Balloon Ride

This morning, I did a bucket list item that I have wanted to do since the late 80s with the International Balloon Festival in Barrie. I was always fascinated by all the balloons that floated through the city or past the windows at work looking so majestically. Bernie, Miriam, and I left the villa at 5:20 a.m. on an open highway for our liftoff destination somewhere close to Florence. The weather was awesome, cool but clear. We are the first to arrive, and the field is dark. We see a truck pass by with a basket, and we follow it. We watch them set up, which takes quite a while. It's an intriguing process. Surprisingly, as excited as I am, I am calm. The moment of my trip, which I was so excited about, was finally going to lift off. There are about seventeen people in the basket with the pilot, Ollie, in the center with the propane tanks. I have a spot overlooking the basket. We have a lift-off after a few housekeeping rules of safety. The rope is released, and slowly, with the wind, we rise. I have realized my fear of heights has gone out of the basket. Ollie slowly brings us up to different heights, not to freak anybody out, but at this point, the only place you have to go is sitting on the floor of the basket cause the alternative is worse, you would think. The view of the mountains, valleys, and Florence in the distance is spectacular. The valleys have fog patches that make a photographer dream. The air is not cold, and the winds are light. Everyone enjoyed the hour-long ride. We landed safely with only one bump, ten feet from the start of lines of grape vines. We have a celebratory breakfast of prosecco, juice, and croissants. We had an awesome time the three of us, and glad we fought our fears.Read more