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PHOTOS: A morning balloon ride courtesy of Mountain Parks Electric

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Sean McAlindin

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Maverick Murdoch, for left, Sylvia Murdoch, Grey James, Macguire Murdoch, Ellie Petersen and Touchstone Energy Cooperative balloon pilot Dave Christensen get ready to take flight at the Mountain Parks Electric member appreciation event on the morning of Sept. 3 at Polhamus Park in Granby.
Sean McAlindin/Sky-Hi News

Mountain Parks Electric held a member appreciation event at Polhamus Park in Granby the morning of Sept. 3. About 200 people arrived to share coffee, burritos, chit-chat and tethered rides in a hot air balloon provided by Touchstone Energy Cooperatives.

One young troupe of local balloonists took a ride above the park, eyes wide with wonder and smiles all aglow.

Balloon pilot Dave Christensen fires up the burner to being the tethered flight.
Sean McAlindin/Sky-Hi News
Up they go! The Montgolfier brothers, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne, invented the first hot air balloon in 1783 in France. Their invention, a large envelope made of paper and cotton, used heated air to achieve lift and was first publicly demonstrated on June 4, 1783, leading to the first human flights in the sky later that year.
Sean McAlindin/Sky-Hi News
Hot air balloons work because heated air becomes less dense, causing it to rise in the cooler, denser surrounding air. A burner, fueled by propane, heats the air inside the balloon’s fabric envelope.
Sean McAlindin/Sky-Hi News
A hot air balloon pilot controls ascent and descent by adjusting the air temperature and releases hot air through a vent to land. Since hot air balloons lack engines and steering, pilots navigate by changing altitude to find winds blowing in different directions.
Sean McAlindin/Sky-Hi News
The young balloonist arrive back to Earth safe, sound and inspired.
Sean McAlindin/Sky-Hi News

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