NWR: Hot air balloon ride

FutureMrsWright2012

My silly FI was insistent last year when we were planning our wedding that it not be too close to his birthday (it's 4/19, our wedding is 4/29), so I wanted to make his birthday extra special this year (and completely non-wedding related)... He's always wanted to take a hot air balloon ride, and I booked it today! It's supposed to be a surprise... and as long as I don't tell his best friend, I should be safe ("surprise" trip to Vegas for his birthday 2 years ago didn't work out as planned . 

Have any of you ladies taken a hot air balloon ride before? We're using Rainbow Ryders who have pretty good reviews.

Syndelin

I haven't been on one yet, but I really want to go on one!

Let me know how that company is. 

meg65

My FI got me a hot air balloon ride for my birthday last year and we just went recently. It was actually sort of terrifying! I'm not afraid of heights or anything, but...it's like, you're on solid footing, but waaay up in the air. They can't really control where the balloon goes, and sometimes it gets going really fast. And landing was a little rough. 

But! After I relaxed a little and let go of my death grip on the railing, it was pretty enjoyable. It was really pretty up there, you can just see for miles and miles. It's probably not something I would do again, but I'm glad we did it.

Are you doing a sunset or sunrise?

FutureMrsWright2012

We're doing sunrise on April 14th. Hoping for beautiful weather! Meg, what company did you guys use?

meg65

We did sunrise too, which is why we did it in winter, when the sun rises at 730 instead of 430 in summer. But still, so early!! I think the company was sportations? They fed us breakfast afterward and we had a champagne toast

ElizabethVT

I have ALWAYS wanted to ride a hot air balloon.  I thought about getting one for my fiance for his birthday (which was last week) but they are just so expensive.

jemmini6

I had my first hot air balloon ride when I was 5 months old, lol, and have been more times than I can count since then, but never in a commercial balloon (my parents have been crewing for a few pilots since '78).

I can't give any reviews on that particular company, but you'll love the ride.  It's very calm and peaceful (once you get used to the noise of the burner), you just lift right off the ground and float.  It's really amazing to have that kind of open-air perspective of the valley & desert. 

PP must have had slightly windy conditions for landing, because normally, the touch down is just as easy as lift off (especially when you have an awesome crew), but even then, a 'rough' landing would usually just consist of the basket dragging a little ways or doing a few hops, which is actually kind of fun sometimes (depending on your comfort level in the balloon I suppose, I was raised around it, so maybe I have a different perspective).

Regardless, you'll have a good time.  It's a fun experience.

meg65

Elizabeth, I don't know if you get Groupon emails but they come up now and again and are pretty reasonably priced. That's how we got our deal. Keep an eye out!

feliswilderi

I've always wanted to do that too! Be should love that as a present. What a great way to make his birthday special!