Thanks to birthday gifts from our three children, my wife and I took our first hot-air balloon ride this morning. Launching northeast of Boulder, Colorado, we drifted to the southeast on a light breeze and remained aloft for some 75 minutes, covering twelve miles or so.
Enroute, we enjoyed spectacular views of the Front Range and a unique perspective on the mosaic of reservoirs, ranches, wetlands and suburban developments that cloaks the Colorado Piedmont. We also found that ballooning is an extremely peaceful experience, taking one far from the noise of human activity and nature herself; only the occasional helicopter or airplane disturbed the serenity.
As with other forms of flight, balloon travel yields an appreciation for the topography below, today revealing the contour of stream channels and their associated woodlands, from the foothill canyons to the South Platte Valley. And, from two thousand feet, the world below, while bustling with activity, conveys a message of tranquility, not always evident from the surface of our planet.
