Hot air balloon pilots who have
a lot of experience in an area
are better able to
"play the winds" and
get their aircraft to go where
they'd like it to go so you can
see the most dramatic views.
"We'll pick apricots off
the trees," Lars said one
morning as we took off into the
blue.
We didn't, but only because
it was spring and the apricots
weren't ripe yet.
As we flew, Lars talked about
the winds:
"I get up and drive around
the countryside well before launch
to see how the winds are," he
said. "I send up the trial
balloon and watch it closely
as it passes through the temperature
zones. Then I make a flight plan."
