tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58869484397424363162024-03-24T08:09:50.298+01:002008 World Hot Air Balloon Championships (Hofkirchen, Austria) by Jeff Pestun<b>Hofkirchen, Austria - September 13-20, 2008</b> <br>
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A personal account of the 2008 World Hot Air Balloon Championships.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-12232124891877551922009-01-28T23:13:00.002+01:002009-01-28T23:18:41.536+01:00Another video<div>Here's a video from <a href="http://airsports.tv/">airsports.tv</a> of the Worlds:</div><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/6933766001?isVid=1&publisherID=1316798851" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=5281326001&playerID=6933766001&domain=embed&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-46590110835206537542008-12-19T14:19:00.002+01:002008-12-22T22:08:55.485+01:00More videosAdditional videos can now be found on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffpestun">my YouTube page</a>:<br /><ul><li>Paul Petrehn inflation: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3urWeHJIZPk&fmt=22">HD video</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3urWeHJIZPk">standard video</a><br /></li><li>Shawn Raya landing: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEhrCxsQAZM&fmt=22">HD video</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEhrCxsQAZM">standard video</a><br /></li><li>Al Nels practice drop: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Ni3BRRqmY&fmt=22">HD video</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Ni3BRRqmY">standard video</a><br /></li><li>Paul Petrehn practice drop: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9amd2usGcs&fmt=22">HD video</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9amd2usGcs">standard video</a><br /></li><li>Small plane landing next to group photo: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RRVGsX-_Po&fmt=22">HD video</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RRVGsX-_Po">standard video</a><br /></li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-32596764534287844372008-09-29T01:35:00.007+02:002008-12-22T21:58:27.376+01:00Erica's Birthday SerenadeDue to the lack of a quality Internet connection in Austria, I couldn't post this video while I was there. But now you too can see Erica Hahn getting serenaded by The John Otti Band at the opening ceremony party on the eve of her 30th birthday:<div><br /><object width="560" height="345"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0y9o_a9hSRQ&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&ap=%2526fmt%3D22"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0y9o_a9hSRQ&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&ap=%2526fmt%3D22" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="345"></embed></object><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">If the high-definition video above is choppy or loads too slowly, a standard-definition version can be found </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y9o_a9hSRQ"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">. And an even larger HD version is </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y9o_a9hSRQ&fmt=22"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-10919442685546795452008-09-26T11:38:00.000+02:002008-09-26T17:38:38.491+02:00Who Was Following this Website?Over the course of the last 3 weeks, visitors to this website came from 44 different US states. The only exceptions were Wyoming, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Hawaii.<br /><br />In addition, the site was viewed by people from 65 countries:<br /><table cellspacing="20"><tbody><tr><td><span style="font-size:85%;">United States, United Kingdom, Austria, France, Latvia, Japan, India, Spain, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Turkey, Canada, Brazil, Sweden, Singapore, China, Argentina, Philippines, Switzerland, Hungary, Australia, Netherlands, Taiwan, Norway, Poland, Hong Kong, Finland, Egypt, Peru, Slovenia, Thailand, Belgium, Portugal, Greece, Russia, Chile, Mexico, Indonesia, Colombia, Ukraine, South Africa, New Zealand, Slovakia, Romania, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Venezuela, Ireland, Syria, Ivory Coast, Nepal, Niger, Serbia, Pakistan, Estonia, Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, Guam, Denmark, Tunisia, Bulgaria, Montenegro<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Wow...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-12786423812075627372008-09-24T01:45:00.001+02:002008-09-24T13:14:28.137+02:00HomeAfter a 2½ hour delay due to a first officer that was over-extended, I finally arrived in Grand Rapids at 1:00am this morning. A small airport is a pretty lonely place at that hour.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjb4AkRazip922buuXLITyX7boJjmZZepuHBxWHt-EjdDc0CnmkSwGADrLdhCLQPueycLVn-A4L9QZ9izsqaaX_tMFWThq_wqllDwbQqFpBv7Mta8WVE75Td9KGjq2Clmcz8uBo8vRGfI/s1600-h/100_1827.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjb4AkRazip922buuXLITyX7boJjmZZepuHBxWHt-EjdDc0CnmkSwGADrLdhCLQPueycLVn-A4L9QZ9izsqaaX_tMFWThq_wqllDwbQqFpBv7Mta8WVE75Td9KGjq2Clmcz8uBo8vRGfI/s200/100_1827.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249544330077613330" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-90321085295341177242008-09-23T19:00:00.000+02:002008-09-24T12:59:33.819+02:00My First Meal in the USFrom <span style="font-style: italic;">On The Border</span> in Atlanta airport: Chicken enchiladas with green sauce, refried beans, rice, tortilla chips, and salsa:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZObIkuzRQAFIqzbE3yIDLgujRnEu1ImJgCvNLRDOjbvQpwn5GzjO0u15JqHgS0TFZh9-umBDsL18SVs3vLbqXoR_YhXJP_35VPHbbRYMvXbkLxIgdT7CruP-ec2wdBJGgiLD3acp_D4/s1600-h/100_1826.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZObIkuzRQAFIqzbE3yIDLgujRnEu1ImJgCvNLRDOjbvQpwn5GzjO0u15JqHgS0TFZh9-umBDsL18SVs3vLbqXoR_YhXJP_35VPHbbRYMvXbkLxIgdT7CruP-ec2wdBJGgiLD3acp_D4/s200/100_1826.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249540586984802242" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-84307970012632339852008-09-23T18:40:00.001+02:002008-09-24T12:54:29.068+02:00Back in the USAAfter a 10 hour flight, I'm now in Atlanta. Even though the plane was only about half full, I still say that the 767 is not a comfortable long-flight plane, at least not in coach. The seat next to me was empty so I could stretch my legs that direction. However, the seat backs in front of you are so close that watching a movie on a laptop is impossible even if the person in front of you doesn't recline. The plane doesn't have seat-back entertainment systems, so they showed 3 movies on the "big screens"; I watched all of one (<span style="font-style: italic;">Kung Fu Panda</span>), part of another (<span style="font-style: italic;">Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day</span>), and none of a third (<span style="font-style: italic;">Then She Found Me</span>). I dozed off a few times, maybe an hour total for the flight. Interesting note: There were two US Air Marshalls on board (as evidenced by the 2 plain-clothed guys going through immigration in the "Crew" line).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yf7-spjaPNfFnZkLYPJBC8YVHZbGXHpt1Q5C7xAOQl-caR9_ZCCCiMlL4i6lUBRagGwtF2x-kqRmVH8zyIUpLmAaBNj1Zj-Ccr3i937mx-rFksV9YFa9w1n9azv7k6otnpDwcSfyBaM/s1600-h/100_1820.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yf7-spjaPNfFnZkLYPJBC8YVHZbGXHpt1Q5C7xAOQl-caR9_ZCCCiMlL4i6lUBRagGwtF2x-kqRmVH8zyIUpLmAaBNj1Zj-Ccr3i937mx-rFksV9YFa9w1n9azv7k6otnpDwcSfyBaM/s200/100_1820.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249538920689054050" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCppOWiuxu6II6kOGkvaRRTmcndN1Z0s6FJ1qlnyvY5yK3od2lxar73MXo6VGYv8bPIPr0YkMWkbT3bUwP8q-_tE9juVuedhvzp1Ybpup2Ff9yZCr2eXfazgv2PEse4z7tYUeZoS29TH4/s1600-h/100_1821.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCppOWiuxu6II6kOGkvaRRTmcndN1Z0s6FJ1qlnyvY5yK3od2lxar73MXo6VGYv8bPIPr0YkMWkbT3bUwP8q-_tE9juVuedhvzp1Ybpup2Ff9yZCr2eXfazgv2PEse4z7tYUeZoS29TH4/s200/100_1821.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249538924627338914" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxRVFU-eBVEEHbJa4dNU7udzvd6FjYk60Swro1noal74gkzBFDhZdX6PXE7BppDIvcnt7SuZi7FxbcDujaoJ_kSzOfZx2_t7aY6_yabzu8ZPm4oZm0uN3TIR7QCQOqY17UFT5WqOAwuQ/s1600-h/100_1822.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxRVFU-eBVEEHbJa4dNU7udzvd6FjYk60Swro1noal74gkzBFDhZdX6PXE7BppDIvcnt7SuZi7FxbcDujaoJ_kSzOfZx2_t7aY6_yabzu8ZPm4oZm0uN3TIR7QCQOqY17UFT5WqOAwuQ/s200/100_1822.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249538930694700306" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Passport control and customs was pretty easy - nothing like Europe, but not bad for the US. It's still amazing how rude the security (TSA) people are to foreign nationals. If someone doesn't speak English, it doesn't seem like getting closer and yelling louder is going to make things better.<br /><br />Unfortunately my connecting flight to Grand Rapids is already delayed. Instead of departing at 8:45pm, it's now scheduled for 9:38pm, which is supposed to get me home at 11:30pm. Hopefully it doesn't get any worse - or get canceled all together. Right now it's 6:40pm here but it feels like 12:40am to me. I'm already wiped out.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-34682896827113488722008-09-23T10:25:00.000+02:002008-09-23T10:25:41.474+02:00Final Moments in AustriaEveryone woke up this morning pretty eager to get on with the day's activities. We walked across the street to the terminal and got Erica, Paul, Bonnie, Bruce, and Shawn checked into their Northwest flight, which had an on-time departure at 9:45am. I'm flying alone on Delta and have about 2 more hours before my Atlanta flight leaves. It's another 767, which is not the best trans-oceanic aircraft. However right now the online seat map is only about 40% full with no one assigned next to me, so maybe it won't be so bad. The flight is 11 hours total.<br /><br />Once in Atlanta I've got about 4 hours before my flight to Grand Rapids leaves. I'll have to clear immigration and customs during that layover, which I hear can be a multi-hour ordeal there. If everything is on time my plane should land in Michigan at 10:55pm (a 2 hour flight) and I should be home before midnight (which will feel like 6:00am to me).<br /><br />Vienna airport is pretty nice, and is a great place to people-watch. Like everywhere else there's a lot of smoking here, but I think I've gotten more used to it. Maybe I'll need to chew Nicorette for a few days when I get back to wean myself off the secondhand smoke. The passport procedures for departure are non-existent - you hand it to them and they stamp it. No questions, 20 seconds max. Here they screen your carry-on luggage (a laptop case and backpack in my case) at your individual gate instead of all together.<br /><br />There's very little seating near the gates here, so right now I'm in a big room (smoke-filled, of course) tucked back into a corner. My plane starts boarding in 15 minutes, so I guess it's time to go stand over there. I land in Atlanta at 4:55pm (Michigan time), so if I have time there might be one additional update today from there. Then I'll have a wrap-up post or two tomorrow before putting this blog to bed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-16793363876419587242008-09-22T20:29:00.011+02:002008-09-23T10:02:16.475+02:00The Last Loose EndsThis morning we got up early and drove to Vienna. Our first stop was air cargo, where we dropped off the balloons for shipment home. Our basket weighed in at about 750 pounds and contained three 15-gallon tanks (Paul borrowed another from someone here), a ZL-60 envelope, a Sirocco double burners, radios, a set of BFA loggers, trophies, coats, shoes, and other miscellaneous items.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhEHm2JSwZRafkPEMQKybtcWgf98rWUFLQfq1Hj4zDtt9uoT2sVSai75j2eyiaP4yNkvKGu6twQKMya5V-M2AQsqkRZ41HIBq9WDq4H50zVyWvxSR14G_Nys-GumnNZ3_yXqi5kebJq8/s1600-h/100_1541.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhEHm2JSwZRafkPEMQKybtcWgf98rWUFLQfq1Hj4zDtt9uoT2sVSai75j2eyiaP4yNkvKGu6twQKMya5V-M2AQsqkRZ41HIBq9WDq4H50zVyWvxSR14G_Nys-GumnNZ3_yXqi5kebJq8/s200/100_1541.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249123842130897346" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" 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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55KBdykq2IaYcKygeY-O_kY797ZeMs1FQS4k4qm3zCqNwq1TfoyEVOM5cEgp9j6RpkGFiG9894MugFWct1TJUOhEOJ9MDWfGjd8Swx_FBYW-r1OWRh5-9_EpcliCAY-LB8413soc9kDo/s200/100_1767.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248916337827324434" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Once we turned the van in and checked into our hotel (at the airport), we caught the train into Vienna city center for some sightseeing:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgog2NQCfzD9rL0TnRFhxvpXLLdIjMdl7927BPJeP6B7eftBcwGeLVxohiAYv7tVkU6ylsvI6Z3vaz6-gyiTNOM0aURQ0YuSflOc41FmC7xzWjYa0r09eOa8yGMIor_TVtdvlrSkSUy8L8/s1600-h/100_1768.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgog2NQCfzD9rL0TnRFhxvpXLLdIjMdl7927BPJeP6B7eftBcwGeLVxohiAYv7tVkU6ylsvI6Z3vaz6-gyiTNOM0aURQ0YuSflOc41FmC7xzWjYa0r09eOa8yGMIor_TVtdvlrSkSUy8L8/s200/100_1768.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248918347583253026" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrRr7skuItdl3BuqbHn7waJ607D9vRwjEpH0clVtgKBEwruKTa0Se5xtpPYlbo5E__Bv2730XfzF1TCGSvbDJgBnxjQN3O1BnR0peRYvkyJz-J86GV9ftjcoOtXPfhPsDnU1_vjxuPms/s1600-h/100_1770.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrRr7skuItdl3BuqbHn7waJ607D9vRwjEpH0clVtgKBEwruKTa0Se5xtpPYlbo5E__Bv2730XfzF1TCGSvbDJgBnxjQN3O1BnR0peRYvkyJz-J86GV9ftjcoOtXPfhPsDnU1_vjxuPms/s200/100_1770.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248918356010916162" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YYHOriIg70sXZDnfMHHDCjI2QLdn5hzHGgPZF8GarLb3ZeimCw3TNxD2u5rbQ_w-xhGAXQjA5FGRvQ_-QN9iXEE8rZBKJfE3WV_HZR1U0mzSqnz0cZJO0tTvNh1aC7EFm1yChj25ArM/s1600-h/100_1772.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5YYHOriIg70sXZDnfMHHDCjI2QLdn5hzHGgPZF8GarLb3ZeimCw3TNxD2u5rbQ_w-xhGAXQjA5FGRvQ_-QN9iXEE8rZBKJfE3WV_HZR1U0mzSqnz0cZJO0tTvNh1aC7EFm1yChj25ArM/s200/100_1772.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248918363756165442" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOCcIS5sUiDSCsfTXWLZNiOHh7fnoj0CVYgEeg6HLEtamuAjf8tCIGiNe9onoko0J0okP4z7u3FLQIhhk8i2AHf0C50ikDl_DJoYwOb1ZHjmcEdVupqWes7PJ9o5EEoXvLcgyxXO7k08/s1600-h/100_1788.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOCcIS5sUiDSCsfTXWLZNiOHh7fnoj0CVYgEeg6HLEtamuAjf8tCIGiNe9onoko0J0okP4z7u3FLQIhhk8i2AHf0C50ikDl_DJoYwOb1ZHjmcEdVupqWes7PJ9o5EEoXvLcgyxXO7k08/s200/100_1788.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248918372701393666" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVeWnoKmcGjUuWuxo0XpKK5VVCN7RbHetewKLJ4-SKAARfSjCd6FYTaf5_xNvpRV0euUWSlZvWpF7TiFWhX35DZClmYM05j4txL3ZksQXZkv7SC4F8eOrIX3xk7L9aiJGXUFKfZ2-Wco/s1600-h/100_1791.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVeWnoKmcGjUuWuxo0XpKK5VVCN7RbHetewKLJ4-SKAARfSjCd6FYTaf5_xNvpRV0euUWSlZvWpF7TiFWhX35DZClmYM05j4txL3ZksQXZkv7SC4F8eOrIX3xk7L9aiJGXUFKfZ2-Wco/s200/100_1791.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248919038538742802" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkCQ9U7mp_omenNWboS80I91HpYTJMDxmIF55FH47757El1XxZmXyjCkjaHo4vKHLJtetMWngz3bpGQVhcUL9BWaBbsJ5GEPGr-25n2yEAphKoRikqXx75ttg3y4veraXWwRyVCuh3vk/s1600-h/100_1814.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkCQ9U7mp_omenNWboS80I91HpYTJMDxmIF55FH47757El1XxZmXyjCkjaHo4vKHLJtetMWngz3bpGQVhcUL9BWaBbsJ5GEPGr-25n2yEAphKoRikqXx75ttg3y4veraXWwRyVCuh3vk/s200/100_1814.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248919054544469586" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEido5NYikoym95s4DWDu0e_Uy7bu_GHXiSNjrlsnoHxEMtjnuiMmZ0DQo7jJ-UV_pXCiZIzDpzb55Zl-8tjbbUWBwu6rHShFuk4X88ek6JR6gz3zkj9r8D3zvX52AiQ-pS3XHMjjeSSCUk/s1600-h/100_1790.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEido5NYikoym95s4DWDu0e_Uy7bu_GHXiSNjrlsnoHxEMtjnuiMmZ0DQo7jJ-UV_pXCiZIzDpzb55Zl-8tjbbUWBwu6rHShFuk4X88ek6JR6gz3zkj9r8D3zvX52AiQ-pS3XHMjjeSSCUk/s200/100_1790.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248918383861736242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow morning Paul, Erica, Shawn, Bonnie, and Bruce fly out at about 10:00am. I leave at noon Austria time (6:00am in Michigan), landing in Grand Rapids at 11:00pm.<br /><br />One last balloon photo: Aspiring competitors, here's what it's like to compete at the Worlds:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLIMNNVn2O-r3YAqRFx4tDBpl0VTq88OX08AJ2N6PAvFGUFsz9ofBEcBlUEOR8c_DeXgsAXhanujzxtjPk3ZjHilLicf9Fsedbvd_w31mAm2W1vBsRC8ldH79ZQFobTfFHMQ0KP0QJk4/s1600-h/DSC04028_rs.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLIMNNVn2O-r3YAqRFx4tDBpl0VTq88OX08AJ2N6PAvFGUFsz9ofBEcBlUEOR8c_DeXgsAXhanujzxtjPk3ZjHilLicf9Fsedbvd_w31mAm2W1vBsRC8ldH79ZQFobTfFHMQ0KP0QJk4/s200/DSC04028_rs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248923683395060978" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-43094819081901067332008-09-21T13:45:00.012+02:002008-09-21T14:26:44.960+02:00Worlds, Final DayThe final results are in. <a href="http://www.balloon2008.com/fileadmin/user_upload/wmresults/Worlds2008Index.html">You can see all the details from the event's website by clicking here</a>. In short, Paul finished in 4th place out of 100 competitors, 11 points (out of 14,000 possible) from third and 231 points from first.<br /><br />This morning was the awards ceremony.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgrpNXA9sTmIzciUmhDI-xaFVOQF0syG-H089dwKlky-0IN0_KE-6zEpebfC3v8F2eYlnT7uLFPdtAykLVITFfycAm0RCj4LDIjxDUJGbfGoyQCUFl8EjF2TaIacIlb260H2S7hdf7E8/s1600-h/100_1705.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgrpNXA9sTmIzciUmhDI-xaFVOQF0syG-H089dwKlky-0IN0_KE-6zEpebfC3v8F2eYlnT7uLFPdtAykLVITFfycAm0RCj4LDIjxDUJGbfGoyQCUFl8EjF2TaIacIlb260H2S7hdf7E8/s200/100_1705.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248440543110745202" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wbERUJd4OkiZzgEHrmSpRKHqyP2qrpzb_D_yU-z8Fh2X45c-XPwza-buoWbE3VuvwOljZ1-vjAH6XfJlg_7PFqmQcSsi7g2A_6hWd0M-7wNyIn21eyiAeQ6RzBTjQ5fAxGkeGO7le7g/s1600-h/100_1709.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wbERUJd4OkiZzgEHrmSpRKHqyP2qrpzb_D_yU-z8Fh2X45c-XPwza-buoWbE3VuvwOljZ1-vjAH6XfJlg_7PFqmQcSsi7g2A_6hWd0M-7wNyIn21eyiAeQ6RzBTjQ5fAxGkeGO7le7g/s200/100_1709.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248440553146835586" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AAmObA6a3dRyE4smUdTxTdtOU3gMv4-Xbp3lrs53u_Egoy1oGf4XtOnjoBmqq9mb_yrNEAhJcftzZ5R7yzfwau7LzVZtrcuh5f74D8u52Y8D7eLAAfHmf1_jHElNCbzh9oLMW8ff5zI/s1600-h/100_1711.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AAmObA6a3dRyE4smUdTxTdtOU3gMv4-Xbp3lrs53u_Egoy1oGf4XtOnjoBmqq9mb_yrNEAhJcftzZ5R7yzfwau7LzVZtrcuh5f74D8u52Y8D7eLAAfHmf1_jHElNCbzh9oLMW8ff5zI/s200/100_1711.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248440562049679106" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqOuRAqq8oG9sVXEI40OwqddmHMNTbjUiiPROD01OPiPg-9pwzbALjkeISA5uClu6UJkoMQzBRB0NS737hl7a5lcYEFcSIpXMxfc9Ioha44CoNXoPf-ImtbPMo53yrPsCHzwmXePKdOk/s1600-h/100_1712.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqOuRAqq8oG9sVXEI40OwqddmHMNTbjUiiPROD01OPiPg-9pwzbALjkeISA5uClu6UJkoMQzBRB0NS737hl7a5lcYEFcSIpXMxfc9Ioha44CoNXoPf-ImtbPMo53yrPsCHzwmXePKdOk/s200/100_1712.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248440573257220322" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The top 3 were from (in order) France, Russia, and France.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxnDL0UgJIlpc-jbkZiu2UInisOG8TtARIEKxD-ZGqFx7J-M34Ez2U4J1_TgApelWNJLSV2e13jjLV_XFKcw10mJuYiiKOWANjmctQGLYGI23qgcByoMt9IuSyQFWnhIQLTg2NBosmBI/s1600-h/100_1715.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxnDL0UgJIlpc-jbkZiu2UInisOG8TtARIEKxD-ZGqFx7J-M34Ez2U4J1_TgApelWNJLSV2e13jjLV_XFKcw10mJuYiiKOWANjmctQGLYGI23qgcByoMt9IuSyQFWnhIQLTg2NBosmBI/s200/100_1715.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248441803257473250" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CcL1gdRY2GzV8tZICvZsCLdkjPenzyaFWHNYE895vDFIDArmvmOM2oK1HgkwnH2aT-90AvmN9QYKjIGNQKOHRhoBrdBe7Z4mYbjttDrpzcm-6xAXimhB0RdefpgQ1s1Uf_Udz-KZMA0/s1600-h/100_1723.JPG"> <img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CcL1gdRY2GzV8tZICvZsCLdkjPenzyaFWHNYE895vDFIDArmvmOM2oK1HgkwnH2aT-90AvmN9QYKjIGNQKOHRhoBrdBe7Z4mYbjttDrpzcm-6xAXimhB0RdefpgQ1s1Uf_Udz-KZMA0/s200/100_1723.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248441814629755922" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91vm264w2LZuD-RkVHox-mt2xPk4T16bAfg3AJ9unwvqSEu-C_At07Mf4b-0aCKlgXkNbZ5CU8JJlUDu8wkSxfNtRv6F-I5Z6ArHRdOUZ3gBVt_1v08ye_PblH7g1BTyq61dUZsrk02s/s1600-h/100_1743.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91vm264w2LZuD-RkVHox-mt2xPk4T16bAfg3AJ9unwvqSEu-C_At07Mf4b-0aCKlgXkNbZ5CU8JJlUDu8wkSxfNtRv6F-I5Z6ArHRdOUZ3gBVt_1v08ye_PblH7g1BTyq61dUZsrk02s/s200/100_1743.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248443437898526242" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXok4VbQM9q_IwCFLrdvRInyDghmE8NTI5RERw9-yDSKgb_JxNDHwXeCdUBcHdVrEUv5IrOcbUm8CE8xFdAYjBE3F9tYwyI4U7tpSDaeK3qxc0Z0r8O097htVsStD9w3i5PIUzVed23gQ/s1600-h/100_1724.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXok4VbQM9q_IwCFLrdvRInyDghmE8NTI5RERw9-yDSKgb_JxNDHwXeCdUBcHdVrEUv5IrOcbUm8CE8xFdAYjBE3F9tYwyI4U7tpSDaeK3qxc0Z0r8O097htVsStD9w3i5PIUzVed23gQ/s200/100_1724.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248441815775726178" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Joe Zvada finished 6th in his first World Championships:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5Hj5XhXBUpT4PwMfbHCPa8Ia80gpncEV5fjOmBIbpSRyNqVXIVtVtNlRrJH_zTKl5sJ5NvpTl3-b339sh6G-QpoVMsUAhPOF9-tmZl0JqVTu4Fb0RkiDmw7Q_h1r9pirf8pR3_IuuX8/s1600-h/100_1718.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5Hj5XhXBUpT4PwMfbHCPa8Ia80gpncEV5fjOmBIbpSRyNqVXIVtVtNlRrJH_zTKl5sJ5NvpTl3-b339sh6G-QpoVMsUAhPOF9-tmZl0JqVTu4Fb0RkiDmw7Q_h1r9pirf8pR3_IuuX8/s200/100_1718.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248441810457469842" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBTTa7R3CxPjHtFz2zqBXja1sExvDwnLqg6nbYmMJ9xIuPK1paM_kOyfoWj_Zl-sI2s4cWh40bUVh-3m6WhZDetdsaU7Z8DjY-ojoQAsu-Wx2eBLIW0nfcJBFP08UFG6PoyeNiaPPYjw/s1600-h/100_1735.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBTTa7R3CxPjHtFz2zqBXja1sExvDwnLqg6nbYmMJ9xIuPK1paM_kOyfoWj_Zl-sI2s4cWh40bUVh-3m6WhZDetdsaU7Z8DjY-ojoQAsu-Wx2eBLIW0nfcJBFP08UFG6PoyeNiaPPYjw/s200/100_1735.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248443410709301762" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLdRqV-KuvIOoXmZIMwtBPLxcsWcMuO8aYrHF56nV855liUeBpDvxfyaeA3VMasNF5hArDN_P3vUDmZmgxmXC6LrVg2Mcf3Fhb2zZsmWLgBA5SnSRhmYIiO6uNVg-MuNsDVwztX8SVIk/s1600-h/100_1733.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLdRqV-KuvIOoXmZIMwtBPLxcsWcMuO8aYrHF56nV855liUeBpDvxfyaeA3VMasNF5hArDN_P3vUDmZmgxmXC6LrVg2Mcf3Fhb2zZsmWLgBA5SnSRhmYIiO6uNVg-MuNsDVwztX8SVIk/s200/100_1733.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248445495806776786" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And of course Paul got a nice trophy for 4th:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvhKqqBZxsPbW_3WJ-KtulyN3xdvOPN_vA17rY7hPIAWLKz_DXQSWixHuMkNmMumBQQqvplJvke5fhGL3aPr0if43d5RxgyrDHEPaDY2lXBNi23R4SmZ_RpXzKRaMlqxS2Q4VUkOgrn0/s1600-h/100_1731.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvhKqqBZxsPbW_3WJ-KtulyN3xdvOPN_vA17rY7hPIAWLKz_DXQSWixHuMkNmMumBQQqvplJvke5fhGL3aPr0if43d5RxgyrDHEPaDY2lXBNi23R4SmZ_RpXzKRaMlqxS2Q4VUkOgrn0/s200/100_1731.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248441824173709618" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWaux264MOllPghvAnfDgd5r8K0wmLmBnTQZUtrE5E1SSJFp7unTKYTCHolnJDZQ4QyS2vzhBacwTk8kk4XkGkHNY1Cct6MWoeGLfn9MLsdFBcl9ukzbtmxcGMiX2ul-2HFaj3A4ZWnM/s1600-h/100_1738.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWaux264MOllPghvAnfDgd5r8K0wmLmBnTQZUtrE5E1SSJFp7unTKYTCHolnJDZQ4QyS2vzhBacwTk8kk4XkGkHNY1Cct6MWoeGLfn9MLsdFBcl9ukzbtmxcGMiX2ul-2HFaj3A4ZWnM/s200/100_1738.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248443431118293106" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I8S-FlvFXe3ZrHZPqGTwfGfuMfe7sOkYQ5bvS4iXpiU_56RATr65CPUtwS3ypf_1d3DYlRmoB0p8JVbIQ7teM_85ULRLr-MXvFHOB2V7Hlt5N7PZ_6f-fSm3_6bQnOl0fs87WpYH-mA/s1600-h/100_1737.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I8S-FlvFXe3ZrHZPqGTwfGfuMfe7sOkYQ5bvS4iXpiU_56RATr65CPUtwS3ypf_1d3DYlRmoB0p8JVbIQ7teM_85ULRLr-MXvFHOB2V7Hlt5N7PZ_6f-fSm3_6bQnOl0fs87WpYH-mA/s200/100_1737.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248443421872362210" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For all you aspiring competitors out there, here's a history lesson: a selection of former (and current) World Champions.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMCy9Yrgh1IEwxBg8rNajBnknWLFDtGCCNVVFrxg3yfdP-p7TcV26BXXTUaSWi51G8_i99JswAh_BBCNmk4O8CTe-fPK-TCqxCKgMDtAmRTZPrQtRGbVVtn2Vo23lyrTofhZE5moEoPQ/s1600-h/100_1746.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMCy9Yrgh1IEwxBg8rNajBnknWLFDtGCCNVVFrxg3yfdP-p7TcV26BXXTUaSWi51G8_i99JswAh_BBCNmk4O8CTe-fPK-TCqxCKgMDtAmRTZPrQtRGbVVtn2Vo23lyrTofhZE5moEoPQ/s200/100_1746.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248443442421186914" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCld1VJHqOvFvF4AycMHUCb6VM5GrGCpqgZlVH2JkUIXz-5DupEev_XFgZ60E2Pv4FiX4W31EeLHgINgdfiKF_HS6oevaDxK9mmejKGKnDtFKeCbldBzXxWXq49XwmLx61lY4dDGgQfA/s1600-h/100_1747.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCld1VJHqOvFvF4AycMHUCb6VM5GrGCpqgZlVH2JkUIXz-5DupEev_XFgZ60E2Pv4FiX4W31EeLHgINgdfiKF_HS6oevaDxK9mmejKGKnDtFKeCbldBzXxWXq49XwmLx61lY4dDGgQfA/s200/100_1747.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248443916255621394" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Today we'll finish with packing up the equipment. Tomorrow will be an early morning as we drive the 2 hours to Vienna to drop off a 900-pound basket to air cargo and turn in the van. We'll then spend the day seeing Vienna before getting on flights back home Tuesday morning.<br /><br />We love you Jan:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCGz7tsQ0ZXDmeuEDQDq7NYB_mdaI41nR624u-qHwrU5JLHCU4LnAi7h1Mq0kTiEI6LNC2C_j2NT-ONihXLhyphenhyphen06NasN48jRXsz15qNgk_sM0DHbVpnlIWSQnBPNII43hbU-nX9vmmVNQ/s1600-h/100_1706.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTCGz7tsQ0ZXDmeuEDQDq7NYB_mdaI41nR624u-qHwrU5JLHCU4LnAi7h1Mq0kTiEI6LNC2C_j2NT-ONihXLhyphenhyphen06NasN48jRXsz15qNgk_sM0DHbVpnlIWSQnBPNII43hbU-nX9vmmVNQ/s200/100_1706.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248440548189502530" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-36426484973605385802008-09-20T16:36:00.000+02:002008-09-21T14:43:11.051+02:00The Waiting is the Hardest PartWhen 15 points separate you from the podium, what do you do? Stand outside the competition center beside the guy that you're chasing (in the blue vest with the logo) waiting for updates:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlo6vjas6pdPnGS1pKx9vapZFl_ZPJYgVMJq6uZUlTD3rP5cyz7SOq21JFS31TEbCAaxU-w1Antcs4rPa-pQLx_9rK2xqTyTdlfd9KkOnRUkQS1_gu_Zhd_LswltiFjqOzKVY3Zneesw/s1600-h/100_1703.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlo6vjas6pdPnGS1pKx9vapZFl_ZPJYgVMJq6uZUlTD3rP5cyz7SOq21JFS31TEbCAaxU-w1Antcs4rPa-pQLx_9rK2xqTyTdlfd9KkOnRUkQS1_gu_Zhd_LswltiFjqOzKVY3Zneesw/s200/100_1703.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248453666938370418" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHPZpmNjVhDAkrBjoTXvfgFta2bbhyCtUMTlZRagXu1yVkUsfGv2OblEb0Mm6UFBPWJGDihIZ3bVZ1PngV9MGveZl2rSAiPfZa7tEwwwh7F3obAbcy4FewnXALV7nTtp_AakW_OmUevk/s1600-h/100_1701.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHPZpmNjVhDAkrBjoTXvfgFta2bbhyCtUMTlZRagXu1yVkUsfGv2OblEb0Mm6UFBPWJGDihIZ3bVZ1PngV9MGveZl2rSAiPfZa7tEwwwh7F3obAbcy4FewnXALV7nTtp_AakW_OmUevk/s200/100_1701.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248454043982758114" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFirhfwSrXiWQSbOtMjfjnd_TszvcjMgc0KS_eDk8XKySsVOe-qCw5v-1qRJShQbEzOSWjfMgDy_7AOUQIY0DWIPmLW5hn0fLKythc6a7tZNNZUKmR9b68qILIrAu4ZF0KCY8PI7WMIvg/s1600-h/100_1702.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFirhfwSrXiWQSbOtMjfjnd_TszvcjMgc0KS_eDk8XKySsVOe-qCw5v-1qRJShQbEzOSWjfMgDy_7AOUQIY0DWIPmLW5hn0fLKythc6a7tZNNZUKmR9b68qILIrAu4ZF0KCY8PI7WMIvg/s200/100_1702.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248453661261874674" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4zddk39_BAV67Y3tWjalIs5hjgyHiU3V53Tb-PnIy-a-T4kMGxunfpsahUQI9cGVpGD3a-pWBg_I4Y_MIqOxcQ4HNARsYgfk2iB-0W7dBzOauBMEGD4tmafciSUX3G1N9l0MijZbCMk/s1600-h/100_1704.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4zddk39_BAV67Y3tWjalIs5hjgyHiU3V53Tb-PnIy-a-T4kMGxunfpsahUQI9cGVpGD3a-pWBg_I4Y_MIqOxcQ4HNARsYgfk2iB-0W7dBzOauBMEGD4tmafciSUX3G1N9l0MijZbCMk/s200/100_1704.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248453673181502514" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-52659377244778357802008-09-20T15:41:00.008+02:002008-09-20T16:04:39.858+02:00Worlds, Day 6Imagine that you are getting ready to fly the last flight of the World Championships and you're within a stone's throw (~250 points) of first place. Wouldn't it be nice to have three former World Champions (and friends) offer to fly pibal for you?<br /><br />That's what happened this morning in Austria. With a two-task flight called and Paul within 250 points of first place, Al Nels (1987 & 1991 champion), Joe Heartsill (1995 champion), and John Petrehn (2006 champion) all offered to assist. With winds forecasted to be brisker than we've seen all week, teams were sent out for a fly-in and hesitation waltz. At the briefing we were reminded not only of the recall procedures, but that the decision to fly is completely and exclusively that of the pilot. After selecting a launch location, we proceeded to lay out and begin inflation. Joe Heartsill and John Petrehn inflated within 100' and took off (along with about 20 others). Although their ascents were completely under control, others around us proceeded with much less caution.<br /><br />However, with our balloon stood up and ready, we suddenly heard shouting in various foreign languages. We couldn't understand the words, but the universal sign of crossed-forearms was unmistakable. Immediately we checked the text messages on our cell phone and confirmed the bad news. The flight (and both tasks) had been canceled. Everyone got down okay, but there would be no scoring.<br /><br />Currently there are a number of outstanding issues with the scores, including one task that's being recalculated completely. Paul has moved from 5th to 4th then back to 5th and now back to 4th in the last 12 hours without a flight being flown. <a href="http://www.balloon2008.com/fileadmin/user_upload/wmresults/Worlds2008Index.html">The event has done an outstanding job of keeping the website current, so check there for the latest updates</a>. Joe Zvada, in his rookie year, is locked solidly into the top-10, currently being shown in 6th place.<br /><br />Funny story of the day: This morning Mike Howard, our friend and fellow competitor from Great Britain who was also battling for the lead, was standing in a field next to us looking at pibals. Suddenly he grabbed the BFA radio from Nick Donner's pocket and, in his "unmistakable" voice, said "Andy Baird, what are the winds at the field doing?" Andy's response: "Sorry, that last transmission broke up."<br /><br />Right now we're sitting in the event debriefing meeting. It's an open forum where those involved with the event can comment on the competition to those involved in organizing it. Lots of compliments, suggestions, and criticisms are being voiced. However, I'm not going to report on the specifics here.<br /><br />The awards ceremony will be held tomorrow afternoon, I'll almost certainly have some photos to post from that.<br /><br />Although a few have left for home already, tonight the approximately 50 members of Team USA are planning on having dinner together at a local restaurant. We've already "disassembled" our retreive vehicles, and tomorrow we'll being readying the balloon equipment for shipping. It will be dropped at air cargo in Vienna on Monday. We plan to spend Monday afternoon and evening seeing the city, then fly ourselves out on Tuesday morning.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-10845450887218869332008-09-19T16:28:00.001+02:002008-09-19T16:33:25.860+02:00Final results?<a href="http://www.balloon2008.com/fileadmin/user_upload/wmresults/E%5BWorlds2008%5DC%5BWorlds2008%5DS%5BWorlds2008%5DCompetitionStandings.html">The standings for all tasks (1-14) are posted here</a>.<br /><br />However, there will be some minor changes. Paul is only 15 points from a podium finish. It's fully possible that even minor modifications to the scores of those below him could change things enough to get those...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-60183355195745327152008-09-19T15:55:00.009+02:002008-09-19T16:22:05.745+02:00Live from the Afternoon BriefingTwo tasks indicated on the task sheet: a fly-in with 2 goals and a hesitation waltz with 4 goals. Launch site is competitor's choice, and both are free marker drops. 1 km minimum distance on the fly-in.<br /><br />However, after the weather briefing David Levin indicated that the winds were too high, so the flight was canceled. With "increasing wind speeds during a cloudy night with gusty winds in the morning and during the whole day" it appears that the competition <span style="font-style: italic;">might</span> be over. Based on <a href="http://www.balloon2008.com/fileadmin/user_upload/wmresults/Worlds2008Index.html">this morning's task results posted on the event's website</a> we may have gained some spots. The overall standings haven't been updated yet, but given that we now have some free time this evening perhaps we'll run those numbers ourselves.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-9530295602577016712008-09-19T15:23:00.000+02:002008-09-19T15:23:44.037+02:00International SuperstarI'm pretty sure that I heard him say "If you ain't first, you're last."<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zDZN7svNzfxn25NAXdsBN2TTHkQGkE6H9WrvcatG6YCkZ0tvkiaTaXKfOpmcHBZLtWtilg3naMeYO6ILjj5A8iNvXTfket-zwL93GZbdssGVr4H_9JIZ1T2SKCAqu3Zm0_auGwJgODs/s1600-h/100_1696.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zDZN7svNzfxn25NAXdsBN2TTHkQGkE6H9WrvcatG6YCkZ0tvkiaTaXKfOpmcHBZLtWtilg3naMeYO6ILjj5A8iNvXTfket-zwL93GZbdssGVr4H_9JIZ1T2SKCAqu3Zm0_auGwJgODs/s200/100_1696.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247722429193492418" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxC3_CTFJNg4TW7K7CdToZ1rfHCoHjrerzwCxfQH7eJcqNFjT3Z2rum3QHv2DgXdDfHckoAWkquSrlTZzDkLIFGhhtmFOgj7Ne4d3D6dYWglcsCisoN9FeJEJ9fSPy3zX5M_-hizw6iJY/s1600-h/100_1699.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxC3_CTFJNg4TW7K7CdToZ1rfHCoHjrerzwCxfQH7eJcqNFjT3Z2rum3QHv2DgXdDfHckoAWkquSrlTZzDkLIFGhhtmFOgj7Ne4d3D6dYWglcsCisoN9FeJEJ9fSPy3zX5M_-hizw6iJY/s200/100_1699.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247722432958744466" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-40858289001267878942008-09-19T11:15:00.008+02:002008-09-19T15:43:48.832+02:00Worlds, Day 6First, my apologies for only posting once yesterday. After a long 3-task evening flight (which didn't go particularly well) we had to wait well over an hour for propane. By then everyone was ready for food and some sleep. Sorry, no action photos.<br /><br />Another chilly 4-task flight this morning: PDG (3 possible goals), HWZ (2 possible goals), MXDD (with limited scoring) and an elbow. <a href="http://www.balloon2008.com/index.php?id=2&L=1">Tasks sheets, results, and other "official" details are on the event's website</a>.<br /><br />Paul said he did pretty well on the first 2 tasks (the photos below say Joe Zvada did as well).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIJycYdxnKRZkqZ3vl268ETrw0yrLTdBStim0XNnR3ddYeFLnOUkhH62vTWkuHJDNDHU0Y8C0fFVxlT61RZL5byy1bvA3coTmwBIe20kNq-R7fWwOg1i_uSBAv8hnUCbuol_SkXypqOM/s1600-h/101_0647.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIJycYdxnKRZkqZ3vl268ETrw0yrLTdBStim0XNnR3ddYeFLnOUkhH62vTWkuHJDNDHU0Y8C0fFVxlT61RZL5byy1bvA3coTmwBIe20kNq-R7fWwOg1i_uSBAv8hnUCbuol_SkXypqOM/s200/101_0647.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247726649099617906" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQhuUXMZirmHsocrJf4S7-4VYkWlRLdTMSY2_zaalF17gvV9Q7_ZP9xYPGn8Egm3wNFGfPAC06Pc_UD6Avcb6O6FOC8RecakKWmyz4-gO6Dxqy2zVhBJhoV0yKEjSsj0Id4uG7HAARCw/s1600-h/101_0648.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQhuUXMZirmHsocrJf4S7-4VYkWlRLdTMSY2_zaalF17gvV9Q7_ZP9xYPGn8Egm3wNFGfPAC06Pc_UD6Avcb6O6FOC8RecakKWmyz4-gO6Dxqy2zVhBJhoV0yKEjSsj0Id4uG7HAARCw/s200/101_0648.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247726653390381090" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCaA_V9BRdcQJzaWzPotim0vz0q8wGUhCqw7jucC3pGyLEgGacAZV3xaZnuN_10mxtsGrRWT5B0SO_wvXySst8J2RWvV2yxI760N3JTe9wLbup4_6xsfJ3ddNMqnocQgLKm5eDdpOOTL8/s1600-h/101_0655.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCaA_V9BRdcQJzaWzPotim0vz0q8wGUhCqw7jucC3pGyLEgGacAZV3xaZnuN_10mxtsGrRWT5B0SO_wvXySst8J2RWvV2yxI760N3JTe9wLbup4_6xsfJ3ddNMqnocQgLKm5eDdpOOTL8/s200/101_0655.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247726656739003154" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEENEpiSQ03sBtK1WUPlGQKiIrk9HzCZ_i2nbkv0QNUknJTqt1oSPT2lSXXVb7iRBYonIj0svnVVGFqXMbrsk6sxqXC5u0RrBoAkxV4gpG_ZLgvFO0WBXrQpw6lOiD2YiMAfOKPpApjQU/s1600-h/101_0656.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEENEpiSQ03sBtK1WUPlGQKiIrk9HzCZ_i2nbkv0QNUknJTqt1oSPT2lSXXVb7iRBYonIj0svnVVGFqXMbrsk6sxqXC5u0RrBoAkxV4gpG_ZLgvFO0WBXrQpw6lOiD2YiMAfOKPpApjQU/s200/101_0656.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247726662838150418" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6O786UYXyhZ0vcRzaNciAoq3mDG3pGWkMl3ec8IeBzC612BFSWUOvRT7FUTCRNhn8v1PEjHD4aF6J_ITBTUS2yKuWf-tkrlfkLXxrjLSvFEwcGPH8yAg1BOzRvoVVL5SQK407I3G9n0/s1600-h/101_0657.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6O786UYXyhZ0vcRzaNciAoq3mDG3pGWkMl3ec8IeBzC612BFSWUOvRT7FUTCRNhn8v1PEjHD4aF6J_ITBTUS2yKuWf-tkrlfkLXxrjLSvFEwcGPH8yAg1BOzRvoVVL5SQK407I3G9n0/s200/101_0657.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247726667201637250" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">(Photos courtesy of Larry Coan)</span></span><br /><br />Shifting winds made getting to the MXDD difficult, but a very low level (under 200' AGL) box developed that allowed about 20 pilots to make low, slow, precise approaches.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQqomqgDualM1LT9z6h580B4ULQ1-Wa8Nea3No3eSKqyu83L6UQpiOshzBq6-l-iottQvKi83Z9Bv3D40wQoDOWQGoqHtjFeuDDv0P3EMxKoZZC63h6cVdfXArdijTrP-rpFZusdsqyo/s1600-h/100_1671.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQqomqgDualM1LT9z6h580B4ULQ1-Wa8Nea3No3eSKqyu83L6UQpiOshzBq6-l-iottQvKi83Z9Bv3D40wQoDOWQGoqHtjFeuDDv0P3EMxKoZZC63h6cVdfXArdijTrP-rpFZusdsqyo/s200/100_1671.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247649646257321650" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Wd2B7gP6SeeXNzAl6i9Gq1CobpxRs0qzilFBusWwHoGO_8VkbpABlqdkx96vaTKce66HvhZgjnIj5J1EyA6L0fJ6GR7KeVSm5d7ntTxbGm9gYn4VvCFs2Nz7MTp7nFP28dftFZGNjiA/s1600-h/100_1675.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Wd2B7gP6SeeXNzAl6i9Gq1CobpxRs0qzilFBusWwHoGO_8VkbpABlqdkx96vaTKce66HvhZgjnIj5J1EyA6L0fJ6GR7KeVSm5d7ntTxbGm9gYn4VvCFs2Nz7MTp7nFP28dftFZGNjiA/s200/100_1675.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247649653810200834" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEEUnQcHcZrSRVcwyyiMC46O7EF8dxQjIQdUXEHl15PNCw6ytotEdAWk7ztOIWxnGQoh85g9EhHx0CcyUA2y2tYxVQ6gm72YFZnbFx9gpTe-xka91WoK9xsjV-flBXr4mdfUEs38r8uc/s1600-h/100_1683.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEEUnQcHcZrSRVcwyyiMC46O7EF8dxQjIQdUXEHl15PNCw6ytotEdAWk7ztOIWxnGQoh85g9EhHx0CcyUA2y2tYxVQ6gm72YFZnbFx9gpTe-xka91WoK9xsjV-flBXr4mdfUEs38r8uc/s200/100_1683.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247652198916890946" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoUlaw-0YzuASsEXKK_TrfAA3oCAjd_x8WfzmaAXURrdsfDaPM51ERTtG8Cf8ATnKtUa2oPGD4IAOmeaLZyLo3ls4Iy784cmNiK5LaZni4Xow8avhV3k7R7H7Nej_beOU1jAg9Fegipg/s1600-h/100_1684.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoUlaw-0YzuASsEXKK_TrfAA3oCAjd_x8WfzmaAXURrdsfDaPM51ERTtG8Cf8ATnKtUa2oPGD4IAOmeaLZyLo3ls4Iy784cmNiK5LaZni4Xow8avhV3k7R7H7Nej_beOU1jAg9Fegipg/s200/100_1684.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247652204760611026" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Al Nels was the only member of Team USA to score on that task.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhsxH3hdAL3weuhQ-5eKnA4sq9n8gu4qiFxP9jlvQbDDE2GpZ8_yopfQP8X4MJRECzcjlSQrVFBYPjMgunECPOFWmogwsQOlwYIB8dBN_G-HQ2aubdBGgbqEn2i1d3YzWWKOpoZ4ZeSc/s1600-h/100_1679.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhsxH3hdAL3weuhQ-5eKnA4sq9n8gu4qiFxP9jlvQbDDE2GpZ8_yopfQP8X4MJRECzcjlSQrVFBYPjMgunECPOFWmogwsQOlwYIB8dBN_G-HQ2aubdBGgbqEn2i1d3YzWWKOpoZ4ZeSc/s200/100_1679.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247649651794093170" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOybhtjf-igHfs8z3H8Txc-RKYNzu_4PU2NoP8oDSmBdx7wFIA7fLJU9Km0h2PGfeZaaVYFYYo3dwHfRO1i0y1J8Q3SQ8scEweIk3Z1_5-gAWIVb2wLlgxr4yIcS5F62OZ_7pII0x8b_o/s1600-h/100_1680.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOybhtjf-igHfs8z3H8Txc-RKYNzu_4PU2NoP8oDSmBdx7wFIA7fLJU9Km0h2PGfeZaaVYFYYo3dwHfRO1i0y1J8Q3SQ8scEweIk3Z1_5-gAWIVb2wLlgxr4yIcS5F62OZ_7pII0x8b_o/s200/100_1680.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247649659903389394" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGS78vCCa1BqhUlFIDCOxSzcd_E2GExCJDRQnCP1zQbsSYAKoI2wFF1JeNfpadZx78GTNf7i9zQByCnaH35AheoyLMb2VcyR-xAN7zah5zXik2qaCZJjitpeSCLx5_XBrrzEZxRgpn7-0/s1600-h/100_1682.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGS78vCCa1BqhUlFIDCOxSzcd_E2GExCJDRQnCP1zQbsSYAKoI2wFF1JeNfpadZx78GTNf7i9zQByCnaH35AheoyLMb2VcyR-xAN7zah5zXik2qaCZJjitpeSCLx5_XBrrzEZxRgpn7-0/s200/100_1682.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247649663940257954" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The final task, an elbow, had most balloons flying very low and slow over Kaindorf.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSomQzGGpC1S0v7Jev_lPLWc2XWrSr8MU5CDDVIKGH4R47jm0nr-raudN-3RZ8J23gYTCtsgQoZ-lbaWSp5i1wJ1bxCgxg6ZpHWCk__Il9K9W9PeWsItKrLVgBDOULRN2xXF1AlUUh4CQ/s1600-h/100_1689.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSomQzGGpC1S0v7Jev_lPLWc2XWrSr8MU5CDDVIKGH4R47jm0nr-raudN-3RZ8J23gYTCtsgQoZ-lbaWSp5i1wJ1bxCgxg6ZpHWCk__Il9K9W9PeWsItKrLVgBDOULRN2xXF1AlUUh4CQ/s200/100_1689.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247652207033797746" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLrgsz0HtjqYiyuQytfck75my_YQ5HDN36nuT1QezDnEOcEtJG_7J22wSIT8buw1SaUsOudHmXkMGMvhXLx8a0ka195gQJhRSnf-jk22c5k5niMADxQIjRPQg0TLaIGgQcrhJvJJhMuE/s1600-h/100_1690.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLrgsz0HtjqYiyuQytfck75my_YQ5HDN36nuT1QezDnEOcEtJG_7J22wSIT8buw1SaUsOudHmXkMGMvhXLx8a0ka195gQJhRSnf-jk22c5k5niMADxQIjRPQg0TLaIGgQcrhJvJJhMuE/s200/100_1690.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247652212863637666" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24KyDe4XjrhhwC6LRxnjuuAJ-FDQ29qh9Ws1aJggsHJuJnUcjhuNBCrkplQ5ptSG2r9HMKsvvpgSOdKXz4HIP-3Mrmc2aozBScqpxKKajgn6mmmwXYuTb11PmShiAXDpjnK_ry6o4bwo/s1600-h/100_1695.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24KyDe4XjrhhwC6LRxnjuuAJ-FDQ29qh9Ws1aJggsHJuJnUcjhuNBCrkplQ5ptSG2r9HMKsvvpgSOdKXz4HIP-3Mrmc2aozBScqpxKKajgn6mmmwXYuTb11PmShiAXDpjnK_ry6o4bwo/s200/100_1695.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247652217918485538" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Although Paul wasn't able to make the field for the MXDD, he did achieve measured results on the first 2 tasks and was able to create a 180 degree (or very close to it) angle for the elbow. Hopefully that will move him up a little from his pre-flight position of 21st place.<br /><br />While I don't have any ballooning photos to post from last night, I did get some shots of the highly-customized <a href="http://tzraerosports.com/">Team Zvada Racing</a> recovery vehicle (despite Joe's brother Luke standing/sitting guard).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvSTuvCUp3FgQHU1P-Ycr89Ku_Rq25cvbxqzCV5LUsHO0pxtztYh2rwVFV-1cQJEcULSd0DC3CVrbBVOeeYnzEEXbXl9koJe5IdE2lJYg0RZVScHhr0P59s_C9fD3Bxhg35rIWVrkWUCs/s1600-h/100_1649.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvSTuvCUp3FgQHU1P-Ycr89Ku_Rq25cvbxqzCV5LUsHO0pxtztYh2rwVFV-1cQJEcULSd0DC3CVrbBVOeeYnzEEXbXl9koJe5IdE2lJYg0RZVScHhr0P59s_C9fD3Bxhg35rIWVrkWUCs/s200/100_1649.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247655584946742146" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQx7CtYW96NgxJHROFIfuU31NsJKxFTx-7H1GGYyVeLRV6SuhpzIWedmM4uG-eSKvBc_FkMcPIXAaCeybPP9a9YvpSDM722oYWt2vbo938rnNX93BW9U2fn0k0JBWFHN_cPVrj4R1lpAg/s1600-h/100_1647.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQx7CtYW96NgxJHROFIfuU31NsJKxFTx-7H1GGYyVeLRV6SuhpzIWedmM4uG-eSKvBc_FkMcPIXAaCeybPP9a9YvpSDM722oYWt2vbo938rnNX93BW9U2fn0k0JBWFHN_cPVrj4R1lpAg/s200/100_1647.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247655580796042370" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUap9mAFU5sYUOXfN18XRBXxE24519G6f6eJg7PWu28syku_9adbW_T6hnlEJwyUqyu86lx4Pq9oGqVuGznK26LzJDoQtp-t9tVtVUamNGHqtj1VSPi4tagyaUy0HSjgsS0s9Fqf_mp0/s1600-h/100_1646.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUap9mAFU5sYUOXfN18XRBXxE24519G6f6eJg7PWu28syku_9adbW_T6hnlEJwyUqyu86lx4Pq9oGqVuGznK26LzJDoQtp-t9tVtVUamNGHqtj1VSPi4tagyaUy0HSjgsS0s9Fqf_mp0/s200/100_1646.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247655576994771330" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jZhfUE82xFYU8HwZcnungQDPov1DuHM6WDs04qgNCbjkiw955oDczmqkhjBoMihnR6668WW0uqZihMhuIwTb5r8WszxGBZwIMH0f8kVBzTwTbeDYHX8ustdcWQ1ibRdq8R3uNhnMZgY/s1600-h/100_1645.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jZhfUE82xFYU8HwZcnungQDPov1DuHM6WDs04qgNCbjkiw955oDczmqkhjBoMihnR6668WW0uqZihMhuIwTb5r8WszxGBZwIMH0f8kVBzTwTbeDYHX8ustdcWQ1ibRdq8R3uNhnMZgY/s200/100_1645.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247655571167420258" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here's some photos of our team managers (Andy Baird, John Gibbons, and Derrick Jones):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxuvzS4UDg9vEdFtLxn9BGz7sWvwxcGZItWhbjGpQWs8izc640jAmfA6zxmfqwLzSmaMHCC2aYCc8vLbQbD4jMxnNjLtWX5ZqQpXaMwjwfAhHNaZ4TBz8Z4pa7eHxlPpNUE9SWcsyzwg/s1600-h/DSC00322.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxuvzS4UDg9vEdFtLxn9BGz7sWvwxcGZItWhbjGpQWs8izc640jAmfA6zxmfqwLzSmaMHCC2aYCc8vLbQbD4jMxnNjLtWX5ZqQpXaMwjwfAhHNaZ4TBz8Z4pa7eHxlPpNUE9SWcsyzwg/s200/DSC00322.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247657689622517330" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1RZfeuCe4LAedSwCc8VBDPbC6O_CPMTYF_bvC9Z62Pm7hvJeytvP-2EycU50qFu6wFLdTSBe4bNTsMlTCtJ8k4Gn3manfuytCuBZj76U_pOh0uCs_jtVIleLwuiDhmftiljeGQ7f7DU/s1600-h/DSC00319.JPG"> <img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1RZfeuCe4LAedSwCc8VBDPbC6O_CPMTYF_bvC9Z62Pm7hvJeytvP-2EycU50qFu6wFLdTSBe4bNTsMlTCtJ8k4Gn3manfuytCuBZj76U_pOh0uCs_jtVIleLwuiDhmftiljeGQ7f7DU/s200/DSC00319.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247657685036813042" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VGV7yHwzL0UMDvaoJAHdVGp8YmTx0JoRPPKp8WMrCJGFwq8_QeEOF0hh4egQMYFhw8dQr2fIQLDEZVl5QVl_5qFTYQlSiYg6uxY_H34Hr3nhVdK8zOI_WEYtrw5mJ_AyL-GUAX-qIdc/s1600-h/DSC00333.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VGV7yHwzL0UMDvaoJAHdVGp8YmTx0JoRPPKp8WMrCJGFwq8_QeEOF0hh4egQMYFhw8dQr2fIQLDEZVl5QVl_5qFTYQlSiYg6uxY_H34Hr3nhVdK8zOI_WEYtrw5mJ_AyL-GUAX-qIdc/s200/DSC00333.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247657692060960802" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Photos courtesy of Derrick Jones)</span></span><br /><br />The weather is very nice right now, but <a href="http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/hourbyhour/AUXX0105?from=36hr_topnav_business">the forecast has wind and rain moving in tomorrow morning</a>. We'll be back out tonight for a 4:00pm briefing, and hopefully things will hold off long enough for another 4-5 part flight tomorrow morning.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-57320367196871260182008-09-18T16:10:00.003+02:002008-09-18T16:14:01.995+02:00Live from the Afternoon BriefingTask sheet has 3 parts - fly in, hesitation waltz (6 goals), hesitation waltz (same 6 goals as previous ). All free marker drops, pilot selects launch site.<br /><br />Provisional scores are posted for 4 of the 5 tasks this morning. Paul had 900's on all of them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-21854567097806189952008-09-18T11:38:00.002+02:002008-09-18T11:40:58.615+02:00Worlds, Day 5Five tasks, four markers, and 2 hours 45 minutes in the air. Finally a Worlds-type flight.<br /><br />A five-task flight, light surface winds, and chilly 34 degree temperatures greeted us this morning. <a href="http://www.balloon2008.com/index.php?id=2&L=1">The task sheet and CRAT diagram are on </a><a href="http://www.balloon2008.com/index.php?id=2&L=1">the event's website (click here)</a>, so I won't go into the technical details. I will say that Paul landed with no markers, timed the CRAT right, and picked up all 3 data points needed for the land run. Most of the other US pilots did the same, although many others missed either one of the hesitation waltz MSA's or didn't cross the powerlines for the land run in time. <span style="font-style: italic;">Perhaps</span> we made up a little ground. <br /><br />Both of our ground teams were busy this morning, so we didn't get a chance to snap off a lot of photos. Below is the inflation, congestion at the CRAT, and an approach on the second hesitation waltz.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VR7NqGVz9xOpEHu0IVpIDY-ZWnZsLMYdE9dW9IBLFVPitAWy_jIHPrSxk36Wvl_-W6TA48slA4Tp-ScO1sgjztgR8ajZUI0tyEeIzGqgtjoEYjdCncsIZGE8glnxl1_3py5Sc1VcPoM/s1600-h/100_1628.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VR7NqGVz9xOpEHu0IVpIDY-ZWnZsLMYdE9dW9IBLFVPitAWy_jIHPrSxk36Wvl_-W6TA48slA4Tp-ScO1sgjztgR8ajZUI0tyEeIzGqgtjoEYjdCncsIZGE8glnxl1_3py5Sc1VcPoM/s200/100_1628.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247290081854320338" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7B3FUv2yiT9-YXsdzHNRtkBg177bkOB_J-W9a61iXNvULLjLMWqTU4Ew2-b_KxeLAoo5NfCvveNXFKAnwuZbIGccKbMw6fquEO2gkPCFrAMGaSe3KuaIRX3yKfeaW0FF4NQT96C7Lvdo/s1600-h/100_1631.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7B3FUv2yiT9-YXsdzHNRtkBg177bkOB_J-W9a61iXNvULLjLMWqTU4Ew2-b_KxeLAoo5NfCvveNXFKAnwuZbIGccKbMw6fquEO2gkPCFrAMGaSe3KuaIRX3yKfeaW0FF4NQT96C7Lvdo/s200/100_1631.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247290088765298882" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGm9CGKLzl8zmoxI65hnpTjqLhvVvTxRLN1RsZ7a4mf70qDjoXyrlse9t5-x44svKBh8iwLBoQT-L3J0NCx2TVeDGNaV2MPM71gECpFttlc579GTrKpLX3Kngq2Hq_i1O7MatDeafKSSw/s1600-h/100_1633.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGm9CGKLzl8zmoxI65hnpTjqLhvVvTxRLN1RsZ7a4mf70qDjoXyrlse9t5-x44svKBh8iwLBoQT-L3J0NCx2TVeDGNaV2MPM71gECpFttlc579GTrKpLX3Kngq2Hq_i1O7MatDeafKSSw/s200/100_1633.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247290092509569442" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRLQ4IheydfyTZlHK4ZGTERG0F2nyX8f1-FULejYbM9JRuMFEiFiACrTB4bZ9ttoKNwSLSepmTNGKoR2WtFbYOoo5S4ApwPCQdPn8_atTRsuLGIp6IpSoRgky514O3f6AiMgI7Fo4uYI/s1600-h/100_1636.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRLQ4IheydfyTZlHK4ZGTERG0F2nyX8f1-FULejYbM9JRuMFEiFiACrTB4bZ9ttoKNwSLSepmTNGKoR2WtFbYOoo5S4ApwPCQdPn8_atTRsuLGIp6IpSoRgky514O3f6AiMgI7Fo4uYI/s200/100_1636.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247290097298791154" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidI70aUBTKMJHqabdr0PF_91EtpL2m0pcp2Ido6tSbPaEC5vqtpe4iszAqWWQ_roil2VgGGlDXxwBk6nkjNYVIbj3Bc3MwPPq2jJHCPxHTegNJAo2YU5W1NeR0uKKgBNsoQi8b8m5Q4vY/s1600-h/100_1639.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidI70aUBTKMJHqabdr0PF_91EtpL2m0pcp2Ido6tSbPaEC5vqtpe4iszAqWWQ_roil2VgGGlDXxwBk6nkjNYVIbj3Bc3MwPPq2jJHCPxHTegNJAo2YU5W1NeR0uKKgBNsoQi8b8m5Q4vY/s200/100_1639.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247290098648144402" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a-dPjI2vRLS6vdjc5r3B8XwoTwqa59Zzpf-V9E682REZn4FPy7vnNqoJ_d7h7mnTbkQWPcGXrLc8al1SHqD7Qy8izbHVEeTjy_wiPtJxGT75lxG3Ubak6VaProTG33Os9thInIZon3c/s1600-h/100_1640.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a-dPjI2vRLS6vdjc5r3B8XwoTwqa59Zzpf-V9E682REZn4FPy7vnNqoJ_d7h7mnTbkQWPcGXrLc8al1SHqD7Qy8izbHVEeTjy_wiPtJxGT75lxG3Ubak6VaProTG33Os9thInIZon3c/s200/100_1640.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247290967987156114" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7jPAxQKSxr90UZUHSLPH1cLSuGyeacrY1EMjXoQMDPmY5POLjyY2eV0BN7imIzQLutnQtY-SZmDNNweWIbLjVrngStuWjghWd0tumMHJStfbeCOJLpGHtGoFhUeiOr48LLbNBST-nQY8/s1600-h/100_1643.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7jPAxQKSxr90UZUHSLPH1cLSuGyeacrY1EMjXoQMDPmY5POLjyY2eV0BN7imIzQLutnQtY-SZmDNNweWIbLjVrngStuWjghWd0tumMHJStfbeCOJLpGHtGoFhUeiOr48LLbNBST-nQY8/s200/100_1643.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247290971609768626" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxuNsoV4bKBIcjyAmQouQCO7TtK59cwJSHzYn-VexRfimWttMzEBO6Mm1gLd0Sarutk4KcKS36nR2VHC3srKnaopkZSFfyISUOGOUZ9r4OaZEt3af9zBv61j5MEwNpILNuCxLevF_igc/s1600-h/100_1644.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxuNsoV4bKBIcjyAmQouQCO7TtK59cwJSHzYn-VexRfimWttMzEBO6Mm1gLd0Sarutk4KcKS36nR2VHC3srKnaopkZSFfyISUOGOUZ9r4OaZEt3af9zBv61j5MEwNpILNuCxLevF_igc/s200/100_1644.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247291000361239682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The event is maintaining a web album of photos submitted by pilots and crews. It's available <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/WMballoon2008/">here</a>.<br /><br />The weather for this afternoon looks good. At 11:30am the winds are still light, so it doesn't appear that we'll have the same issues as yesterday.<br /><br />We've been working since about 4:00am this morning (about 7½ hours), so it's now time for some food and probably a little nap.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-83549241875167238142008-09-17T20:56:00.001+02:002008-09-18T12:01:27.140+02:00Warning - No Ballooning in this PostHave you ever stumbled onto a restaurant way off the beaten path that's completely unexpected? We did just that tonight. On a tip from some Texans, we wandered up a hill in Schielleiten (site of Al Nels's 1987 world championship) and walked into a place that had fantastic spareribs. For 7.20 € (about $10 USD).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-2T_6WMawAZA8A3N9b_LgClbjssYWCmE6URM4aBUrhOsLInYx4Gs68bpjFU7x9rN_6xA_nuJE1TS9_oSF-rj65nxTZPV7IxEbIJWb26GJ6JTBw0jd1PevtqesWQm_koa1vM-_qoJHI8/s1600-h/100_1616.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-2T_6WMawAZA8A3N9b_LgClbjssYWCmE6URM4aBUrhOsLInYx4Gs68bpjFU7x9rN_6xA_nuJE1TS9_oSF-rj65nxTZPV7IxEbIJWb26GJ6JTBw0jd1PevtqesWQm_koa1vM-_qoJHI8/s200/100_1616.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247065885105190626" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV7RMUH5qroENuI4ECLoiT1Oz-vHC9AuB5hNLNUBNe-u1zJmiJ1KsR7qmRuaolhZYCpWqC35shr2hKaakZNoNDJVWcRH2W6LqFueXxALd55tVPH1rQKsevablewbPsUvXetlpikseBTk/s1600-h/100_1613.JPG"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUznFWLDhjMtWKYiJiOq1peTa1dMJs10DR9hJHHxqViqoJH4_hD1H6qnGSy_Q0CzcNBm6BfVJGRip6vHF0vFsg01Vyj3yZRwOStHtym1Cg1j-dLu9KFhuybS5hOSq0nz9LpVadS4hP6SQ/s1600-h/100_1617.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUznFWLDhjMtWKYiJiOq1peTa1dMJs10DR9hJHHxqViqoJH4_hD1H6qnGSy_Q0CzcNBm6BfVJGRip6vHF0vFsg01Vyj3yZRwOStHtym1Cg1j-dLu9KFhuybS5hOSq0nz9LpVadS4hP6SQ/s200/100_1617.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247065889757767042" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV7RMUH5qroENuI4ECLoiT1Oz-vHC9AuB5hNLNUBNe-u1zJmiJ1KsR7qmRuaolhZYCpWqC35shr2hKaakZNoNDJVWcRH2W6LqFueXxALd55tVPH1rQKsevablewbPsUvXetlpikseBTk/s1600-h/100_1613.JPG"> <img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV7RMUH5qroENuI4ECLoiT1Oz-vHC9AuB5hNLNUBNe-u1zJmiJ1KsR7qmRuaolhZYCpWqC35shr2hKaakZNoNDJVWcRH2W6LqFueXxALd55tVPH1rQKsevablewbPsUvXetlpikseBTk/s200/100_1613.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247064421664207346" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5Qm91g8-ienoogd-UpO-J1d3QQXQnCgzMRhgzV1fgz4In0Esbt-Y-cQurf4LLpFPWiCTf-YC_YfbrXcN5AR_2ucUYdeEhvtqagHHwucdS2iwK3RjwOFGZITXxFdy8R9M557h_D7YfRc/s1600-h/100_1618.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5Qm91g8-ienoogd-UpO-J1d3QQXQnCgzMRhgzV1fgz4In0Esbt-Y-cQurf4LLpFPWiCTf-YC_YfbrXcN5AR_2ucUYdeEhvtqagHHwucdS2iwK3RjwOFGZITXxFdy8R9M557h_D7YfRc/s200/100_1618.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247064423935162514" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHo-Ihd0mEkmNHWffYWaIawxoVQSC9qr3bgnzQ5LNEkv8mmJgSEztx4SVccEc4Y9FNfVyaw0u0kpG0ZsY7TAxAM4codxMm6jyo9_YVhlYeR1lm-SkBE38VyFRxagatLEC4x-2jFAy3PY/s1600-h/100_1619.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHo-Ihd0mEkmNHWffYWaIawxoVQSC9qr3bgnzQ5LNEkv8mmJgSEztx4SVccEc4Y9FNfVyaw0u0kpG0ZsY7TAxAM4codxMm6jyo9_YVhlYeR1lm-SkBE38VyFRxagatLEC4x-2jFAy3PY/s200/100_1619.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247064430232295970" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFt4GIPBC9Mq7chij-5eaiNzck-VDRdg0jK8LRa3D_o_GFzSK9K8VaSeDJ26WMeDU74_TqRPHaOJULuVG1-mJ_s0fa-MsHD-4t6eaOUJWVqKuXL0iHaUhURn6GjVddYCyVENRdkV8O2_g/s1600-h/100_1622.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFt4GIPBC9Mq7chij-5eaiNzck-VDRdg0jK8LRa3D_o_GFzSK9K8VaSeDJ26WMeDU74_TqRPHaOJULuVG1-mJ_s0fa-MsHD-4t6eaOUJWVqKuXL0iHaUhURn6GjVddYCyVENRdkV8O2_g/s200/100_1622.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247064428006094626" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then we headed back to the hospitality tent for a apfelschmarrn, a local specialty:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUavV_ef23yPE2mi82HC8LYcVuPtuSUVFcHXCHLkdKKVo7P8GAxxoPf-of1xnsTP2Fe1MAbARJUA1Ggv5-MSaSw_HOxApRMXMdGGJ2tuQRI2PBKU7zkjAhvXnFnoeB1AD72U3uVDppdAs/s1600-h/100_1626.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUavV_ef23yPE2mi82HC8LYcVuPtuSUVFcHXCHLkdKKVo7P8GAxxoPf-of1xnsTP2Fe1MAbARJUA1Ggv5-MSaSw_HOxApRMXMdGGJ2tuQRI2PBKU7zkjAhvXnFnoeB1AD72U3uVDppdAs/s200/100_1626.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247064434670817618" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuLX7c8fHF4zptLWaXaF21qv90QPVEE78LydW_aoXWnGr18S65Daip3eb-WC30lSfH2k3L0YT2_7mtuCtFkFuTSuJ3p4Qs0qI2R44bcDZkFrJjVj18APnZHwY0ou9cbMEPXaz9VzEZDM/s1600-h/100_1627.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuLX7c8fHF4zptLWaXaF21qv90QPVEE78LydW_aoXWnGr18S65Daip3eb-WC30lSfH2k3L0YT2_7mtuCtFkFuTSuJ3p4Qs0qI2R44bcDZkFrJjVj18APnZHwY0ou9cbMEPXaz9VzEZDM/s200/100_1627.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247064952964678130" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Right now a German band is playing <span style="font-style: italic;">Walk of Life</span> by Dire Straits.<br /><br />Gotta go, battery is dying.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-15889404148902338022008-09-17T18:23:00.000+02:002008-09-17T18:23:59.731+02:00Flight canceledAfter a 90 minute hold, the winds never let up. Tonight's flight was canceled.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVRrD9tqfNGun249i4Cjc7oI77VjTnyxxnvVFHgtK-B4XuEHt_0sjyHPDNChUZtgBJf6i-qSRl0A1H8iiKZjNTbqGCg05381v0_2wSJlquHHgu53Bx1T2c3Ijb901xEtb6HWwwxho0K0/s1600-h/100_1606.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVRrD9tqfNGun249i4Cjc7oI77VjTnyxxnvVFHgtK-B4XuEHt_0sjyHPDNChUZtgBJf6i-qSRl0A1H8iiKZjNTbqGCg05381v0_2wSJlquHHgu53Bx1T2c3Ijb901xEtb6HWwwxho0K0/s200/100_1606.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247026306414486722" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ftfr95rpB8GgjNjNrCjOur58apMA34JbQPcB6rXqTj50M3Hqkg56HuyXJCXPY-j_q7JYWgLuFnaRkY7_Md-1lDKJykTbvjRYMc4og6LAAUESrY1tMc-AiCuZBORWQE2adbNuPl2GpG0/s1600-h/100_1605.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ftfr95rpB8GgjNjNrCjOur58apMA34JbQPcB6rXqTj50M3Hqkg56HuyXJCXPY-j_q7JYWgLuFnaRkY7_Md-1lDKJykTbvjRYMc4og6LAAUESrY1tMc-AiCuZBORWQE2adbNuPl2GpG0/s200/100_1605.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247026289157977090" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgB4nkf-NhXD9DUDYXpwt2aXQiZEzaJAqDfQdMOqu71nYwBLc7AnwwNr0Ep4_4hntQdeP6hxrqe5eADWwapHcmOa0Pxa4iFePxLTIQqBC-aKtl1TyDMCoQ8ds0ft_oYHsjX_mS0qV-Jw/s1600-h/100_1610.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgB4nkf-NhXD9DUDYXpwt2aXQiZEzaJAqDfQdMOqu71nYwBLc7AnwwNr0Ep4_4hntQdeP6hxrqe5eADWwapHcmOa0Pxa4iFePxLTIQqBC-aKtl1TyDMCoQ8ds0ft_oYHsjX_mS0qV-Jw/s200/100_1610.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247026296876325794" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Tomorrow morning is supposed to be cold, 33-35 degrees. Fortunately we've perfected our mobile tank heating system.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-84752421414213813582008-09-17T16:50:00.000+02:002008-09-17T16:50:59.117+02:00Live from the Afternoon BriefingTwo parts: a hare-and-hound with 2 lead balloons (one marker, scored to the nearest hare) and a hesitation waltz (MJDG) with 4 goals. Common launch point, from the field outside the briefing tent. Free marker drops on both. It's gusty right now (15 kt), but they're saying that will weaken after 5:00pm.<br /><br />They're forecasting high pressure for tomorrow, with weak northerly winds. Hopefully lots of tasks in the morning...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-69193554356473201482008-09-17T15:29:00.005+02:002008-09-17T15:37:22.865+02:00Results from Tasks 1 & 2Results from this morning's flight (tasks 1 & 2) are now posted on the Results section of <a href="http://www.balloon2008.com/index.php?id=2&L=1">the event's website</a>:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.balloon2008.com/fileadmin/user_upload/wmresults/Worlds2008Index.html">http://www.balloon2008.com/fileadmin/user_upload/wmresults/Worlds2008Index.html</a><br /><br />We got a couple-hour nap in this afternoon. It's a little windy right now, so we just received a text that the 4:00pm briefing has been re-scheduled for 4:30pm.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-57053243749507724652008-09-17T09:41:00.012+02:002008-09-17T10:21:06.900+02:00Worlds, Day 4Finally, some tasks.<br /><br />Even though you could only see them for 100' or so, our 4:30am pibals at the cottage showed lots of wind just above the surface. However, things were a little calmer outside the briefing tent at 5:30am. We arrived to a 2-task flight, both Hesitation Waltz's with 3 goals. We would use a common launch site (just outside the briefing tent) and gravity marker drops were specified for both. The wind was scheduled to pick up significantly just after 8:30am, so the idea was to get up and down quickly. One thing I really like about this event is that the briefings are early. When we exited the tent it was still pitch black, almost an hour before sunrise. That gives plenty of time to go out, find a launch site, and steer your way into targets. With this morning's common launch site it meant we had a little waiting to do, but that's just fine by me. The green flag came up right about sunrise, and about 100 fans immediately started.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQbjpA_vzl08W9Q3P4J6J1Zh2rO94rMgipi7mCviwLtKPkgtppDU0E02XAhxr2oq0fEza2ijj-MTzBAK1zpHTTB__HGH37ESpCtGBXytUHH1fFXoe9TD6M3bRLIj4zfiKEvHSp8qhwdXA/s1600-h/100_1570.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQbjpA_vzl08W9Q3P4J6J1Zh2rO94rMgipi7mCviwLtKPkgtppDU0E02XAhxr2oq0fEza2ijj-MTzBAK1zpHTTB__HGH37ESpCtGBXytUHH1fFXoe9TD6M3bRLIj4zfiKEvHSp8qhwdXA/s200/100_1570.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246893616193424930" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8NvKU4tladhYFJ14nqcowMMV-7bA7CZHGjje2EHTt8LgMDCkU_MYSAqucq5TMTHnh-xAi-rjtz1Qz3_CEaK8k63lzDszWEOrT0XFdq2qXOmYuAzjZV6qnpxpci6CUFcWfGBwqIKwuJ8/s1600-h/100_1572.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8NvKU4tladhYFJ14nqcowMMV-7bA7CZHGjje2EHTt8LgMDCkU_MYSAqucq5TMTHnh-xAi-rjtz1Qz3_CEaK8k63lzDszWEOrT0XFdq2qXOmYuAzjZV6qnpxpci6CUFcWfGBwqIKwuJ8/s200/100_1572.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246893619424146242" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVuHprLaBgH4edeolfYxCwp9VLbcaJsz-jj9qb6d9iQ8oncHLuK4sPJFc3Qq6toXcBlQSl2g6OUJCXfxchJlQFDL9-s26nF98mOIc1aLAITeHBK-4ow2bDDqoXNiBLmOvHvg2fAeDl2c/s1600-h/100_1574.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVuHprLaBgH4edeolfYxCwp9VLbcaJsz-jj9qb6d9iQ8oncHLuK4sPJFc3Qq6toXcBlQSl2g6OUJCXfxchJlQFDL9-s26nF98mOIc1aLAITeHBK-4ow2bDDqoXNiBLmOvHvg2fAeDl2c/s200/100_1574.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246893626371656706" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3qjrDmrORRae-V75_RWBpdYfgURXqzPTFgt53FV7Bn7r_lorjqvb_5y0mzYVrrSH99gL_mzp3Z7F3_wQXHXaq3U_UIppNu3dwOzzdlMz4AG0FvvWlBlBoduT6hBvDZy_9NnkcZW-S94/s1600-h/100_1577.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3qjrDmrORRae-V75_RWBpdYfgURXqzPTFgt53FV7Bn7r_lorjqvb_5y0mzYVrrSH99gL_mzp3Z7F3_wQXHXaq3U_UIppNu3dwOzzdlMz4AG0FvvWlBlBoduT6hBvDZy_9NnkcZW-S94/s200/100_1577.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246893641013631746" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVUb6_Xa9_JaOGU4oBLWfbAeMCnFKx5SCB_Y1RbAnN7ChiZ_CTb8PkP6exxg4XKXXWJzSXCOtfQmA-hkz9Qt6PxbHrFrzMkWsD4usyXFRP2NoxXEY3l4PJ4UU3jHLRV57OcDFtxbzGKQ/s1600-h/100_1580.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVUb6_Xa9_JaOGU4oBLWfbAeMCnFKx5SCB_Y1RbAnN7ChiZ_CTb8PkP6exxg4XKXXWJzSXCOtfQmA-hkz9Qt6PxbHrFrzMkWsD4usyXFRP2NoxXEY3l4PJ4UU3jHLRV57OcDFtxbzGKQ/s200/100_1580.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246893643401055378" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For the first task, most pilots chose a goal that was on a soccer field. Shawn and Larry (in our lead vehicle) talked Paul into that one. We estimate his drop at 12-15 meters.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajcWqEKjzRD3Oza8zjXYszvy1n_MIeWFS4oBOtTxAAQ_zw0JlivRXA56gcVDOv9MaLvQXRBpU2Fh86N1GZ9H6LbqBpGuv0Y1CRgP14ooxvOG-PVKLy3V0fRFuRLY-jAbxXgNTQBOgA4I/s1600-h/101_0598.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajcWqEKjzRD3Oza8zjXYszvy1n_MIeWFS4oBOtTxAAQ_zw0JlivRXA56gcVDOv9MaLvQXRBpU2Fh86N1GZ9H6LbqBpGuv0Y1CRgP14ooxvOG-PVKLy3V0fRFuRLY-jAbxXgNTQBOgA4I/s200/101_0598.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246895790188075426" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7g8hna9Phdvcwtn0eLjReOQ62Sia0A6N9LUhFaq3axDytxa1OVO7YcEtfgewwpArzItM5QiV7DQhyphenhyphen_0Fb9ISDKhaI5S3YsBJHBkveL3rPXrfkBWlDd46CNNTAGTHbCtwuqa6YF9Tlwk/s1600-h/101_0599.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7g8hna9Phdvcwtn0eLjReOQ62Sia0A6N9LUhFaq3axDytxa1OVO7YcEtfgewwpArzItM5QiV7DQhyphenhyphen_0Fb9ISDKhaI5S3YsBJHBkveL3rPXrfkBWlDd46CNNTAGTHbCtwuqa6YF9Tlwk/s200/101_0599.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246895797011464210" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWq5q9JOA8CCF0ctcK0b7rXJNoUJyZfkaxeBhXnttSVCiW6IdArBFk-atTCuLNj3dVMg2j62EzRsnqgpec5pvzgViaRys9zrvwvESHPHyXF5Af7WjF8f19xAdwpwdxMbY0zxYQhZqBHk/s1600-h/101_0600.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWq5q9JOA8CCF0ctcK0b7rXJNoUJyZfkaxeBhXnttSVCiW6IdArBFk-atTCuLNj3dVMg2j62EzRsnqgpec5pvzgViaRys9zrvwvESHPHyXF5Af7WjF8f19xAdwpwdxMbY0zxYQhZqBHk/s200/101_0600.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246895802293528466" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXQiHzQEmDjWJ5Kq5XRNuRCK4glBugkwqLBaIZ2edWbkoLFtHBMeQL44L57EQVcQKCAw0cVsw8JX4cZ3mA-eft2pDJcHNZJZXEsDf7b5AtTjFgoXmBwcqpTnRDH2QrhjaNGwryCvZ_Wo/s1600-h/101_0601.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXQiHzQEmDjWJ5Kq5XRNuRCK4glBugkwqLBaIZ2edWbkoLFtHBMeQL44L57EQVcQKCAw0cVsw8JX4cZ3mA-eft2pDJcHNZJZXEsDf7b5AtTjFgoXmBwcqpTnRDH2QrhjaNGwryCvZ_Wo/s200/101_0601.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246895805237735970" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Photos courtesy of Larry Coan)</span></span><br /><br />He actually made runs on 2 goals for the second task, taking a logger track point just outside the measured scoring area of an upwind one (as a backup) before flying on and dropping a marker (in traffic) at about 12-15 meters from one further downwind. Of course we have no idea how these will stack up, but we do know that not everyone got 2 markers on the ground.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3JC5u74W_uFu_BVj4bchamrK_mNOggM2z2khL-cK1CJZHC65rg3V49vpf1aJ8eIqBFHwcpSr3lAXdQ98X_xrtrfVZyr1Vg9MQU6iCIYQUEti7XqunNsf232vES9POyfpnUt7hMRsn8L8/s1600-h/100_1583.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3JC5u74W_uFu_BVj4bchamrK_mNOggM2z2khL-cK1CJZHC65rg3V49vpf1aJ8eIqBFHwcpSr3lAXdQ98X_xrtrfVZyr1Vg9MQU6iCIYQUEti7XqunNsf232vES9POyfpnUt7hMRsn8L8/s200/100_1583.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246895045056028178" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgQ84P8Gs4B0n7pn6JOogusgg38M5J1qf5vhBhmXGQTB2Re-ZMPon9xI0kHRXs1Z1VDnjRyBreAADTOpNyOLMX1vKghBXGajmmCHbtmNDq2ZlwbJtJG2jU3ylN57DhpUihQZNcZKGFJQ/s1600-h/100_1584.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgQ84P8Gs4B0n7pn6JOogusgg38M5J1qf5vhBhmXGQTB2Re-ZMPon9xI0kHRXs1Z1VDnjRyBreAADTOpNyOLMX1vKghBXGajmmCHbtmNDq2ZlwbJtJG2jU3ylN57DhpUihQZNcZKGFJQ/s200/100_1584.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246895047922274434" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmXJLbON0fcicsLjkCtIgGNTCmcF_7OcAas6Z4XSeJ-V0I3R3OKZS5PRbH6H5dETZyOiMAOTrGUiLmEi3u-ur5s0hnARxjgnADd0m337oOtqus9z0oGjojiPvaZZR7zNiwOF3bivxgOU/s1600-h/100_1588.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmXJLbON0fcicsLjkCtIgGNTCmcF_7OcAas6Z4XSeJ-V0I3R3OKZS5PRbH6H5dETZyOiMAOTrGUiLmEi3u-ur5s0hnARxjgnADd0m337oOtqus9z0oGjojiPvaZZR7zNiwOF3bivxgOU/s200/100_1588.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246895057769860834" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VyGIjtFdFLgbZjcWHWFUov4AvrXbQ8c_ffxeIL863IfLFQNb-hq6UaugNbvCk0YZPyQViW-uatklGkDw9IpFo9MqPySQqpv_n-ff493H1W-twtdpWniAVFA_GfK3Rql_kx7-3i6QTss/s1600-h/100_1591.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VyGIjtFdFLgbZjcWHWFUov4AvrXbQ8c_ffxeIL863IfLFQNb-hq6UaugNbvCk0YZPyQViW-uatklGkDw9IpFo9MqPySQqpv_n-ff493H1W-twtdpWniAVFA_GfK3Rql_kx7-3i6QTss/s200/100_1591.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246895064547445154" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNRJHFgdmakZBTTLLYv6Toh6q_2rumGjkeVH6gzl1XX33p6ZzC99JzUTCHwGAn5xJFkHPnaneZLfOgOTlMicMe8QUuukanIpZK8czN2InptZy98tACE8TmdtUo4PsSxzsLBkHg-JyMmE/s1600-h/100_1594.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNRJHFgdmakZBTTLLYv6Toh6q_2rumGjkeVH6gzl1XX33p6ZzC99JzUTCHwGAn5xJFkHPnaneZLfOgOTlMicMe8QUuukanIpZK8czN2InptZy98tACE8TmdtUo4PsSxzsLBkHg-JyMmE/s200/100_1594.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246895075832285570" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAK0EsLKI60fjYkSBQ3-2M8XtPaB6cMjD3lQ33eEDjras6TRqnucXZ21RRfSnmO_WAAbTnxZQxmJw_7yvikBKGkyNlaJZqwsJUg5v_AvEQmrUQ3xjT1Xku8BpO8rpajHA8TjE_qStzZuI/s1600-h/100_1596.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAK0EsLKI60fjYkSBQ3-2M8XtPaB6cMjD3lQ33eEDjras6TRqnucXZ21RRfSnmO_WAAbTnxZQxmJw_7yvikBKGkyNlaJZqwsJUg5v_AvEQmrUQ3xjT1Xku8BpO8rpajHA8TjE_qStzZuI/s200/100_1596.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246896673672644946" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We then waited in a pretty long propane line. Like they predicted, the wind picked up (probably 15-20 knots) right around 8:45am. Remember when I said smoking was pretty popular in Europe? I saw more people smoking in this line than I have in 27 years of being in them in the US. One guy right in front of us was lighting up 5' downwind of a basket in which someone was disconnecting fittings. I tried to get a photo, but he walked off (I think he realized what I was doing).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFqAPcwYi_3UsIwxBVPMw89GPNgaDoHXDJ-HctxEniLm4zNN2kI3OCqTF91rgqBREV-nvt4VyXVwroMwyaU838VmwmbV9t-3Db1gWnkbsYp9J5R47qS0qpMOx8H8hnWmTmCMp_3fTySI/s1600-h/100_1597.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFqAPcwYi_3UsIwxBVPMw89GPNgaDoHXDJ-HctxEniLm4zNN2kI3OCqTF91rgqBREV-nvt4VyXVwroMwyaU838VmwmbV9t-3Db1gWnkbsYp9J5R47qS0qpMOx8H8hnWmTmCMp_3fTySI/s200/100_1597.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246896683998921794" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In terms of seeing scores, your best bet will probably be to look at <a href="http://www.balloon2008.com/index.php?id=2&L=1">the event's website</a>. They seem to be updating it pretty regularly (including photos of this morning's flight), so hopefully they'll show up there first. With our Internet situation here, you may see them before we do.<br /><br />On the social front, after last nights cancellation we paraded 3 vehicles down to the Murpark shopping center in Graz. Not many purchases were made, but it was interesting to see a European version of what we call a "mall" in the US. We even found a restaurant that served Buffalo wings.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwvWLqA5x9QtoLBGHD_eQ2YJHDi24XBa9-iDR2ZMi67IEVHzoupQ_2esWMCe1YekXd2ArdxXzQ9esFI_ijIkSrp1VxSrzD7D1A4ljbeTACi_lpBTQDYXT2BOS24lyxrK4JmiBzhKIuSU/s1600-h/100_1550.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwvWLqA5x9QtoLBGHD_eQ2YJHDi24XBa9-iDR2ZMi67IEVHzoupQ_2esWMCe1YekXd2ArdxXzQ9esFI_ijIkSrp1VxSrzD7D1A4ljbeTACi_lpBTQDYXT2BOS24lyxrK4JmiBzhKIuSU/s200/100_1550.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246899186592815506" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoQBGrnkql_5JLqkUUhKUan43SQK1llh9nzdFYPP3iDaDzBFogtk0FHMtEqZ3UYFPOgMV8t4Ruo_QfY1-Xm3IPUbOkCJm8b4kmUsS_wm4ZUriKoVNvcs9N-LqyVwednaDzuxafe1jF84/s1600-h/100_1551.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoQBGrnkql_5JLqkUUhKUan43SQK1llh9nzdFYPP3iDaDzBFogtk0FHMtEqZ3UYFPOgMV8t4Ruo_QfY1-Xm3IPUbOkCJm8b4kmUsS_wm4ZUriKoVNvcs9N-LqyVwednaDzuxafe1jF84/s200/100_1551.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246899189965597826" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCfAbODaSE4dhEpCd9hHUgQSyTp0gZppKu6piT21iTsfPzuX3kWG9JU2_w-RGvfPUl2qu4hmm7dpN4o2lviwyY69UatYW8mEZ7gabn15V7VwCvD-QCRKiPRwO4M24enjXv60-aJfSRtg/s1600-h/100_1555.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCfAbODaSE4dhEpCd9hHUgQSyTp0gZppKu6piT21iTsfPzuX3kWG9JU2_w-RGvfPUl2qu4hmm7dpN4o2lviwyY69UatYW8mEZ7gabn15V7VwCvD-QCRKiPRwO4M24enjXv60-aJfSRtg/s200/100_1555.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246899193678888578" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'll admit that I wasn't paying much attention to any longer-term forecast that was being given at this morning's briefing, but I think things still look pretty good for the next couple days. Two-part mornings aren't typical at an event like this, but it was definitely the right call today. However, I think we all hope that the next couple mornings bring the "good, long, complicated flight" that David Levin articulated yesterday. In the meantime, we'll grab some lunch, charge some laptops, and get ready for this afternoon's 4:00pm briefing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-30475085744775288582008-09-16T16:01:00.007+02:002008-09-16T16:52:51.545+02:00Worlds, Day 3 (part II)We now have Internet in the briefing tent, so this post is "live".<br /><br />It's spitting rain outside right now, and there's a little wind. The pibal on the weather sheet indicates winds of 55 kt at 600 meters MSL (200 meters AGL). No flight tonight. Things look better for tomorrow. David Levin just said that if we fly tomorrow, it will be a "good, long, complicated flight".<br /><br />I'm really trying to come up with balloon content for those that are interested. Here's a photo of the printed competition map, which of course no one is using (but we do have copies in the basket and chase vehicle):<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBYcLQaZ6cft92iSdjPHXCNSNoUhUlHtHy7VK1zODzZ6TRbiNP-ZLgF7BDw1laDgowxlaMR3f2DbASHoyW2fwju0CHFZwNdKyLLuNnkK2IARiQ3O9J8pWq3fOEDWDB9SDFhHxByjZ9UA/s1600-h/100_1546.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBYcLQaZ6cft92iSdjPHXCNSNoUhUlHtHy7VK1zODzZ6TRbiNP-ZLgF7BDw1laDgowxlaMR3f2DbASHoyW2fwju0CHFZwNdKyLLuNnkK2IARiQ3O9J8pWq3fOEDWDB9SDFhHxByjZ9UA/s200/100_1546.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246621640234341266" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And here's the hospitality and briefing tents:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_YHxIQ2q4VJ92tBDVFvWXK5l4d3PTq5Z-OvElcwzDpy2GjMfoKsakr4HErKLzm7zLOihnthgZMBXGTaEvb_GbCM-28PUN1HxKWcXcDnweHcGseTqTseVT44L6mog_lXPcs8WrFdxcS0/s1600-h/100_1544.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_YHxIQ2q4VJ92tBDVFvWXK5l4d3PTq5Z-OvElcwzDpy2GjMfoKsakr4HErKLzm7zLOihnthgZMBXGTaEvb_GbCM-28PUN1HxKWcXcDnweHcGseTqTseVT44L6mog_lXPcs8WrFdxcS0/s200/100_1544.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246621625571313026" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFxj4uG7eGRFmcUs6WtrjtXsSnWcBfS-qRGvNfFJCf-5z3umGZ-Z2W6gQwdQEUZj2u84mJ8whQ01kGGaQtcHoTarIsgVk1tnDygTmK9DQj1rCq8MjI7hzUQP88EE5Sf-rCvq_iNERa-c/s1600-h/100_1545.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFxj4uG7eGRFmcUs6WtrjtXsSnWcBfS-qRGvNfFJCf-5z3umGZ-Z2W6gQwdQEUZj2u84mJ8whQ01kGGaQtcHoTarIsgVk1tnDygTmK9DQj1rCq8MjI7hzUQP88EE5Sf-rCvq_iNERa-c/s200/100_1545.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246621635592967794" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's my laundry, drying Europe-style. At 45 degrees, it takes about 2 days:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKzJlYRGx81BKfhAoIWK4gAjnNwZhwXIVfdYjmQdLpZ2qqUiRJ1K1Iqtt5klZ0L8qP-aHbRgQFxGummnSkItaoeiQIgDgx39jLXohhRJOVgCj8410u2wiuzRAPZPcszo3u2wOjko7yBQ/s1600-h/100_1548.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKzJlYRGx81BKfhAoIWK4gAjnNwZhwXIVfdYjmQdLpZ2qqUiRJ1K1Iqtt5klZ0L8qP-aHbRgQFxGummnSkItaoeiQIgDgx39jLXohhRJOVgCj8410u2wiuzRAPZPcszo3u2wOjko7yBQ/s200/100_1548.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246621643052461042" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the non-balloon front, dark chocolate flavored with hot peppers is big here. We've tried the mango/cayenne, and just bought (but haven't yet tried) the maracuja/jalapeno:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vAhe97OV7gBL5HeE1DAUOvEe1z9zD_sBToMK-ce3BdcZDp8WbQzwHywUqf3M4EgQse37rMEVxS2Q1uzY863RVtnz2HSGjQ_vahqGMCpanhOmFMxE1QjB-BClPbLjNmOmE9Gm84x9s-4/s1600-h/100_1549.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vAhe97OV7gBL5HeE1DAUOvEe1z9zD_sBToMK-ce3BdcZDp8WbQzwHywUqf3M4EgQse37rMEVxS2Q1uzY863RVtnz2HSGjQ_vahqGMCpanhOmFMxE1QjB-BClPbLjNmOmE9Gm84x9s-4/s200/100_1549.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246621649540039234" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886948439742436316.post-23661314466037662032008-09-16T09:36:00.010+02:002008-09-16T10:35:06.959+02:00Worlds, Day 3You might have noticed that there was only one update yesterday. When we drove back out in the evening to check in and call home, the Internet service at the hospitality tent was down. The signal had been generally reliable (albeit weak) up to that point, so hopefully it was a one-time thing. We are online now, but unfortunately it's 4:00am at home so talking to our families isn't really a practical option. Overall I've gotten to talk to my wife and kids about every-other day, with most calls averaging 10 minutes or so. It's tough.<br /><br />Last night at 9:30pm we received yet another text message indicating that this morning's briefing was canceled. Right now it's overcast and fairly windy. That makes us 0-for-5 on launches so far, with 9 opportunities left. According to <a href="http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/local/AUXX0105?lswe=Hartberg&lwsa=Weather36HourBusinessTravelerCommand&from=searchbox_typeahead">The Weather Channel</a>, 60% chance of rain persists through midnight tonight. However that drops to 20% for tomorrow morning, with winds in the 7-8 mph range. We then have 3 days of favorable forecasts before a 60% chance of rain returns for Saturday, the last day of competition. Technically they only need 2 flights and 3 tasks to have a valid championship, although everyone certainly wants a lot more than that. So I suspect that once the weather does clear, we'll be extra busy.<br /><br />I'm not really sure what we'll do today. There's an organized tour of a local brewery at 11:00am, and hopefully we'll have a briefing (if not flying) this evening. Although we have satellite TV at the house we get only one channel in English (a European version of CNN), and you can only watch so much coverage of the current "market crisis" before you go nuts.<br /><br />Knowing we had the entire day off yesterday, we decided to drive south to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graz">Graz</a>. The city is a very interesting combination of very old architecture with very modern pieces mixed in. For example, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murinsel">Murinsel</a> mid-river cafe shown below and the "heart-like" <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunsthaus_Graz">Kunsthaus</a><b> </b>modern art museum. We started our journey by walking up to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grazer_Schlo%C3%9Fberg">The Schloßberg</a>, a castle on a hill. There's a really nice shopping district there as well. The funny thing was that throughout the day we ran into 10 or 15 other teams from all different countries doing the same thing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeup5-vdySsmZZOgmwZojWTPfZ1IYYy7Zi2rG4JSIfNpCyRYexb6GnweizuJ9WZ_TFtzzAoljrZkhxB8UA9TdPEKCDw7Htpe9j-bBgfjwbrc9bRTyku1k2X05W8x0sBdQrQNmf31M0Rl8/s1600-h/100_1508.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeup5-vdySsmZZOgmwZojWTPfZ1IYYy7Zi2rG4JSIfNpCyRYexb6GnweizuJ9WZ_TFtzzAoljrZkhxB8UA9TdPEKCDw7Htpe9j-bBgfjwbrc9bRTyku1k2X05W8x0sBdQrQNmf31M0Rl8/s200/100_1508.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246525028085879890" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCd6ekChK8C-jhf5eK-zKCp4RRjUrnmr1viC_Ya3YWKKFi50LJ4dbuF8gR4AEupzqm4lamGHozrNFzpxbAhNl5UCfzgSgZJVq5XdkbOVXUVO7qAhcSU7RnMOYvFq9arDpgK8OzcmR1Ik/s1600-h/100_1513.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCd6ekChK8C-jhf5eK-zKCp4RRjUrnmr1viC_Ya3YWKKFi50LJ4dbuF8gR4AEupzqm4lamGHozrNFzpxbAhNl5UCfzgSgZJVq5XdkbOVXUVO7qAhcSU7RnMOYvFq9arDpgK8OzcmR1Ik/s200/100_1513.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246525033679546578" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBb8NM8-p-MSjF3Sf5du0yMNKXFN0UaqXyM4oW5-XngojcP0Yajjl1rf1yIuS2BUMlwPaA559ZCSjEuIdNwjzKxZOEHPw6_u1ob87ycHVNN1WL2fZ0uM4NBP4h9E4MIRVTVKc-QFeA84/s1600-h/100_1516.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBb8NM8-p-MSjF3Sf5du0yMNKXFN0UaqXyM4oW5-XngojcP0Yajjl1rf1yIuS2BUMlwPaA559ZCSjEuIdNwjzKxZOEHPw6_u1ob87ycHVNN1WL2fZ0uM4NBP4h9E4MIRVTVKc-QFeA84/s200/100_1516.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246525038919515442" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYE3DzaGrJcOWOCuqjxQ5tsHCD6VzKACMHX0qK98oWNrfLLC5CnlBB8EzEaov0IP3lsVqgwM9uYbBfcOJ9XCgmnPqORlVkmN6iF47cAsfTNFTysURjCccCw-9x3nShMWQCWkNtSXUncnY/s1600-h/100_1519.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYE3DzaGrJcOWOCuqjxQ5tsHCD6VzKACMHX0qK98oWNrfLLC5CnlBB8EzEaov0IP3lsVqgwM9uYbBfcOJ9XCgmnPqORlVkmN6iF47cAsfTNFTysURjCccCw-9x3nShMWQCWkNtSXUncnY/s200/100_1519.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246525046190803762" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMseuzNaQQfhHUeInIugMlH6jfyaA-cHhDHO2oBIrPZlCswnChYqq-oxH-Z2b4QFIdsJ6AScKhxdlzMQ2ewNTTxp1Ydve6I2Ak6SWD-LJ1RGPKp1QgWte0ZDZgw3E0Gw_ReRsNZIMl-E/s1600-h/100_1524.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMseuzNaQQfhHUeInIugMlH6jfyaA-cHhDHO2oBIrPZlCswnChYqq-oxH-Z2b4QFIdsJ6AScKhxdlzMQ2ewNTTxp1Ydve6I2Ak6SWD-LJ1RGPKp1QgWte0ZDZgw3E0Gw_ReRsNZIMl-E/s200/100_1524.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246525051043220466" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zWr2xyVq7OOsyUsGh57NzknjMt-L0IYUitCl7ajFuDLiTdvGDN0GGYwAjmCMBwycIbwPwyh5MEFKbjwbAPjcPcl0nFH5w21GZtbPvfNkna0vW38ISnZf9SGf2DLvZYdKewW6_XMMuHs/s1600-h/100_1527.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_zWr2xyVq7OOsyUsGh57NzknjMt-L0IYUitCl7ajFuDLiTdvGDN0GGYwAjmCMBwycIbwPwyh5MEFKbjwbAPjcPcl0nFH5w21GZtbPvfNkna0vW38ISnZf9SGf2DLvZYdKewW6_XMMuHs/s200/100_1527.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246526451703012946" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Near the end of our walking we ran into something completely unexpected: a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi-Chi%27s">Chi-Chi's</a>, complete with guacamole, fajitas, margaritas, and 10€ ($15 USD) burritos. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi-Chi%27s">They closed all the US locations in 2004, but apparently some still exist in Europe and the Middle East</a>. However, we ended up at McDonalds for another round of Big Macs and fries.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOC4fnJA3RATkpetSxI5UmzHzhq-7TYeqJokxceb1Zddezb0ewVLDiz_ofqwXuXlTPyA4BU4oUcCl9hsWNk-hq60P-pHh785jM9mExp7DR_uw5m0HIwdagxZ99ZkTsBhBT0WkRWWgJAM/s1600-h/100_1528.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOC4fnJA3RATkpetSxI5UmzHzhq-7TYeqJokxceb1Zddezb0ewVLDiz_ofqwXuXlTPyA4BU4oUcCl9hsWNk-hq60P-pHh785jM9mExp7DR_uw5m0HIwdagxZ99ZkTsBhBT0WkRWWgJAM/s200/100_1528.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246526453377116210" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3gN2dGZffRcSuiiE4Rac9lbXvfzSg3yNcG-yE-QDJrvOAMPCHQZqZyXHhxgaQMPrMcm722zo-HjqjjCq1HkP1eajjPhw3B8MUcxHYn5sTiouzot1fkAL1n3EmRk5RB7DjUWestiuJbo/s1600-h/100_1529.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3gN2dGZffRcSuiiE4Rac9lbXvfzSg3yNcG-yE-QDJrvOAMPCHQZqZyXHhxgaQMPrMcm722zo-HjqjjCq1HkP1eajjPhw3B8MUcxHYn5sTiouzot1fkAL1n3EmRk5RB7DjUWestiuJbo/s200/100_1529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246526459255590402" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBwJrXw0MZsqXly06dnS4Y1akFFtvaDHKQ4sb0K8oTQRhMXCvCwNGhBlZ7izL_dKKQFdEPlKjAKmoM-hPpCPoCftM2pesLYDLvn5gV9X6LJ1RUhBRZqQI7nwaHACCbUU6lDnkwLRpjfM/s1600-h/100_1530.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBwJrXw0MZsqXly06dnS4Y1akFFtvaDHKQ4sb0K8oTQRhMXCvCwNGhBlZ7izL_dKKQFdEPlKjAKmoM-hPpCPoCftM2pesLYDLvn5gV9X6LJ1RUhBRZqQI7nwaHACCbUU6lDnkwLRpjfM/s200/100_1530.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246526462777986322" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Interesting photo of the day: A typical road sign you'd see at an intersection in rural Austria.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFzkbBhHBun275hpWVbqqEFXetS-hf7JkGwsJ_VtW4AEZ7wGJq8hdm8Y9Vh8MswMnsqAb1gUJMNODLG-c_u-wSSVFDj3SMa6Yl6mVPNSmnuQDj3Hh84dpkAISa7H2bHM-gdBxK_2QLnQ/s1600-h/100_1542.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFzkbBhHBun275hpWVbqqEFXetS-hf7JkGwsJ_VtW4AEZ7wGJq8hdm8Y9Vh8MswMnsqAb1gUJMNODLG-c_u-wSSVFDj3SMa6Yl6mVPNSmnuQDj3Hh84dpkAISa7H2bHM-gdBxK_2QLnQ/s200/100_1542.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246526473808737138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It means "balloon flying" in German:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0UVKlMtXmNTVU_KwFx3MTLmcSv6vzVHTBbBNwPLvA0lYo4LBJvj8vUA0UDcvZj1vCcSawTvakpZclrhRx2445hZKMEKLZZouJ93vjqE-NjoY8NEw8NydC3iHRvX3zBnt5C37b339fos/s1600-h/100_1295.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0UVKlMtXmNTVU_KwFx3MTLmcSv6vzVHTBbBNwPLvA0lYo4LBJvj8vUA0UDcvZj1vCcSawTvakpZclrhRx2445hZKMEKLZZouJ93vjqE-NjoY8NEw8NydC3iHRvX3zBnt5C37b339fos/s200/100_1295.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246527734911426418" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Obviously by this point I hoped the updates would be more about ballooning and less about promoting Austrian tourism. Thanks to everyone for sticking with us. About 350 different people per day are visiting the site, with hits from 37 states and 31 countries.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2