Worlds, Day 2

We woke up at 3:45am to the sounds of a text-message on our phones. The morning briefing had been canceled. This was most likely due to the rain we'd been hearing for the last couple hours. Then at 9:30am we received another message indicating that there would be no evening briefing. Right now it's not raining, so there must be something else out there weather-wise that makes them certain we won't be able to fly.

So we're now looking at yet another day of non-ballooning. Our next briefing is 5:30am tomorrow. Right now the plan is to drive into Graz, a city of 250,000 about an hour from here for some sight-seeing.

Last night 52 Americans, including most/all of those on the event staff, got together at a local restaurant for dinner. It was very much like our 2006 Thanksgiving dinner in Japan. Although there schnitzel and spaghetti were on the menu, the "grand salad" looked very good, so that's what I had (those are large kidney-type beans in the middle). The owner, Fritz, provided shots of Austrian schnapps to all and said a toast. Then he presented Erica with one of his curling trophies as a birthday present.


Right now Shawn, Larry, and I are at the hospitality tent getting online and calling home (although it is only 6:00am there). Lest anyone think things are too glamorous over here, below is a photo. There are crews from several other countries here doing the same thing. It's about 45 degrees outside right now, hence the jackets.