There are very few things that can make me get up on a Saturday morning (ok, any morning) at o’dark thirty on a 40 degree morning in Telluride in JUNE, but the promise of several hot air balloons lit up and cascading over the mountain valley town would be one of them. Oh, that and the huge doughnuts the local high school were selling to raise money for breast cancer.

Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the weather. Even though it was a deceptively sunny morning (once the sun finally crested the mountain!), the wind was apparently not in our (I mean their) favor, so after hoisting their sails for a few promising minutes, they soon had to deflate and be packed up again until the balloon glow later that evening. They would also try again Sunday morning at 6am, as well. 

So do inquiring minds want to know if yours truly once again rose w/ the dead and tried her luck? 

Yes. 

Yes, she did. 

It was hot air balloons people, of course I did!

And, lo and behold, they were able to launch to alllll the sleepy cheers. 

Hot air balloon owners and operators are an extremely hardy bunch. Not only do they take flight in just a wicker basket and a crazy hot flame right next to their heads, but they do so knowing that chances that they’ll be able to actually take flight are extremely slim. They are the original optimists.