Everyone has a bucket list, right? If you are unfamiliar with that term, a bucket list is a list (usually hand written) of things you want to do before you die.
What is on your bucket list? Sure, mine has things on it that are wild and crazy, but I noticed today when I was updating my list that I have something very simple on there, something I could do anytime: Take a ride in a hot air balloon.
I’ve always thought it was so magical that a hot air balloon can stay up in the air. The laws of physics can seem complex but are many times so wonderfully simple. The balloon stays up because hot air rises and cold air sinks. Yep, that’s it!
The burner makes the big flame which heats the inside of the balloon (called the envelope). When the air inside that balloon is hot, the balloon goes up. If the air inside the balloon stays heated, the balloon stays up. When it’s time to come down, the pilot simply cools the air, which makes the balloon heavier than the air and it comes down.
The person flying the balloon steers it by moving the balloon up and down ever so slightly to find the right layer of air for the specific direction. Of course, the wind cooperating is a huge component of the success of your balloon ride!
I’m excited about my first hot air balloon ride. I can’t imagine anything feeling freer than gliding in a big colorful balloon over the sky and feeling the wind. Yep, I’m very stoked about this!
