Comments for Hot Air Balloon Rides Sacramento California http://www.skydrifters.com Hot air balloon rides and information on ballooning Sun, 11 May 2008 23:53:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 Comment on Read about our recent flights! by Tim http://www.skydrifters.com/2008/03/11/read-about-our-recent-flights/#comment-3155 Tim Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:53:31 +0000 http://www.skydrifters.com/2008/03/11/read-about-our-recent-flights/#comment-3155 Today was some of the best fun we have had yet this year. The winds were brisk at nearly 13mph. We flew five miles down the Valley and landed near Cronin Ranch. Due to the winds picking up we decided to slow the balloon down by dragging it through some tree tops. Our passengers thought it was a great balloon adventure and seemed to throughly enjoy the experience. We also made a new friend in our landing spot. He was a very friendly landowner and invited us back anytime. Seems things get a little quiet in Coloma and having a hot air balloon land in your yard makes for great conversation. We love what we do. Days like today are why we chose to open this area to ballooning. Great views, exciting landings and friendly people. Today was some of the best fun we have had yet this year. The winds were brisk at nearly 13mph. We flew five miles down the Valley and landed near Cronin Ranch. Due to the winds picking up we decided to slow the balloon down by dragging it through some tree tops. Our passengers thought it was a great balloon adventure and seemed to throughly enjoy the experience.

We also made a new friend in our landing spot. He was a very friendly landowner and invited us back anytime. Seems things get a little quiet in Coloma and having a hot air balloon land in your yard makes for great conversation.

We love what we do. Days like today are why we chose to open this area to ballooning. Great views, exciting landings and friendly people.

]]> Comment on Read about our recent flights! by Tim http://www.skydrifters.com/2008/03/11/read-about-our-recent-flights/#comment-3154 Tim Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:47:45 +0000 http://www.skydrifters.com/2008/03/11/read-about-our-recent-flights/#comment-3154 This is a late entry for Monday the 7th. We had a great morning above the Valley. The winds were gentle and very kind to us and we got a nice view of the Marshal Gold Discovery State Park. Not our longest flight in the American River Valley as we landed close to where we took off. Great folks on board all family. This is a late entry for Monday the 7th. We had a great morning above the Valley. The winds were gentle and very kind to us and we got a nice view of the Marshal Gold Discovery State Park. Not our longest flight in the American River Valley as we landed close to where we took off.

Great folks on board all family.

]]> Comment on Read about our recent flights! by Tim http://www.skydrifters.com/2008/03/11/read-about-our-recent-flights/#comment-2760 Tim Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:34:34 +0000 http://www.skydrifters.com/2008/03/11/read-about-our-recent-flights/#comment-2760 This is a late entry to the flight last Saturday. Great day! We started out with three passengers about fifteen minutes after sunrise. The morning was crisp but quickly warmed to t-shirt weather in the basket. We took the balloon up through the Katabatic layer (this is where the winds run down the Sierra's slopes in the evenings and early mornings) and got to a little over 4,500ft with less than a 2mph wind. The views of the surrounding wilderness and Folsom Lake were stunning. We dropped back down after a while and tracked up the American River Valley to Camp Lotus and landed right on the beach. The campground is open and we created quite a bit of excitement for the campers. Camp Lotus welcomed us back anytime as they thought the landing on the river was quite the tourist attraction. Our passengers throughly enjoyed the hour and a half long flight. There are many different places to fly hot air balloons in Northern California. Napa Valley, Sonora, Temecula but there are few places that can compare to the joy of flying here in Gold Country. We feel quite fortunate being the only balloon company offering hot air balloon rides in this part of California. This is a late entry to the flight last Saturday.
Great day! We started out with three passengers about fifteen minutes after sunrise. The morning was crisp but quickly warmed to t-shirt weather in the basket.

We took the balloon up through the Katabatic layer (this is where the winds run down the Sierra’s slopes in the evenings and early mornings) and got to a little over 4,500ft with less than a 2mph wind. The views of the surrounding wilderness and Folsom Lake were stunning.

We dropped back down after a while and tracked up the American River Valley to Camp Lotus and landed right on the beach. The campground is open and we created quite a bit of excitement for the campers.

Camp Lotus welcomed us back anytime as they thought the landing on the river was quite the tourist attraction. Our passengers throughly enjoyed the hour and a half long flight.

There are many different places to fly hot air balloons in Northern California. Napa Valley, Sonora, Temecula but there are few places that can compare to the joy of flying here in Gold Country.

We feel quite fortunate being the only balloon company offering hot air balloon rides in this part of California.

]]> Comment on The First Flight of the New Website! 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 http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#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!

]]> Comment on The First Flight of the New Website! 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 http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#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

]]> Comment on Latest News in Ballooning by David Williams http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/08/14/latest-news-in-ballooning/#comment-10 David Williams Sun, 19 Aug 2007 15:11:37 +0000 http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/08/14/latest-news-in-ballooning/#comment-10 I took my first flight sat. 8/18 "UNBELIVEABLE" I'm scared of heights but I push just to test. If youre scared of heights you must try this there is no way to explain how peaceful it is,not like looking over a tall ledge or off a building I took my first flight sat. 8/18 “UNBELIVEABLE”
I’m scared of heights but I push just to test.
If youre scared of heights you must try this
there is no way to explain how peaceful it is,not
like looking over a tall ledge or off a building

]]> Comment on Latest News in Ballooning by Tim Nelson http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/08/14/latest-news-in-ballooning/#comment-9 Tim Nelson Wed, 15 Aug 2007 03:06:04 +0000 http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/08/14/latest-news-in-ballooning/#comment-9 British Balloonist Sets New Atlantic Crossing Record!! A British explorer has become the first person to cross the Atlantic in an open wicker basket hot air balloon. David Hempleman-Adams, 46, from Wiltshire, was hit by two sonic booms as he set the record by crossing the south-west tip of Ireland at 0830 BST on Monday. The booms from a Concorde flying 30,000 feet higher, caused the balloon to drop several thousand feet. The polar explorer has been in the air for three days since setting off on Friday from New Brunswick in Canada. Having survived heavy rain, extreme cold and sleep deprivation, he is now looking for somewhere to land. Richard Mitchell, flight controller, told BBC News Online: "It is all about finding a safe spot. He need to get him higher and he may go onto Scandinavia Richard Mitchell Flight controller Hempleman-Adams the explorer "With the weather conditions as they are, this is unlikely to be in Ireland. "He has snow and ice at 13,000 feet and we are communicating via Shannon air traffic control as the satellite phone is down. "He needs to get higher and he may go onto Scandinavia. That decision has not been taken yet," he added. It was the explorer's third attempt at the record. In July this year, the Box-based adventurer was forced to abandon his second bid to cross the ocean due to problems with the weather. His first attempt at a crossing was in September 2002. British Balloonist Sets New Atlantic Crossing Record!!

A British explorer has become the first person to cross the Atlantic in an open wicker basket hot air balloon.

David Hempleman-Adams, 46, from Wiltshire, was hit by two sonic booms as he set the record by crossing the south-west tip of Ireland at 0830 BST on Monday.

The booms from a Concorde flying 30,000 feet higher, caused the balloon to drop several thousand feet.

The polar explorer has been in the air for three days since setting off on Friday from New Brunswick in Canada.

Having survived heavy rain, extreme cold and sleep deprivation, he is now looking for somewhere to land.

Richard Mitchell, flight controller, told BBC News Online: “It is all about finding a safe spot.

He need to get him higher and he may go onto Scandinavia
Richard Mitchell
Flight controller

Hempleman-Adams the explorer

“With the weather conditions as they are, this is unlikely to be in Ireland.

“He has snow and ice at 13,000 feet and we are communicating via Shannon air traffic control as the satellite phone is down.

“He needs to get higher and he may go onto Scandinavia. That decision has not been taken yet,” he added.

It was the explorer’s third attempt at the record. In July this year, the Box-based adventurer was forced to abandon his second bid to cross the ocean due to problems with the weather.

His first attempt at a crossing was in September 2002.

]]> Comment on Latest News in Ballooning by Tim http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/08/14/latest-news-in-ballooning/#comment-8 Tim Wed, 15 Aug 2007 02:24:44 +0000 http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/08/14/latest-news-in-ballooning/#comment-8 Welcome! We scour the net daily for the latest in ballooning news. We welcome any submissions that anyone can find. Click on the RSS feed and you can automatically have the latest updates right on your web browser! Welcome! We scour the net daily for the latest in ballooning news. We welcome any submissions that anyone can find. Click on the RSS feed and you can automatically have the latest updates right on your web browser!

]]> Comment on The First Flight of the New Website! by Tim Nelson http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#comment-7 Tim Nelson Mon, 13 Aug 2007 04:27:00 +0000 http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#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.

]]> Comment on The First Flight of the New Website! by Tim Nelson http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#comment-6 Tim Nelson Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:57:04 +0000 http://www.skydrifters.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#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!

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