Balloons 4

An impressionistic look at an image I took as some balloons glided past a small pond. Reworking it in Photoshop was lots of fun.

Balloons 3

Balloons

This week our posts will look into shots from the three rides I earned as Master of Ceremonies for the first eight Eyes to the Skies Hot Air Balloon Festivals. Two in early morning hours, one at the evening time, and all three wonderful adventures.

All Four Lakes & Cul-de-Sacs

From the air, the shape of the cul-de-sacs is quite clear, and the location of all four of the Four Lakes in Lisle is obvious. Look in any direction during a Hot Air Balloon flight and your eyes will find tons of details worthy of your attention.

Hazier Horizon

As we level off and head toward Argonne National Laboratory as it turned out, it was easy to see how much hazier the morning sky looks off toward the horizon. The feeling is such that I wanted to fly as far as the balloon would take us, in whatever direction the wind wished.

Head Southeast

As we soared to flight altitude, the other balloons looked smaller and smaller and the roads and buildings looked neater and neater. From the steep angle looking down, everything look precise and perfectly placed.

First Flight

In 1985 I was offered a Ride-along in the host balloon and I turned up early, before sunrise, for the honor. What a thrill it was! Seeing the balloons fill and lift while heading up with them was a wonderful rush, and we soon looked down on Lisle Community Park, where I guess I played and umpired and coached more games than anyone else. In seconds the field I knew so well from walking and running on it looked like a perfect scale model.

Up Up and Away

Two more images from early Eyes to the Skies Hot Air Balloon Festivals.

Rumpled at First

Laid out on the ground, rumpled though huge, the envelopes of Hot Air Balloons fill radpidly and since heat rises, the balloons fly majestically.

Soaring

Still more photos of Lisle Hot Air Balloon Festivals from the 1980s.

Colorful

More views of Hot Air Balloons.