It was Prosser's 26th Balloon Rally.
It was our first balloon rally.
It was our first Samboree.
On a personal note, it was also the weekend that we first met 44 years ago, on September 26th.
And on a more global note, it was the weekend of a rare Super Harvest Blood Moon Total Eclipse this evening. The last one occurred in 1982 and the next will be in 2033. It also brings to mind the poem I studied in school, The Donkey by Chesterton:
When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born...
But I digress.... so, back to the Great Prosser Balloons.
The balloons launched from the Prosser Airport around sunrise on Friday and Sunday. Twenty two balloons participated from all around the northwest. Unfortunately the Saturday launch was scrubbed when the winds picked up, and it was disappointing to see the poised and ready, inflated balloons having to deflate and be packed up without launching.
However, on Saturday at dusk, we watched five balloons perform to music at Prosser's Fiker Stadium. They were inflated and tethered for the duration and lit up in time to music with the firing of the gas flames. The Night Glow event was quite entertaining and well worth the long walk there and back under a starry sky.
Then this morning, we were entertained further as we watched in amazement as the airborne balloons descended one by one to "kiss the water" in the Yakima River. They then glided along the water from the dam towards the bridge where we were standing. As they approached the bridge, the balloons magically lifted up and over us, shedding streams of water over the folks directly under them.
Watching balloons turn into boats was a first for me. It was all most mesmerizing and quite fascinating.
Naturally I took dozens of photos and it was most difficult to choose only a few. These are the ones I absolutely had to share from the past three days of balloon chasing.
Friday morning launch photos:
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| with lots of huffing and puffing, the balloons were slowly taking shape |
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| the first one out of the pack to lift off |
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| up up and away... |
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| more balloons coming to life |
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| poised and awaiting release |
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| another lift off |
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| one of my favorites, reminding me of the Montgolfier Brothers' balloon |
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| more balloons launching |
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| balloons galore over Prosser |
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| ... |
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| there were throngs on this morning, all disappointed when the launch was scrapped |
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| balloons beginning to deflate |
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| disappointing to see the poised and ready balloons deflating to be packed |
Sunday launch and float along the Yakima River photos:
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| up close, watching the balloon inflate |
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| the first burst of fire power |
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| more balloons popping upright |
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| up up and away |
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| bright, colorful, and eager to rise up |
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| there goes another |
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| and another |
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| still more inflating |
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| sailing away on a perfect morning |
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| balloons slowly descending towards the Yakima River |
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| watching in amazement as two baskets glide along the water |
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| yes, the basket really is on the water |
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| water balloon races |
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| rising back up and over the bridge where we are standing |
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| they are so close that we could hear them |
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| and on they float |
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| great reflection on this still morning overlooking the Yakima River |
