )

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

04/10/2007 08:36:30 PM · #7

Last bump from me.

After attending my first GTG last weekend I know how much fun it can be to spend the day with other DPC'ers at an event like this balloon race this weekend.

I hope that this bump will get the attention of anybody who might like to come but didn't know about it.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

04/10/2007 08:43:44 PM · #8

Gosh I wish I could be there! Can't wait to see the award winning pics! :)

04/12/2007 12:08:25 AM · #9

One more bump. The event is this weekend. Weather prediction is good for the weekend. I will be there Sat. if all goes well.

04/13/2007 10:29:32 PM · #10

I just talked to one of the aeronauts, and it does not look good for weather in the morning, Sat, as wind may be a problem. In any case, I will be there and visiting with my friends, and hope that I will get to meet

yakatme and his son while there Saturday.

JuliBoc

Apple iPhone 6s+

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

04/13/2007 11:20:17 PM · #11

Wish I could, but I can't join you there this weekend -- house guests. Maybe I'll see you in Delray Beach when the balloons go up from here. I don't have any info about that event, but I saw it last year and the year before, so I am assuming it will be held here again this year.

The weatherman is saying a front is coming through mid-weekend, with bad weather on Sunday.

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Nikon

04/14/2007 03:09:50 PM · #12

Update from the event and tiny GTG

I say "tiny" because only Waddy (

MelonMusketeer ), my son

yakatyou and I made it. Waddy was running late and by the time he got to the new launch area we only had about 10 seconds for introductions and a handshake before the balloons started to liftoff.

The wind was not blowing from the optimal direction and was actually almost too strong to launch at all. Instead of the usual games and races, the chase vans hauled the balloons to the southeast corner of the airport and most of the balloons flew across the airport to the northwest corner.

Waddy's stepson was one of the only pilots to venture beyond the bounds of the airport and Waddy arranged for me and Chris to join the chase team. It was a lot of fun hanging with them and driving the van across farmer's potatoes fields to track down the balloon.

I had to leave to take my D80 BACK to the repair shop so that they can once again fix the same problem before I go to the Red Rock GTG on the 25th. I traded them for my D70 which was being serviced while Waddy went to a zoo type park called Everglades Outpost. We plan to meet at the balloon race later this afternoon at which time I hope to have some of the pics printed by Costco to take to the flight crew. Chris and I might be able to go up in one of the balloons tomorrow if the winds cooperate (which isn't likely according to NWS).

Here are some of the pics that I have processed so far.

- - -

It's too bad that more of you all couldn't make it, but DPC doesn't seem to be too well represented here in South Florida. But all is not lost...

...keep an eye out for the Florida Keys GTG thread that's in the planning stages for a week around the end of September.

wmprkg

Nikon D70

04/14/2007 03:47:54 PM · #13

Those are great shot Robert. Can't wait to see more.

I wish I could have been there.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

04/14/2007 09:43:44 PM · #14

Thanks Wayne. Here are a few more.

An Energizer Bunny Balloon crewmember hands out ears early in the morning.

"Torching" the balloon. This was the balloon that we drove after cross country with the chase team.

yakatyou getting his balloon shots in the morning. He stayed home instead of returning in the afternoon. He was wiped out after getting up at 4:00 a.m. - - - By the way, wait until you see his April Free Study entry that he got last week on spring break. He is going to stomp all of us!

This, I'm told, is evidence of a good landing. Apparently, this is not too far to drag the gondola when landing a balloon in a sweet potatoe field. One pilot told me of a landing in which another pilot dragged his brand new gondola 600 yards, totally destroying one of it's sides.

When the events resumed in the afternoon they didn't include any ballooning because the wind was too strong. However, Waddy and I met up again at the airfield, had some dinner at the VIP tent, and resumed our "tiny GTG". It was a great time hanging out with him, his friends, and some of his family. The best quote of the day from his entourage was "Waddy can fix anything. If he can't fix it, it ain't broke." My impressions were definitely that he is a very resourceful, "can do" guy, and I am very glad that I was able to spend some time with him today.

Since there was no ballooning later in the day, Waddy and I wandered around a few planes that were being restored near the Air Museum on the airport property after stepping over the orange barriers (he's as bad as I am).

Here are a couple of those shots...

Waddy identified this aircraft as the same type of Navy torpodoe bomber that George W. Bush flew.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and this one speaks of Waddy and his style...down to earth.

To sum it up, this was a "tiny get together" but it was a lot of fun. The rest of you didn't get to make it, but I hope that you enjoyed the accounts and images of today. Waddy invited Chris and I to Labelle for a BBQ cookout next weekend at which he will be firing his "Spookey Bazookey" watermelon cannon. I might have to change my plans so that I can take him up on this invitation. If you haven't seen his video, then do as his profile page suggests and google "Spookey Bazookey" to see what I'm talking about. It looks like a lot of fun.

Message edited by author 2007-04-14 22:33:55.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

04/14/2007 10:05:08 PM · #15

Awesome shots, Robert! Can't believe you were up at 4am, but it looks to have been an excellent day shooting!

I just got back from an afternoon at the County Fair with my girls and a neighbor's kid. Fun, but not as cool as your day! :)

04/15/2007 12:21:18 AM · #16

Robert

yakatme right, and me, snapshot by my niece Tracie.
I'm home! 40 hours with 4 - 10 minute naps since 8 AM Friday. Look for more tomorrow pm. I am too pooped to post imagezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. : )