How I did it: We jumped in the balloon at the last possible second for the first ever (and maybe last) Great Salt Lake Balloon Festival on Antelope Island.  It had been stormy all day and they didn't think the balloons were going to fly.  Right before sunset there was a brief break in the weather and a few of the daring ballooners went up.  It was the reddest sunset I have ever seen - the light over the water was amazing.  The storm and the cross winds kicked back up on our descent and we did the last 50 yards to the ground nearly horizontal - it was a good dragging crash landing.  Nobody seriously injured and all the better for a really unique story.

Lessons & tips: Don't crash - crosswinds are crazy (avoid them).  If you do crash, bend your knees.  :)

Resources: This happen for me purely by accident.  I knew somebody who knew somebody who had a balloon and we showed up to take pictures just in time to see them take off with two people's worth of space in the basket - we jumped in and off we went.  Hooray for serendipity!

Sep 12, 2008, 04:20PM PDT | 3 comments | 2 cheers