Chasing Balloons

It's a family tradition. Or has been for the last 10 years or so. The grandkids come to spend the night and we get up at dawn, drive up to the fairgrounds to watch the hot air balloons take off. And then we chase them to watch them land. The first shot is of Samantha, Jake (in car) and Carson. We are all still a little groggy at this point. We park at a BP station across from the fairgrounds. As the kids have gotten older, they stay up later so it becomes a little more of a problem to get up. But they arose and dressed quickly, ready for the chase.

Here the balloons have started to rise in the background. It's always fun to see old favorites like the Pepsi can as well as the United Van Lines balloon which is shaped like a truck. When most of the balloons are in the air we begin the following. This year we ended up in an area of town with lots of trees and we kept losing sight of the balloons. Bet I wouldn't have that problem in Arizona.

At one point we pulled up to one of the balloon chase vehicles and I asked if they knew where their balloon was. They were as confused as we were. It helps now that the kids are older as they are able to give good advice about which direction and what streets to use. We got ahead of the balloons at one point and had to circle back.

This is a balloon landing at Park Tudor high school. Just think what it would be like to have a balloon land in your yard. One year we followed one which landed in a cul-de-sac. A dog was going nuts at this thing dropping from the sky. Imagine going out to go to work and find one of these in your front yard.

Then we celebrate another successful chase by having breakfast at a restaurant. This year we ended up at The Sunrise Cafe.

Not only is the chase fun, it's fun to be together, reminiscing and wondering if Callum and Lily will someday join us. I can see it now, I'll be lying in a bed in a nursing home and the kids will come lift me out of bed, stuff me in a car and we'll be off chasing balloons.