May 8, 2013 - Switzerland

After a nice drive thru southern Germany along the Rhine we crossed over into Switzerland. This is the first official border crossing we have encountered as due to the EU there are no longer any check points or customs, in most cases the only reason we have known we have even crossed the border is because our mobile phones beep and we get a message from the phone company telling us we are now in another country and our phone bills will be higher. But not Switzerland, we got to the border control on the motorway and had to pay 40 Swiss...

Mar 6, 2013 - Résultats du concours !!!

Voici les résultats tant attendus du concours Gilbette - Touki : En première place avec brio : Mano avec 132 points En deuxième place : Maude avec 87 points et en troisième place : Chantal avec 78 points Bravo et merci à vous tous pour votre participation ! Nous avons reçu des nouvelles fraiches de Gilbette. Elle a enfin pu retrouver Néri au Cambodge et est repartie avec lui habiter à Bariloche en Argentine, où ils se sont rencontrés. On leur souhaite beaucoup de bonheur. Quant à Touki, il a choisit de nous suivre en Suisse et s'est...

Feb 4, 2013 - Is it Really Time to Go?

It's Monday, the Festival is over and most of the balloonists and spectators have gone home. The envelope needs to be packed back in the rainproof bag and all our flying gear collected and ready to return to the crate. We need to gather the equipment we borrowed from Alfred and Renata and make certain everything is in their great trailer for return to Frankfurt. Patrick, Gina, Silas and Eske packed all their baggage, loaded up and began their journey back to Frankfurt. Barbara left on the train for Geneva. She will fly back to Phoenix...

Feb 3, 2013 - Our Final Flight

What a beautiful day in Chateau d'Oex! There is a beautiful covering of snow and it looks like we are going to have a window of a couple of hours to have our final flight. The balloons were serenaded by THE BAND! We had not seen the band from Chateau d'Oex for several years and we excited to see that they we as crazy and wonderful as ever! They always have a new theme and this time must have been Scottish school girl! What a hoot! We were looking forward to one more flight in this beautiful valley. Al and Barbara joined Jon on the flight....

Feb 2, 2013 - Snow, Finally!!!!

Well, the temperature finally dropped and it started snowing but we were unable to fly today. It has not stopped all day and night. The glow was cancelled due to weather which is a real disappointment to the Team,Festival and to the town. Part of the group went skiing in fresh powder up to their knees and part went to Gstaad for a wonderful lunch and train ride in the snowy Alps. We have been told that there is a window of opportunity tomorrow afternoon for our final flight of the event. We are hoping for sunshine and packed powder on the...

Feb 1, 2013 - More Rain...seriously! Where is the snow?

It is Friday, our last day of competition and it has been raining all night and all day. We had a breakfast at the chalet with our DHL shipping sponsor guests! The four of them traveled from Zurich, Basel and Geneva, Switzerland to fly with us today. But, we are unable to fly (bummer for all!). They attended the pilots meeting and had a nice tour of the balloon museum and lunch in Chateau d'Oex before returning to their respective towns. The rest of the group spread out and spent the day doing lots of different things: touring Gruyere,...

Jan 31, 2013 - Celebration Day!

The day started out with an early Pilot's meeting and the valley socked in with fog. As the fellows came back from the Pilot's meeting, they saw a fox by the grocery store looking for breakfast! We were on a weather hold until about 10:30 pm when the skies cleared and the sun came out for a beautiful afternoon! It was also a very auspicious occasion! One of our crew members, Eske Carter, turned 13 years old today! We inflated the balloon and Patrick Carter took his two sons for their first Switzerland balloon flight. It was a great flight...

Jan 30, 2013 - More Snow, Rain, Winds and Low Clouds

It was Kid's Day today but the balloons could not fly. Lot's a school children descended upon the launch field in Chateau d'Oex. As is the custom, they were all given helium filled balloons to attach a note and then send to the sky. The hot air ship (blimp) did fly later in the afternoon to the delight of the kids. The Western Spirit Team took the day to do some Switzerland touring. Barbara took the train to Berne, the capital of Switzerland. She had great fun and saw many sites. The rest of the Team went to Gruyeres Castle, the H R Geiger...

Jan 29, 2013 - Refueling and Reviewing

The weather was a bit too windy to fly today so the Team used the time to straighten the envelope, return it to it's bag after the retrieval yesterday and organize all of the pieces and parts to make certain we are ready for tomorrow. Although it was overcast, we still had a good day touring the town and visiting a nearby town of L'Etivaz Fromaggerie (cheese factory). The tour and information was fascinating and then we had a cheese tasting afterwords. The Carter family made our dinner meal tonight. Gina made a brilliant potato and leek...

Jan 28, 2013 - The Incredible Journey to Gstaad

The weather cleared and Jon asked Barbara and Mary Jo if they would like to go on a "short hop" which ended 5 1/2 hours later when we met them at the Saanenmoser ski area parking lot (shades of Gilligan's Island!).. PILOTS CORNER Well, so much for the short hop! It looked like a wonderful day for a flight, somewhat overcast, fluffy clouds above, called the tower for launch as they gave us approval to launch, they told me the barometric pressure for setting the altimeter. This is somewhat of a challenge with the barometric pressure is...

Jan 27, 2013 - A Great Flight and Raclette, too!

Sunday at The Festival International de Ballons is always exciting! It was Twinings day where four balloons from neighboring countries are tied together with ribbons and flags signifying the friendship and cooperation between them. They attempt to fly as far as possible with the ribbons in tact. They did not get very far today. Bag pipers were on the launch field to send them off with "Amazing Grace"! Patrick and Gina have some wonderful friends and their sons from Geneva that joined us the dinner last evening and our flight today. Andrea...

Jan 26, 2013 - Our First Flight

Today was the first day of the 35th Chateau D'Oex Balloon Festival. We made it to the launch field at the civilized hour of 11:00 am! Sparkling snow, sun warming the high crags ringing the valley...what a beautiful scene. We watched some pretty frightening balloonery going on...wow the FAA would have a heart attack here. We launched without incident and Jon Seay and Patrick Carter piloted the Western Spirit balloon up the valley toward Gstaad. We landed in a cow field and finished the day with a mad sled run down the mountainside. Now, as...