One thing I’ve been wanting to do for some time is to fly in a hot air balloon. I’m going to quit referring to these things as ‘bucket list’ items for I’m finding that term far too terminating. There shall be time enough for a bucket list decades from now. But I digress. Erin is visiting us for a fortnight while she is tracked out. How pleasant I thought for her to accompany us. So plans were made and off to Bird in Hand we went on a somber Tuesday afternoon. As you will see the balloon went up pretty fast and the pilot had us board while the basket lay on plane until the air in the balloon had heated enough for inflation. In a few minutes we were above 500 feet and I must say there was some trepidation due to rampant brain thoughts. Only about 15 minutes into the ride, rain clouds hovered nearby and started to share their precipitation with the landscape. Our pilot headed for new heights. Climbing to over 7200 feet we ascended through the clouds meeting with a sun missing most of the day. What a glorious sight. After viewing the heavens we descended a few thousand feet to enjoy the remainder of Lancaster county as our airbus drifted southwest toward the Susquehanna River and York county. An hour and a half into the flight it was time to land. Luckily he found a naked spot on the King farm. This Amish family welcomed us with open arms. We engaged in conversation while the team packed the massive chute again. The Kings were the most gracious of hosts and by time to leave we had been invited for a day and dinner with them next week. Packing into the van we left our landing in Conestoga and headed back to our start in Bird in Hand. By nightfall we toasted champagne and paid ‘hail’ to a day well done, an apt pilot, and a crew that made the trip a momentous experience. “Every picture tells a story, don’t it” . I’ll stop and let the slideshow tell the story.

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