We loaded our trailer and took off for the park for some ballooning fun!
When we arrived, we unpacked our gear and began inflating the balloon.
Paspartout manned the burners while the Princess and I directed the hot
air for 15 minutes before the balloon began taking the shape that would
soon lift us off the ground.  Slowly it grew until the great bag finally
lifted off the ground.  We continued to fill the balloon until it was
pulling strongly on the ropes connecting it to its tiny payload - US!  We
were as eager as the balloon to get going, so we piled our lunch into the
basket and climbed in after our food.  Pierre untied the ropes and loaded
our gear back into the car which he would shuttle to our hoped-for
destination, Crissy Field.  We took off at exactly 9:17am and watched as
Pierre and the car shrank into tiny specks.  We had calculated the speed
and direction of the wind perfectly, and we headed toward Crissy at
about 10 knots.  Hungry from our efforts of the morning, we opened the
lunch basket and dined on lobster salad and kiwi fruit, sipping a fine
'79 Sauvignon Blanc.  As we drifted along, I kept checking our direction,
speed and altitude as well as how fast the lobster salad was
going.  Everything was right on schedule, so I relaxed, watched the
scenery and chatted with my guests about how well our trip was
going.  Suddenly, I was shaken from my reverie by a strong gust of
wind from the south.  I scanned the sky looking for a clue.  WHOOSH!
The gust came at us again, only harder.  For several minutes, we were
buffetted about, the wind coming at us like a ferocious shark on the attack,
circling, then striking without warning.  We drifted helplessly, completely
at the whim of our atangonist.  Then, as quickly as it had come, the wind
subsided into a gentle breeze blowing us completely off course - and we were
out of lobster salad!  This was truly a desparate situation!  I tried to
slow my spinning mind, collect my thoughts and come up with a good left-brain
plan which would save the day.  Paspartout and the Princess stared at me,
sensing my fear and helplessness.  I was the balloon expert and was
obviously expected to extract us from this predicament in time for the
Princess' hair appointment at 3:30. "Hmmmm!  What would Bat Man do in this
situation?", I asked myself.  I had recently become enchanted with the
antics of the Caped Crusader and had spent many hours watching his adventures.
Batman always came up with an ingenious plan to save the day when all around
him had given up hope.  I now called upon the spirit of my new hero and
summoned the courage and determination I knew existed deep in my soul.  To
the astonishment of Paspartout and The Princess, I tore off my clothes,
revealing my most prized possession and well-kept secret: my Official
Batman Glow-In-The-Dark T-shirt and Briefs.  Thinking quickly, as a
superhero must, I found the solution.  I grabbed the ice that had been used
to chill the lobster salad and began blowing cool air across the ice into the
balloon chamber.  As Paspartout and The Princess followed my lead the balloon
began to descend slowly.  We landed safely at Crissy.  I had saved the day!!!
