It was a glorious weekend for camping — clear skies, cool temperatures and light breeze, which is also the perfect kind of day for a hot air balloon ride. Lake Lauderdale Campground in Cambridge NY hosted the 5th annual Hot Air Ballon Weekend in conjunction with the Cambridge Balloon Festival. The skies over Cambridge filled with balloons but we had a more personal encounter. At the campground balloon pilots set up and took off from the field which was just behind our campsite. Capt. Mike from Carried Away Balloon Flights offered a Saturday morning flight and evening flight and a morning flight on Sunday.
Saturday night was the highlight of the “balloon weekend”. Once it got dark then the fun really started with something called “Moon Glow”. A trailer was set up with sound equipment for music (good music too!) and a basket with a burner was just outside the trailer. In the field were two hot air balloons. As the sun started to set the balloons were slowly filled with air by the light of the burner in the basket. As it got darker the burner was lit up so that the rising balloons could be seen.
After the balloons were inflated then their burners were hit randomly in something called a “twinkle” so that pictures could be taken. It was spectacular — the light of the burners ripping through the night sky to reveal the colorful balloons. What a incredible way to end a fabulous weekend.
