Takin' the Blog for a Walk

the wedding present

Posted by Brien Lee on Aug. 2, 2009

, full of hot air, 8) my favorite things

Had a reunion to go to last night. Didn't feel like I put in my best effort on the committee, was reluctant to go by myself and slow to leave the house. Ten minutes after I should've left, Rod called to go ballooning in the a.m. and wondered if I could crew.

Of course, now the mood changed and I was in a hurry to get to the reunion. I always brighten up when Rod calls, but now I knew I wouldn't be drinking a lot or staying out too late. But then I found out there was free beer and discovered I was having a really great time. I even danced a little.

I was glad Rod called me in the morning a little later than normal because I didn't go to bed till almost midnight. He called just 20 minutes before we were supposed to meet, and it was 10 minutes away - just barely enough time to make one cup of coffee.

A young married couple from Waukesha were his passengers. They'd been trying for good weather since they received the certificate for a wedding gift two years ago. Wind was easterly this morning, so they launched to the west in Monches to avoid an urban landing.

What we found after more than an hour in the air was the wind speed had increased and we weren't finding enough cross streets or large open areas for a high wind landing. About 23 miles from launch they were crossing Hwy. 41/45 and checking out cars on Ernie's lot, Main Street, Menomonee Falls.

The three of us on the chase crew were waiting to catch them in a field west of the dealerships, and they overshot us. Instead they landed over the hill in a cemetery with no crew present. By the time we raced over we saw them sliding down the service road, bouncing between trees. Needless to say they had the time of their life. A very memorable wedding present!