Balloon Race - The Firearms Forum

SouthernMoss · 10-31-2007, 10:31 PM

Thought y’all might like to see some pics from this year’s Great Mississippi River Balloon Race.

The Saturday morning flight took them right over our neighborhood. Nothing like stepping outside to see dozens of balloons in the sky.

A special favorite of ours is the POW balloon in the second pic; a good friend of ours (Vietnam vet) volunteers for the ground crew each year.

The third pic is a balloon that flew straight over our house; you can see our roof in the pic.

The fourth pic is looking straight up into a balloon that flew directly over our heads.

durk · 10-31-2007, 10:33 PM

Cool Stuff!

SouthernMoss · 10-31-2007, 10:33 PM

The Saturday afternoon flight is always a favorite. They put a barge with a target in the middle of the river. The balloons must fly directly over the barge and drop a bean bag onto the target. The bean bag has a ribbon attached so the crowd can watch it as it falls. We were standing on the bluffs on the MS (high) side of the river, so we were actually above the balloons once they dipped down. They were coming from downriver on the LA (low) side, and would float along the surface of the water for a bit before pouring on the burner to lift themselves up over the bluffs. (Sorry for the lens flare on a couple of the pics; it was late afternoon so the sun was low in the sky.)

Bruce FLinch · 10-31-2007, 11:17 PM

Very cool. Much more interesting to see them manuever close to the ground. Always wanted to jump out of a Balloon when I was younger. Or the Goodyear Blimp....

Pistolenschutze · 11-01-2007, 12:17 AM

SoMo, is it really true that this year all the balloons were politician powered? I mean, after all, that hot air shouldn't be allowed to go to waste!

Great pics, by the way. Thanks for posting them!

Crpdeth · 11-01-2007, 12:24 AM

Wow...And I thought we were big on balloons around here!

Very nice...I especially like the POW/MIA balloon...Wish I had a close up of it to use as my desktop.

Nice pics Ginga.

Crpdeth

pickenup · 11-01-2007, 01:13 AM

That would sure be a sight to see in person.
Thanks for the pics.

358 winchester · 11-01-2007, 05:17 AM

That would be a fun ,lazy way to spend an afternoon

Thanks for the pictures.

SouthernMoss · 11-01-2007, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crpdeth

...I especially like the POW/MIA balloon...Wish I had a close up of it to use as my desktop.

Here's one I took a couple of years ago. If you like it I can send you a bigger version of it.

Crpdeth · 11-01-2007, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthernMoss

Here's one I took a couple of years ago. If you like it I can send you a bigger version of it.

I love it! Please send the bigger version!

*edit* I set this one as my background and it works just fine and I love it!...No need for a bigger one...

Thank you SoMo.

Crpdeth

glocknut · 11-02-2007, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pistolenschutze

SoMo, is it really true that this year all the balloons were politician powered? I mean, after all, that hot air shouldn't be allowed to go to waste!

Pistol....those ballons are supposed to float gracefully in the air...they're not supposed to go into orbit arround the earth!!!!

mike
gn

firebird · 11-04-2007, 06:50 PM

Thanks so much SoMo! I'd love to see that race! How groovy! I emailed a couple pics to my dad and he really enjoyed them (especially the POW/MIA balloon!)!

SouthernMoss · 11-04-2007, 10:25 PM

Glad y'all enjoyed the pics.

10-31-2007, 10:31 PM	#1
SouthernMoss Admin Tech Staff Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: SW MS Contributor Posts: 10,651	Balloon Race Thought y’all might like to see some pics from this year’s Great Mississippi River Balloon Race. The Saturday morning flight took them right over our neighborhood. Nothing like stepping outside to see dozens of balloons in the sky. A special favorite of ours is the POW balloon in the second pic; a good friend of ours (Vietnam vet) volunteers for the ground crew each year. The third pic is a balloon that flew straight over our house; you can see our roof in the pic. The fourth pic is looking straight up into a balloon that flew directly over our heads. Attached Images __________________ My Second protects your First "I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand." - Susan B Anthony -->

10-31-2007, 10:33 PM	#2
durk Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 2,026	Re: Balloon Race Cool Stuff! __________________ Durk

10-31-2007, 10:33 PM	#3
SouthernMoss Admin Tech Staff Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: SW MS Contributor Posts: 10,651	Re: Balloon Race The Saturday afternoon flight is always a favorite. They put a barge with a target in the middle of the river. The balloons must fly directly over the barge and drop a bean bag onto the target. The bean bag has a ribbon attached so the crowd can watch it as it falls. We were standing on the bluffs on the MS (high) side of the river, so we were actually above the balloons once they dipped down. They were coming from downriver on the LA (low) side, and would float along the surface of the water for a bit before pouring on the burner to lift themselves up over the bluffs. (Sorry for the lens flare on a couple of the pics; it was late afternoon so the sun was low in the sky.) Attached Images __________________ My Second protects your First "I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand." - Susan B Anthony

10-31-2007, 11:17 PM	#4
Bruce FLinch Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bay Point, Kali..aka Gun Point Posts: 5,016	Re: Balloon Race Very cool. Much more interesting to see them manuever close to the ground. Always wanted to jump out of a Balloon when I was younger. Or the Goodyear Blimp.... __________________ A bad day @ the Range, is better than a good day @ work.

11-01-2007, 12:17 AM	#5
Pistolenschutze Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 13,094	Re: Balloon Race SoMo, is it really true that this year all the balloons were politician powered? I mean, after all, that hot air shouldn't be allowed to go to waste! Great pics, by the way. Thanks for posting them! __________________ --Pistolenschutze (Pistol Shooter) Last edited by Pistolenschutze; 11-01-2007 at 12:30 AM..

11-01-2007, 12:24 AM	#6
Crpdeth Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Location: Location Contributor Posts: 8,247	Re: Balloon Race Wow...And I thought we were big on balloons around here! Very nice...I especially like the POW/MIA balloon...Wish I had a close up of it to use as my desktop. Nice pics Ginga. Crpdeth __________________ Our greatest pretenses are built up not to hide the evil and the ugly in us, but our emptiness. The hardest thing to hide is something that is not there. ~Eric Hoffer

11-01-2007, 01:13 AM	#7
pickenup Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 6,841	Re: Balloon Race That would sure be a sight to see in person. Thanks for the pics. __________________ The gene pool needs chlorine

11-01-2007, 05:17 AM	#8
358 winchester TFF Admin Staff Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pensacola Fl. area Posts: 7,335	Re: Balloon Race That would be a fun ,lazy way to spend an afternoon Thanks for the pictures. __________________ Administrator & Owner RangeDay.com Proud, White, Heterosexual, Gun Owning, Southern American, Christian. Any question about where I stand?

11-04-2007, 06:50 PM	#12
firebird Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: In the recesses of my little mind... Posts: 1,233	Re: Balloon Race Thanks so much SoMo! I'd love to see that race! How groovy! I emailed a couple pics to my dad and he really enjoyed them (especially the POW/MIA balloon!)! __________________ ***************************** “Let them call me a rebel, and welcome; I feel no concern from it. For I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul.” ~Thomas Paine "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." ~Aristotle "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." ~Confucius Alis volat propiis ~ She flies with her own wings Rara avis

11-04-2007, 10:25 PM	#13
SouthernMoss Admin Tech Staff Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: SW MS Contributor Posts: 10,651	Re: Balloon Race Glad y'all enjoyed the pics. __________________ My Second protects your First "I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand." - Susan B Anthony