Sept 1st-4th Colorado Springs -Falcon-Cascade

The new Generator decided it wasn’t quite finished testing my patience, so I spent a couple of days trying to get those issues ironed out. Unfortunately, it’s still not looking particularly good. But I have officially decided that problem is going into the mental filing cabinet labeled “Deal With It on September 14th.” Until then, I refuse to think about it. Because Friday morning had much bigger plans for me. And those plans started at 4:45 AM. 😳 I had to be at Memorial Park by 6:00 AM to check in for my hot-air balloon ride, and despite the early hour, I was TOTALLY EXCITED. This was a bucket-list item, and today I was finally going to check it off! There were people everywhere checking in, and it looked like we were going to have somewhere around 20–25 balloons taking flight. Our balloon had 12 people aboard, making ours the largest balloon that went up that morning. Our pilot, Jesse, gave us the rundown on how they prepare the balloons, the equipment, and themselves for the flight. Once everything was ready, we climbed aboard and started our ascent. And then…WOW! It was absolutely mesmerizing. We floated into a breathtaking Colorado sunrise, high above the Rocky Mountains. The views were spectacular, and the whole experience was surprisingly peaceful. I counted about 20 other balloons floating around us, but there was one interesting detail—they were all below us. Apparently, our balloon had been selected to go higher so Jesse could test the air currents. Before long, we were up around 9,500 feet, giving us incredible views of the top of Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods. Not a bad way to start a Friday. We quietly floated through the morning sky, taking in panoramic views of the rolling foothills, rugged mountain peaks, and the incredible Colorado landscape below us. It was peaceful, serene, and almost dreamlike. Then came the occasional ROAR of the burners, which was nature’s way of saying, “Hey! Just a reminder that you’re currently suspended in a basket thousands of feet above the ground!” 😂 After about 45 minutes to an hour, it was time to head back down and prepare for landing. Thankfully, our landing was soft and uneventful. The Dos Equis balloon, however, apparently decided they wanted to add a little excitement to the morning. I watched them clip a tree on the way down! Now, before anyone gets concerned, Jesse assured us that this is actually one of the ways they can slow the balloon during the landing. Once we were safely back on solid ground, we celebrated the flight with the traditional champagne toast. Jesse decided that wasn’t quite festive enough and added an Irish toast to the celebration. Sláinte! 🥂 This is absolutely one of those adventures that will stay with me for a very long time. There was something incredibly special about watching the sunrise from 9,500 feet, floating peacefully above the mountains while surrounded by two dozen colorful balloons. It was beautiful. It was exhilarating. It was peaceful. By around 11:00 AM, my balloon adventure was officially complete, so I headed off to pick up my RV and start making my way west toward Cascade, Colorado. I’ll be spending the next two nights at Lone Duck Campground, which sounds like exactly the kind of place where I can kick back, relax, and pretend my Generator doesn’t exist. And tomorrow? The Wines of Colorado. 🍷 Because obviously, after waking up at 4:45 AM, floating around at 9,500 feet, and dealing with mechanical drama…I’ve earned a glass of wine. Bucket-list item: CHECK. ✅ Colorado adventure: STILL GOING. 🏔️ Generator: WE ARE NOT DISCUSSING THAT TODAY. 😂