|
 It was a fun family evening at Mayfair Park in
Lincoln. Around the park there were people who brought their chairs
or blankets so they could sit and enjoy a comfortable evening
outside with a view that happens only once a year in Lincoln.
In addition, it seemed to be a good place to enjoy a picnic, as at
least one group took advantage of the picnic tables in the park to
lay out food for a relaxing meal outdoors.
The youngsters in attendance at the park also took advantage of the
playground area to work off some excess energy so they would be
ready to settle in and witness the glow that would happen later in
the evening.
In the launch area, pilots and crews arrived and began working to
layout the balloons, stretching the body of the cloth they call an
envelope out on the ground, laying it so that when the fans are
started the air would travel from one end to the other. After a time
of cold air inflation it would be time to fire up the propane
burners that heat the air inside the balloon, causing it to rise up
and defy gravity, floating over the basket and tugging at the lines,
anxious to take to the skies.
As the balloons inflated at both Mayfair Park and the home of Kevin
and Peggy Bateman, the colorful orbs made for a stunning backdrop
for family photos and selfies, and many of the guests present took
advantage of the opportunity.
The Mayfair Park area was also a great place to play. While waiting
for the arrival of the balloons, families enjoyed tossing the
football and doing their best to defy gravity the way they knew the
balloons would later in the evening.
Saturday evening was another beautiful night for being outside and
watching balloons. Mayfair Park was filled with excitement and
anticipation long before the balloon crews arrived. Families and
friends were setting up picnics, playing football, playing on the
playground equipment and just chatting with their neighbors and
friends.
It is always fun to note that when the balloons are laid out, they
look small and a little puny compared to the people who are crewing.
But when the fans come on and the cold air inflation
begins, it soon becomes the people who look small and puny!
[to top of second column] |
As the inflation began at Mayfair Park everyone enjoyed watching the
process of balloons going from little to big and then the big moment
when the balloons lifted off the ground and went floating away into
the southwestern skies of Logan County.
When the lift off was complete at Mayfair, it was then a great time
to take off and go grab some supper, or enjoy that picnic meal. Some
did just that, while others just sat with friends and family
catching up on the latest news and chatting and enjoying the fall of
the sun and the onset of the coolness of the evening.
At the home of Kevin and Peggy Bateman, the largest crowd ever seen
at that location, gathered early on Saturday evening for the lift
off and glow with great anticipation of having a wonderful family
evening in a peaceful setting. Families gathered, old friends
re-united, and guests from outside the area were made to feel
welcome.
The attitude at the Bateman place was wonderfully happy. As balloons
lifted into the air, the pilots and passengers celebrated what felt
like a victory by giving out huge shouts and waves to the crowds
below. The crowd responded nicely cheering on each balloon as it
left the ground and feeling very special when the pilot gave them a
wave from above the earth.
At the end of the launch event at the Bateman home, there were two
balloons that did not go up. Instead, they stayed on the ground, set
up their basket and put the word out that anyone who wanted to come
to them for a photo in the basket with the pilots was certainly
invited. A huge line of people soon gathered at both baskets as
parents handed off their toddlers and took photos of their little
ones in the basket with the pilots.
The lift off at the Bateman place was spectacular, and many were
super excited that it was the location they had chosen for the
evening event.
Saturday night as darkness fell, crowds gathered themselves back
into the various locations where the balloons were scheduled to
glow.
When the balloons took to the air for the Saturday night launch, the
wind carried them to the southwestern portions of Logan County. As a
result, several reported they traveled farther than they would have
liked before finding an appropriate spot to land. Because they
stayed aloft longer than they wished, they ran too low on fuel.
Consequently there were some locations where the glow balloons were
not nearly as numerous as the launch. Nonetheless, those who came
back to their launch sites for the glow gave a nice performance that
was pleasing to the crowd gathered and a beautiful sight to see.
Sarah Erlandson was on a balloon crew at Dugan Center and reported
that all but possibly two of the scheduled glow balloons had enough
fuel to give the crowd gathered there a nice show. Thanks to Sara
for sharing some of her Dugan Center glow photos with LDN for its
slideshow coverage.
Kim Burlison was at the glow on Eighth Street, where again there was
a very large turnout of visitors who enjoyed a beautiful show. Six
of the balloons assigned to that location returned for the glow,
including pilot Seth Goodman in his balloon named Honest Abe. Thank
you also to Kim for sharing some of her pix. Those two will be
featured in a slideshow of the Saturday night glow event.
All combined, the four locations of the balloon launch and glow
event made for a beautiful ending to the night and the 2022 Balloons
Over 66 Weekend.
While the balloon events marked the beginning and the conclusion of
the weekend of fun in Lincoln, there were many wonderful
opportunities offered to visitors and the community on Friday
afternoon and evening; all day on Saturday and into the night as
well.
The work that went into all this does not go un-noticed. There are
many people who pull this together and do it all voluntarily. It is
a sacrifice of time and energy as well as brain cells as every
component of the weekend is thought out and planned carefully.
So, the best way to end this component of LDN’s coverage is to
deliver the first acknowledgement of thanks. Thank you to the city
of Lincoln, the Logan County Tourism Bureau, the many volunteers,
and to Seth Goodman for making the balloon portion of the weekend so
wonderful. Thank you to the pilots for being so much fun, for being
kind and friendly and thank you to the citizens of Lincoln and Logan
County for returning those expressions of good will. This is an
important weekend in Lincoln and Logan County and we are all lucky
to have it back.
[Nila Smith / Karen Hargis]
 |
