Balloon Hunt!

Yesterday on our way home from the Terryville Country Fair , I lamented to my son, Richard, that we probably missed the 2015 Plainville Fire Company Hot Air Balloon Festival. Now, he has mixed feelings about hot air balloons since we attended the NW CT Balloon Festival and Craft Fair in Goshen, CT in (I think) 2003. That was real neat because we saw a lot of unusual shapes such as a huge American flag, and a space shuttle. But what he would like to forget probably is that we got up at 5 a.m. to drive an hour to see them take off at 6 a.m. (Did we do that?)

In 2012 we spent the day at the Plainville Hot Air Balloon Fest and Car Show and returned that evening to watch take off at 6 p.m. but all we got to see was a couple of balloons filled up, with one tethered. I think one might have lifted off.

So as we were driving home yesterday, we decided to swing by the park in Plainville to see if anything was going on. And it sure was. We got stuck in a tremendous traffic jam. Thank God for A/C.

We were almost near the park by 6 p.m. when we spotted several balloons in the air, having just lifted off. Richard spotted one that seemed to have difficulty gaining altitude and "suggested" that we try to follow it instead of battling the crowds at the park, etc. And so we did.

Several times we thought it was about to land (or crash). Finally, it actually did touch down in the parking lot of an abandoned factory. But then, as we were turning around and trying to decide what to do, it took off again!

Just about ready to land (first time) behind the factory in background.

As we resumed our hunt, Richard noticed a large pickup truck with a magnetic sign identifying it as a hot air balloon support vehicle. And then we realized that the SUV following us was also an official balloon chase vehicle. So we tried to keep them in sight.

When it seemed as though the balloon had disappeared behind the trees in front of us into a lake, we lost sight of the chase vehicles and the balloon. When we found a nearby adjacent road, the balloon had regained lift and was actually soaring pretty well. So we headed home (with our eyes open).

As we got to the top of a ridge, we again spotted the balloon as it appeared to be descending (again). And then we saw the chase vehicles again and we rejoined the pursuit!

Touchdown! A safe landing!

Unfortunately, we didn't actually see the balloon land but we encountered it shortly after it touched down in a cul-de-sac in a residential neighborhood. Boy, were those home owners surprised!

Me, Richard, and Hot Air Balloon

Everyone was out on their front lawn staring in amazement at the visitors from the sky. We learned that there were four passengers (two couples). When it first landed in the factory parking lot, one of the men had to jump out and give the basket a push (to get them in the right direction apparently and away from the trees and wires).

Quickly, as the sun was setting (in the background), everyone helped to pack up the balloon. Even we were enlisted. Each of us hoisted a section of the rolled up balloon on our shoulders and marched over to the truck and stuffed it in a "small" bag.

Starting to deflate the balloon.

Disassembly

Roll up the balloon.

Stuffing the balloon in its bag.

And so it was surprisingly quickly over. Though we missed seeing the inflation and take off, we ended up witnessing a much more exciting chase and safe conclusion and actually became (a small) part of the flight.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Links:

http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2015/08/at-terryville-country-fair.html
http://www.plainvillefireco.com/Balloon_Festival.html

Written Sunday August 30, 2015.

At the Terryville Country Fair

Yesterday (Saturday 8/29/15) , my son, Richard, and I paid our annual visit to The Terryville Lions Country Fair.  We've gone to this for a number of years (including last year, 2014). We like it because it seems like a real agricultural fair with animals, food, carnival rides, and fireworks.

Some of the rides at the fair.

We arrived ~1 p.m. and stayed until nearly 5:30 p.m. $9 admission per adult; free parking.

Just as we entered, I had to stop and watch the "Women's Iron Skillet Toss." Wow! Where can you see something like that nowadays? I'd like to see  what the winners' husbands look like, if they are still alive.

Map of the Fair grounds.

After a quick tour of the fairgrounds, we grabbed a bit to eat. Richard got chicken on a stick and Mountain Dew soda; I got a hamburger with fruit punch Gatorade. We ate sitting on the bleachers watching the Horse Draw Contest. This consists of pairs of horses trying to pull a sled (boat) containing several tons of concrete weights. We watched the first round where the pull consisted of three (3) tons (3,000#s). The horses have to pull the sled a certain distance within a given time period. When they did, the female announcer would proclaim, "All the way!"  There were 10 teams, some from CT and some from MA, RI, VT, and NY. 

Since we were sitting in the sun (it seemed hotter than low 80s), we took a break by going inside the nearby Hobby Building. The entries always boggle our minds since it looks like some parent or spouse cleaned up a room by scooping up a doll collection, Matchbox car collection, Pez collection, Lego, etc. and took it to the fair. One girl ("Jazz Albuquerque" -could that be a real name?) even displayed her collection of ribbons she had won over the years at various local fairs.

We continued through another building (aptly named The Commercial Building) where people were selling all kinds of household items and the like. The next building (Home & Garden) was dedicated to amateur photography, baking, veggies, flower arrangements, and quilts.

We briefly watched the Lumberjack show but we've seen it so many times, we practically know the lines by heart. We moved on and peeked in several model RV trailers.

Feeding the sheep (or is it the KKK?)

Then we walked through the different animal barns: swine, cows, goats, chickens/ducks, sheep, goats. Some sheep were wearing a covering that made me think of the KKK. We found a rabbit that reminded us of Richard's cat, Spots (see picture below).

A friend for Spots?

Richard did his annual ride on the The Avalanche. Apparently, the amusement company that does this fair is the only one in the state with this ride. I had a challenging time trying to take a picture with my phone because the sun was shining from directly behind the ride at me (not to mention that the phone has a crummy camera). The good part was that I found two (2) tickets on the ground (so it only cost me $2 more to get the required four tickets).

Richard (extreme left wearing orange) on the Avalanche

While sharing a lemon Italian ice, we watched the garden tractor pull (similar to the draft horse pull (see above).but it was set up poorly and we could not see. So after chatting with the man who was at a rebuilt 2 cycle engine from 1902, we moved on. We miss the garden tractor races they had several years ago. We stopped to look at the antique farm tractors and got to vote for our favorites. Richard was a heretic and did not vote for a McCormick Farmall (but I did).

Richard at the antique farm tractors

While Richard got some onion rings, I bought some kettle corn for his mom. Then we watched some more of the Draft Horse pull (they were up top 8 tons now). "All the way!!!"

Richard got a pickle to munch on during the ride home. My car is going to smell like garlic pickles now (well, in some ways, that may be an improvement).

And so it was enough for one day. Not worth staying until 10 p.m. for fireworks. Anyway, more adventures awaited us on the way home. "All the way!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Links:

http://terryvillefair.org
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2014_08_30_archive.html
http://www.tufanoamusement.com/rides/ridedetail.asp?ID=5

Written Sunday August 30, 2015