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Hot Air Balloon Ride Sept 1, 2009
Can you believe it? Al and I went on a Hot Air Balloon ride for my 55th Birthday!
(Well, my Birthday is really
on September 2, but this was close enough!!)
Following are just a few photos but as time allows I'll tell the WHOLE STORY but for now here are highlights.
The Balloon Pilot and Crew arrive - 7:00AM! |
Penny and Al and Pilot Steve starting to inflate the balloon! This is in our front yard. The sun is just starting to rise in the east. |
The fan has the balloon almost inflated. |
After blasting with the hot air - (the 'burner' blasts about 15 million BTU's at a blast) The balloon - "April Love" is beginning to rise up! |
Time to load up! Can you tell I'm just a little bit excited about this trip? |
Looking up about 100 ft inside the balloon to the top. You can see the 'burner' too. It was quiet for the photo! Yep I'm standing in the Basket! |
Our son, Phil was our "on the ground" photographer. Here we are just about ready for 'lift off'. |
LIFT OFF! |
We are 'just above' our House at this point. |
Phil is taking a picture of me - taking a picture of him - See next photo! |
Phil taking a picture of us! (see previous photo) He is standing just in front of our house. |
Here you can see our place. Our newly paved driveway, the Swingset, the garage and storage buildings. All around the house. We think we have a pretty lovely place and this view is GREAT! |
This is the view looking to the West North West of our place. The Forest in front, before the fields, is our 'forest' and so are the fields ours too. Across the road - just beyond the field is our neighbor that is about 1/4 mile up the road. The White building in the middle of the photo is our son Phil's garage. Their house is hidden from view by the 'forest'. |
This is the view of our house looking to the Southwest. Although you cannot see it you are overlooking the Blackhoof River Valley. You can kind of see the depression in the trees for a bit. The river is only about 500 yards from our house. Down a very steep ravine. We were about to loose view as the winds aloft were a bit stronger than the Pilot Steve wanted - so we had to stay at tree top level. So we descended right after that and were brushing the tops of the trees. |
The last photo Phil took before we were out of range and disappeared into the 'forest'. |
This is looking Northeast and towards our Landing point. It is about 6 miles away as the 'crow' or is that "Balloon" Flies!! See that white spot in the middle of the photo. You'll see it close up in the next shot! |
This is a HUGE propane storage tank. The Pilot having to follow aviation regulations has to stay 500 feet away. Well he tried to catch a breeze that would take us to the right - but just as soon as we went right - we went left again and were headed right for that Tank!! So in order to stay the 500 ft away - UP, UP, and AWAY!! With in 10 seconds our Pilot had us over 700 feet into the air. Plenty of clearance for the tank. BUT then right after clearing the Tank we had to quickly descend as - our ride was soon done. The propane was at the end limit, but we had to land in one of the closeby fields as if we didn't about 1 mile further and we would be in a rocky gorge and well - you can't land a balloon there! |
Al, Steve and Jim are deflating the balloon and putting it away.
Our ride was FANTASTIC! It lasted about 45 minutes. Time literally FLEW by! After everything was packed up - We popped a bottle of Champange and the Pilot did a Special toast given after a balloon flight! |
Here the lonely little Basket waits to be carried out of the Alphalfa! If you look behind the spruce trees in the back of the photo you can almost see the Big tank we just had flown over!. |
This was the BEST Present Al could have given me.
He and I both have a list of things we want to do before we get to old to go on these types of adventures. This was one of the first ones. We have several more planned and will of course, be sharing them here with you too! As soon as I figure out our new Scanner I'll get the Certificate of Flight we got from our Pilot! |
Vacation August 2008
Al and I just returned from our annual trip to a Northern Minnesota resort/cabin!
Al spent a lot of time fishing and having fun boating on the lake.
He caught (and released) nice Northern Pike, Bass and Sunnies all vacation BUT
on the day before we were leaving he caught the biggest fish he has caught in awhile
and the resort owner said it was the biggest one for his resort this year caught off the Dock!!
WOW!
So here is his fish - First I took a picture of it while he was trying to bring it in to the dock.
The fish was quite comical as he even jumped out of the water a time or two.
And Here he is holding his 7 to 8 pound Northern Pike.
Very nice, Clean fish. Very Proud Fisherman!
Normally Al "catches and releases", but one of our neighbors at the resort
were having a 'fish fry' with some handicapped kids that evening and they thoroughly
welcomed and enjoyed Al's contribution for their dinner!!
And another photo. Yes - the water really is that pretty sky blue.
Hey, its northern Minnesota - the Land of Sky Blue Waters!!
And what did I (Penny)do on vacation??
I put puzzles together along with fish and read etc. And take picture of Al catching fish!!
May 14, 2008
We had a rude awakening this morning as this fellow
destroyed our bird feeders and is seen here
trying to get into the storage can we have the sunflower seeds in.
He is sitting just below our bedroom window - about 8-10 feet away from us!
We are in the house, looking down at him!
This photo is him returning to the storage can
after we chased him away taking photos.
He is about 15 feet from the house.
He returned later on today (May 14, 2008) to destroy
more of the feeders. (We have removed them altogether now.
He is pretty good at walking on his hind legs!
Al and Penny dressed in their Renaissance Faire Costumes
Getting the entry way ready. Removed old concrete,
What a mess!!
Before they start working.
One last look at this ?!?!!?
Jason carrying 85 lb. retaining wall blocks.
Austin laying the pavers
The final cleanup of the extra materials.
Our new entrance!
A different view.
A Birdseye view from atop the deck!
For more work done by A Keay Landscaping, Inc of North Branch MN
and to see the Construction of our new addition and new landscaping.
Please Click here - Don't forget to come back!!!
It's
something you just don't do in our area of Minnesota in January!!!
Here's
our Granddaughter Kortnay, Grandpa Al and our son Phil
Grandpa
and Kortnay
Daddy
and Kortnay Christmas 2002
Below are more photos of us having fun a couple years ago!
Al and Penny Having some fun
with the Mr. Snowman
during a snow storm in December
2001!
Please
be patient as this page will take a while to load!
Don't you think he is Cute? (The
snowman or Al? Both of Course!)
Do
Die hard Minnesotans - Notice we are not
wearing snow boots, just our tennis shoes!!
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Copyright © 1997-2009 Penny Keay
Please do not use my information without my written permission.