Recently, I had the pleasure of taking my first hot air balloon ride. I have always had something of an interest in airships, thermal or otherwise—and I think riding in one is a great experience that everyone should give a try at least once. Watching the process of how the balloon is set up for take-off was quite interesting, and I will try to explain it to the best of my ability here. Please keep in mind that I am by no means an expert; the details listed here are just what I understood based on what I saw. A few things might be off. First, the basket was unloaded off of a truck, and a very large tarp was laid out on the ground. The tarp is important because the balloon itself—called the envelope—is made out of a thin and fragile material. The tarp is used to keep the balloon off the ground so it doesn’t get any tears from friction against it.
After the tarp is spread out to its maximum area, the envelope is pulled out along the length of the tarp, and the basket is placed on its side. The envelope is then very carefully unwound and pulled out horizontally—so it can hold air. A fan is then used to inflate it so it is a large enough size that it may capture the hot air, which makes it rise. This is why the basket was put on its side. The source of the heat is a pair of propane-powered coil jets called burners. These are used to put the hot air into the envelope once it reaches a substantial volume. They also make a comically large fireball when ignited. When the envelope begins to float, the basket is turned upright and then it is stabilized so the passengers and pilot can get in.
There are various sensors installed inside the envelope to monitor its state and there is a navigation computer kept on board in order to track the airship’s movement. The whole process of flying a hot-air balloon isn’t nearly as antiquated as most fiction would have you believe, and it is quite an advanced operation. During the ride, our pilot informed us that the top of the envelope was actually about 210°F. While we were in the air, we were able to see a portion of Lake Tahoe over the ridges of the Sierras. I also took a very good panorama photo of the Carson Valley. In the air, it is a most tranquil feeling to float gently across the sky and view the earth below in all its beauty. Everything is quiet except for the occasional roar of the burners. When you are up there, it really puts everything into scale. The idea of being that far from the ground seems a little frightening, but when you experience it—it isn’t nearly that bad. The basket felt secure, and there wasn’t a worry in my mind. As we took off, I saw all the cars and buildings shrink as they fell away. It was one of the most peaceful things I had ever experienced. The man-made things that look monumental become the models they actually are and the real monuments of nature become apparent as viewed in their entirety. The mountains and the horizon are borderline invisible when on the ground, but when you zoom out a bit, it is then that their true value can be appreciated.
Just you and the world below.
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