Comments on: The First Flight of the New Website! http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/ Hot air balloon rides and information on ballooning Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:17:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: The Johnson Family http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#comment-12 The Johnson Family Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:44:45 +0000 #comment-12 We had a great weekend of flying. Both balloons were booked, the weather was great and our passengers were a lot of fun. One of the flights was a birthday surprise and the other a sort of "aerial family reunion" The entire family showed up to fly with their grandmother! We had a great weekend of flying. Both balloons were booked, the weather was great and our passengers were a lot of fun. One of the flights was a birthday surprise and the other a sort of “aerial family reunion” The entire family showed up to fly with their grandmother!

]]> By: The Johnson Family http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#comment-11 The Johnson Family Tue, 21 Aug 2007 03:38:56 +0000 #comment-11 Dear Skydrifters: My husband, son & I recently rode up in one of your balloons on Saturday August 18th. We had an awesome experience! I was shocked at how well our twelve year old handled it. Our Pilot was fantastic and professional, we felt very safe the whole time. We must have taken over a hundred photos, and thought maybe we could share them. There were other people who also went up that morning in another balloon, and we thought that if they booked on-line that you could send these pictures of them. Thank you so much for an enjoyable experience. We took extra flyers for Skydrifters from the Coloma Inn that we stayed at, and have given them to family and friends! The Johnson Family Dear Skydrifters:

My husband, son & I recently rode up in one of your balloons on Saturday August 18th. We had an awesome experience! I was shocked at how well our twelve year old handled it. Our Pilot was fantastic and professional, we felt very safe the whole time. We must have taken over a hundred photos, and thought maybe we could share them. There were other people who also went up that morning in another balloon, and we thought that if they booked on-line that you could send these pictures of them.

Thank you so much for an enjoyable experience. We took extra flyers for Skydrifters from the Coloma Inn that we stayed at, and have given them to family and friends!

The Johnson Family

]]> By: Tim Nelson http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#comment-7 Tim Nelson Mon, 13 Aug 2007 04:27:00 +0000 #comment-7 The B.A.S.E. jumping day went well. We took a total of 30 jumpers. Many had never done a jump form any object other than an airplane before. The thrill of jumping from the balloon is the same type of feeling you get when jumping from a bridge, cliff or building. It is not at all like the feeling one gets skydiving. In a plane based jump you do not feel actually falling. Sounds odd, however the plane is usually going 90mph and stable free fall after getting out is only 120mph. The 30mph acceleration is not noticeable. We sure had a great group! We also had another great flight in the American River Valley on Sunday. Traveled the entire length of the valley and then turned around and flew back to our takeoff point. We are amazed at the number of days we can tour he valley and land close to where (if not exactly where) we took off from. The B.A.S.E. jumping day went well. We took a total of 30 jumpers. Many had never done a jump form any object other than an airplane before. The thrill of jumping from the balloon is the same type of feeling you get when jumping from a bridge, cliff or building. It is not at all like the feeling one gets skydiving. In a plane based jump you do not feel actually falling. Sounds odd, however the plane is usually going 90mph and stable free fall after getting out is only 120mph. The 30mph acceleration is not noticeable.

We sure had a great group!

We also had another great flight in the American River Valley on Sunday. Traveled the entire length of the valley and then turned around and flew back to our takeoff point.

We are amazed at the number of days we can tour he valley and land close to where (if not exactly where) we took off from.

]]> By: Tim Nelson http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#comment-6 Tim Nelson Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:57:04 +0000 #comment-6 We will be out of Town all of Saturday. We are off to take over 20 Skydivers up for their first Hot Air Balloon Drop. We will climb out to 4,000 feet and drop the first two. Then two about 60 seconds after that. Then we will drop down as fast as our balloons will go (about 600fpm) with only the pilot on board. Should be a lot of fun! We will be out of Town all of Saturday. We are off to take over 20 Skydivers up for their first Hot Air Balloon Drop. We will climb out to 4,000 feet and drop the first two. Then two about 60 seconds after that. Then we will drop down as fast as our balloons will go (about 600fpm) with only the pilot on board.

Should be a lot of fun!

]]> By: Tim Nelson http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#comment-5 Tim Nelson Tue, 07 Aug 2007 17:17:55 +0000 #comment-5 Another great flying day! Gentle easterly breezes took us a few miles down the Valley today. Did not set any distance records but our passengers had a great time anyway! It was cool this morning and the passengers seemed to enjoy the warmth of the burner. Two balloons flew today with three passengers each. One landed by hwy 49 the other at a whitewater camp. It was nice of the local boys in the fire engine to stop traffic for us as we were putting it down in the turnout. We were not a traffic obstruction so I think they just liked playing with the lights and feeling "involved". Another great flying day! Gentle easterly breezes took us a few miles down the Valley today. Did not set any distance records but our passengers had a great time anyway! It was cool this morning and the passengers seemed to enjoy the warmth of the burner.

Two balloons flew today with three passengers each. One landed by hwy 49 the other at a whitewater camp.
It was nice of the local boys in the fire engine to stop traffic for us as we were putting it down in the turnout. We were not a traffic obstruction so I think they just liked playing with the lights and feeling “involved”.

]]> By: Tim Nelson http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#comment-4 Tim Nelson Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:18:40 +0000 #comment-4 Today was the first time we have had to cancel a flight due to weather this season. The trough off the coast moved in a bit, resulting in low clouds and system driven winds. These clouds prevented legal or safe visibility should we have needed to fly out of the Valley. We hope to see this system moves out tomorrow..... Cheers! Today was the first time we have had to cancel a flight due to weather this season. The trough off the coast moved in a bit, resulting in low clouds and system driven winds. These clouds prevented legal or safe visibility should we have needed to fly out of the Valley.

We hope to see this system moves out tomorrow…..

Cheers!

]]> By: Tim Nelson http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#comment-3 Tim Nelson Sun, 05 Aug 2007 18:14:00 +0000 #comment-3 Todays Flight was a first! Ended up flying from Coloma in a solid North wind. We ended up North of Forest Falls. Spectacular views of three different forks of the American River, The Forest Falls Bridge, Confluence, Greenwood, the 193, the I-80 and Meadow Vista offramp and last but not least, a fast but safe landing at the Winchester Country Club! We seldom get flights covering this amount of distance in the Coloma Valley. Then again, we left the Valley! Life is good (: Todays Flight was a first! Ended up flying from Coloma in a solid North wind. We ended up North of Forest Falls. Spectacular views of three different forks of the American River, The Forest Falls Bridge, Confluence, Greenwood, the 193, the I-80 and Meadow Vista offramp and last but not least, a fast but safe landing at the Winchester Country Club!

We seldom get flights covering this amount of distance in the Coloma Valley. Then again, we left the Valley!

Life is good (:

]]> By: Michael Orsborn http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#comment-2 Michael Orsborn Mon, 30 Jul 2007 09:29:58 +0000 #comment-2 <p>Tim - Cristina - Dave and all that made todays flight so memorable, Thank You!</p> <p>The flight was a present for a friend of mine. Neither one of us has ever been up in a hot air balloon before.</p> <p>The flight was so much fun and was only made better by our pilots professionalism and personality.</p> <p>To top off our flight Tim did a little splash and dash in the river for us. Outrageous!</p> <p>Thanks again to all at Sky Drifters. I look forward to flying with you again.</p> <p>peace,<br /> Michael</p> Tim - Cristina - Dave and all that made todays flight so memorable, Thank You!

The flight was a present for a friend of mine. Neither one of us has ever been up in a hot air balloon before.

The flight was so much fun and was only made better by our pilots professionalism and personality.

To top off our flight Tim did a little splash and dash in the river for us. Outrageous!

Thanks again to all at Sky Drifters. I look forward to flying with you again.

peace,
Michael

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