Springtime at Canyon Falls by L'anse, MI

Springtime at Canyon Falls by L'anse, MI

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Michigan Challenge Balloonfest 2013

This weekend is the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest in Howell, Mi, near where I live. Yesterday, I took my son and we spend the day there riding the rides in the carnival, playing some games on the midway, checking out the exhibits from the nature center, the airport (they brought a plane for the kids to climb into and mess with), and the Mejiers store, as well as Arts and Crafts.


there was a guy dressed in a tree costume.....


The Windjammers stunt kite team was there as well as a skydiving team which made 3 jumps during the time we were there. After the Windjammers show, they invited anyone who wanted to fly their kites onto the launch field to do so. Trenton had a blast.


And of course, the Balloons. The weather was really iffy this year, between the wind and the rain. Only 3 balloons launched last night, at their pilots discretion, but a bunch inflated. I did notice that there was not nearly as many balloons as there normally is even there....

This is "Junior" flown by Al Warren of Waterford, MI, he was the first Pilot up and out last night.

In this picture is "Sullair" flown by Shawn Raya from Oxford, MI, the "Michigan CAT" flown by Rick Kerber from Wayland, MI, and the local radio station "WHMI" balloon which is flown by Phil Glebe from Howell, MI.

I have to give props to Rick Kerber as well. Each Balloon has a baseball card type card, with its picture and facts about the balloon and it's pilot(s). My son collects these things like other kids collect baseball cards. He was asking the different pilots last night for the cards and when he asked Rick, Rick didn't have any, but told Trenton he would make sure he got one before the launch. A while later, after the Balloons were on the field, and Rick had gotten his balloon prepped, he made a special point to come up into the crowd and find Trenton and give him that card and allowed us to take his picture with Trenton. What a guy! Thanks for making Trenton's night, Rick!