One of the questions we get asked often is regarding our landing spots. Where do you land? Can you land a hot air balloon anywhere?
Hot air balloons have been flying in Seattle and Auburn for over 35 years. In our many years of flying in the Enumclaw Valley, balloonists have built relationships with local landowners to acquire great landing and launch spots.
Landowner relations actually started with the very first hot air balloon flight. The Mongolflies in 1783 launched a duck, a chicken, and a sheep into the air in their paper hot air balloon. After ascending to almost a thousand feet and drifting with the wind, the hot air balloon landed in a neighboring farmer's yard. If it is 1783 and you see something billowing out smoke from the sky, one would have to assume it was a dragon. And what do you do when a dragon lands in your yard? You take your pitchfork and destroy it. Hence the first landowner relation.
When we land our hot air balloon in a new place, we do what every good balloonist does. Ask for permission, and then open a bottle of champagne with a sword and offer them a glass.
