Post-Landing Hot Air Balloon

There is one part of the hot air balloon ride that is the ride and there is another experience which is the landing. We had an interesting landing. We originally didn't want to land where we did, but the air currents decided for us. We came in fast, aiming for a large grassy park area, but we actually came in too fast and missed it. Just past the grassy area was a large parking lot which became our landing (crash?) pad. Narrowly missing the lamp post at the edge of the parking lot our pilot yelled down to an observer to run after us and jump on the basket as it landed in order to add some weight to it. We hit the parking lot, he jumped on, we bounced, the basket tipped on its side and skidded a good ways (see the skid marks in the third and fourth pictures below!). The balloon crew following the basket then arrives and we pack everything up. The pilot used this time to do some marketing and show off the basket and the ignition to some of the bystanders. Finally, the crew performs a little ceremony for the passengers, christening the flight and making it all just a little bit more special!

A huge thank you to Daniel Davignon and his crew for an amazing adventure.