The hot-air balloons were lined up just downwind of me. It would have been kind of fun to bounce off the side of someone's balloon, but professionalism prevailed, and I poured out some of my water ballast so that I would pop up fast enough to get over them.

I told crew to release me, and up I went.

Photo: Mancos Times

Photo: Marjorie Walters

Photo: Marjorie Walters

I got a nice, close-up view of the top of a couple of hot-air balloons, and then I was leading the parade north out of Mancos.

Photo: Mancos Times

Up higher, the wind seemed to be headed toward a heavily wooded area further to the east, so we all stayed fairly low, following a highway that headed north out of town.

Photo: Patricia Burk

 

Photo: Patricia Burk

It was a beautiful morning for flying with balloons.

Continued....