What A Super Snow Hunt It Turned Out To Be Today :jump:

[John-Edmonton]

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Here's my buddy Lee. He took over my Chief Pilot position over 22 years ago. I was hunting this toboggan hill, when a class of kids showed up with their boards and toboggans. That was a signal for me to leave. As I headed down to the edge of the field, I saw a van towing a trailer with a balloon basket on it pulling into the field. I headed over, and sure enough, my buddy Lee was the pilot. We exchanged a few words, and he asked some questions about metal detecting. I got him to hold the "SNO-ACE 250" and I got a shot of him.....

The quick lowdown is this....you set the basket on it's side and attach the balloon ropes to the basket. Next, you fill up the balloon with cold air using a couple of fans.

Next, you fire up the propane burning burner, which puts put over 20 million BTU's. The balloon eventually rises, and then the passengers get in.

Then you turn on that burner, heat the balloon even hotter, until the balloon lifts of and goes higher, higher, higher and higher.............

Oh....I nearly forgot. I did have a great loot day too. Those one and two dollar coins sure bring the totals up quickly. My sniper coil also dug up a miniature camera tripod.



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[tabdog]

Hi John,

That's a pretty cool, and I do mean cooool day. I'd freeze up there.

What a Winter wonder land. We don't get much snow in Arkie land. It was in the 70s today and I was sweating in my tee shirt. While MDing I took these photos.

Heres a look at what the first settlers in central Arkansas would have seen when they looked down stream from where they got off the boat on the Arkansas River.

As they walked up the hill from where they landed they may have seen this very rock.

After they settled in there, may be they or their off springs used some of these items I found there today.

I was looking for the piece that broke off that iron but couldn't find it.

Try to stay warm up there,

 

[Elton]

What a neat story and pictures..bet thats a lot of fun.

 

[Mike Hillis]

in October at the Albuquerque, NM Balloon Fiesta?

HH

Mike

 

[John-Edmonton]

Funny you mention the Balloon Fiest in Albuquerque, as I had been in it twice some years back. Out team came awfully close to winning a FORD 4 x 4. Statistically, other then Niagara Falls, it is one of the most photographed events in the world. This ballon wasn't there. The company I was chief pilot for has since I retired has worn out 5 ballons. They only usually get about 3-400 hours on the envelope befor it must be grounded.

 

[mattockman]

High John.......(spelled it wrong on purpose)....I have one of those tripods for my camera.....they are pretty cool......I would never get in any hot air balloon....I am afraid of heights.....but I constantly dream of them.......I guess I like to torcher myself while I am sleeping.....

 

[BH-LandStar]

Very Cool Finds John...You lucky devils carry around those 1 and 2 dollar coins...We Yanks just use paper...Wish we had your money system...sure would increase my findings...
We have a Balloon Fest here in Jamesville, NY each year too...one of the ReMax ballons is usually here too...Some very strange shaped baloons too..whish I had some pics.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hunting,

BH-LandStar

 

[beatty_dt]

Hi John, great finds.

Love the pics.

Say, you balloon pilots fly so low it's dangerous

I might hit you.

David at Edmonton
pipeline patrol pilot

 

[John-Edmonton]

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