Take The Couples Hot Air Balloon Ride Colorado Vacationers Love

By Sally Delacruz


Many years before their record-setting Kitty Hawk event made the Wright brothers famous, human beings had actually flown. Europeans were launching livestock aloft in large balloons as early as 1783, and people followed them into the French skies shortly thereafter. While rigid-winged airplanes would prove to be the future of flying, reserving a space on a couples hot air balloon ride Colorado style is still a popular choice.

Early models used an open flame to heat the air, and had little or no steering. The ships tended to travel wherever the wind was blowing, and sometimes ended up in trees. Gas soon provided a more reliable source of lift, and dirigibles could be steered. Despite the romance of floating gently above the countryside, the public lost interest in ballooning.

During the 1960s, the United States Navy funded research intended to find a better way to economically move small loads short distances using airships. Although there were no earth-shattering solutions, old hot-air flight concepts were updated and modernized, bringing ballooning into the modern era. Power sources became safer and easier to regulate, and certain design problems were eliminated.

While the research came to an end, it had the unintended result of re-invigorating public interest. While faster traditionally equaled superior, there is an undeniably magical feeling about floating slowly, and entrepreneurs have been quick to take advantage of this new recreational market. Former safety concerns have been addressed, and people today are eager to experience this adventure.

Most people have seen videos of regional festivals featuring hundreds of colorful airships remarkably similar to their original French ancestors. They still operate on the basic principle that hot air rises, and when it is captured inside a bag, the bag rises along with it. The ascent and descent are controlled by a single flame, and there is no steering wheel.

Passengers ride in a suspended wicker basket called a gondola. These light containers can hold up to twenty passengers, depending on how large the inflatable structure containing the hot air is. To save extra weight there is usually no seating, and most riders stand for the best view. Like hang gliders, balloons drift with air currents providing direction and lift, and simply turn down the flame to land.

Flying without constant noise and buffeting gives travelers a special, peaceful feeling. At comfortable altitudes, people can feel the wind, hear passing birds, and enjoy the scenery in a way that is impossible otherwise. Unseen features of the landscape below can only be discovered from above. Rising up toward the clouds is exciting on its own, but ballooning also refreshes the human spirit in a way that an airplane ride cannot.

The plains and foothills near the Rocky Mountains in the central United States have become one of the most popular areas for ballooning. The climate and wind patterns make the warmer months perfect for vacationers who want to include this unique activity in their plans. Commercial operators are required to employ experienced, licensed pilots, making floating together on the wind both safe and enjoyable.




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