Thank God We're On The Ground

As we road in the van to the launch site, Ken fretted. “I don’t like the look of the tree tops.” The new spring growth waved in the northerly breeze.

Four of the five of us scheduled for the evening balloon flight had known the disappointment of a canceled flight. We all silently hoped the wind would diminish. Ken joked that he had called Darlene so many times to cancel previous flights that she had begun to refuse his calls. Monica had been planning a flight as a celebration for her husband Mark’s July 2^nd birthday – his birthday in 2007. Today’s date was June 24, 2008. This would be Mimi’s first balloon reservation. Twice in Arizona and once as recently as two days ago, weather and wind conditions forced the disappointing cancellation of my scheduled hot air balloon rides. Would the jinx be broken?

When we reached Seaway Golf Course, Ken instructed one of his crew to release a helium filled party balloon. We strained our eyes to watch blue color balloon against the blue sky. First, it rose straight above us. “It’s not high enough to be in the wind yet,” Ken calculated. When the wind pushed the balloon east, Ken paused and walked away. “Send up another one in five minutes,” he instructed his crew. He watched second blue balloon with a trained eye. “Let’s get ready. It’s marginal, but we’re going up. Might be a short ride. We’ll see when we get up there.”

Ken put Mark and I to work holding on to the rim of the balloon neck. He positioned two high powered fans to blow air into the balloon cavity. One of the crew strained to stretch the balloon full length across the golf course as it inflated. The other fellow looped ropes from the balloon onto the basket, a basket that looked way to small for six adults even though we’d all be standing for the flight. The balloon filled with air and my arms ached as I stretched to hold onto the neck. “You can let go now,” Ken shouted over the noise of the fans. I had just enough time to snap a few photos of the balloon prone on the ground before one of the crew caught my attention, “Head to the basket. Ken’s going to want take off quick.” I ran to the basket, just as Ken pointed to me and said, “Climb in here, right past me.”

The extended lenses of my Canon Sure Shot poked him hard in the belly. My left foot came down with my full weight on top of his as I moved on command. Ken ordered the others, “Get in the basket. Quick!” They scrambled. Ken extended a steadying hand and someone on the ground boosted more than one lady’s butt into the basket. Quickly, he showed us how to wrap our arms around the basket poles for lift off. Then, I heard the deafening whoosh of the propellant flames and felt their heat. We rose off the ground in a steady gentle ascent. “We broke the jinx,” I laughed curbing my usual exuberant “Whoopee!”

Gradually, I could only see the eyes of the crew member peeping over the basket rim. Then, he let go; and soon, he grew smaller and smaller just like the trees and houses below us. Gently, we floated upwards. A wind began to carry us north. As we moved, the balloon cast a shadow on the tree tops. The view stretched for incalculable miles. Farmers’ fields made patchwork quilts in hues of green and brown. Furrowed fields and plowed crops made geometric patterns in the earth. Lakes looked like blue squiggles surrounded by green. Grazing cows appeared to minuscule toys.

Looking up, the balloon against the early evening sky was just as magnificent as the view of the ground. Its vibrant rainbow of colors contrasted with the blue sky. And, the periodic burst of the flame keeping us aloft gave off an orange-yellow glow.

There was little noise up this high. Occasionally, one of the passengers made a comment about the beautiful scenery or simply sighed in utter contentment. The whoosh of the propellant release became as rhythmic as an ocean wave. I learned that dogs don’t like this sound. It set several to barking. Surprisingly, I could hear their bark but not the sounds of the children running excitedly in the yard alongside their pets.

As our pilot, Ken worked hard. He wasn’t watching the scenery. His eyes watched the flame. He monitored our directional drift. He communicated by radio with his ground crew. He didn’t want us to drift over the St. Lawrence River; and, when it appeared that the winds might carry us that way, he prepared for our decent.

“Whatever happens,” Ken coached sternly, “stay in the basket. Do not get out of the basket until I tell you to get out.” He waited for us to acknowledge his command. He reminded us to wrap our arms around the stems of basket as we had done for take-off. “Hold on tight. And once again, stay in the basket.”

“You’ll feel a bump. We might get dragged a bit. Just stay in the basket.” Ken said for a third time.

The landing hit hard against the ground. The basket tipped. It skidded across the putting green of a local golf course sending disbelieving golfers scattering. The basket created a divot bigger than any golf club.

Our momentum slowed after two bumps. That’s when I could see the eyes of one of the crew members, peeping over the edge of the basket. This was our third, more gentle bump. Now, I could see both crew members straining to hold the basket down on the ground.

One-by-one, Ken ordered us out of the basket. I was first. My exit was as ungraceful as my previous entrance had been needing a boost and bumping an unidentified someone fairly hard. The other tumbled out clumsily too. Ken was last to crawl from the basket that now rested on its side. The balloons rainbow of colors lay on the ground too in a deflated carpet of color.

A smiling Ken called us all over to him. “I want to lead you in the balloonist prayer,” he said solemnly. “Thank God, we’re on the ground!”

He waited for our laughter to stop, and then he shared the true balloonist prayer. Keeping with ceremony, he popped the cork off a bottle of Champagne to celebrate a safe and memorable flight.

June 24, 2008

Champagne Hot Air Balloon Adventures

Alexandria Bay, New York

315-482-9456

The Balloonist's Prayer

The winds have welcomed you with softness.
The sun has blessed you with his warm hands.
You have flown so high and so well
that God joined you in laughter
and set you gently back into
the loving arms of Mother Earth.

Fort Henry National Historic Site: History, Defense, Discipline, & Glory

The young infantrymen stood at attention. These foot soldiers wore bright red coats. In their hands, they carried rifles with bayonet points. They marched when ordered. Their faces held serious warrior expressions. On command, they fired their rifles. Clouds of gray smoke puffed from the barrels and the sound of artillery firing echoed through the Parade Ground. These soldiers portrayed the men stationed at Fort Henry in the year 1867, the year of Confederation, when Canada became a nation.

I witnessed this and several more of the many interpretive programs at Fort Henry National Historic Site. I planned this visit to Eastern Ontario’s largest heritage tourism attraction, a UNESCO site, as part of my 1,000 Islands Trip on my 10,000 Mile Grand Tour.

Before visiting Fort Henry, I printed a schedule of the “Activities” from its website (www.forthenry.com). On this Day Program, I used an orange highlighter to mark the event, fort level –upper or lower, and time. This approach made it easy to move from one activity to the next without fumbling in indecisiveness hour-by-hour.

I joined the 2 PM tour, one of eight English tours offered that day. By comparison, the Fort offered only four tours for French speaking people. Our guide wore a dress uniform, the red tunic, and moved with military form. This college student, who landed this role as a summer job, played her part exceptionally well. She moved our group through disciplinary cells, officers’ quarters, soldiers’ barracks, married quarters, schoolroom, and bakery pointing out the signifance of each location. She made history come alive as she explained how wealth bought rank in the military, why disease easily spread in the close quarters, and what interconnected roles officers, soldiers, and women played in daily life at the Fort.

Our guide told us about history. The British Army constructed the original Fort Henry in 1813. They dismantled it when the second Fort Henry was built from 1832 – 1837. The British Army first stationed soldiers at Fort Henry beginning in 1812. Soldiers remained within the fortress until 1891.

Our guide talked about defense. Throughout the 1800s, Fort Henry’s infantrymen prepared to defend themselves in battle should the enemy - the United States - threaten with a military attack. (The US never attacked this strategic stronghold of Kingston, Ontario.) Another purpose for Fort Henry was to defend the terminus of the Rideau Canal, the Royal Naval Dockyards, and Kingston Harbor. In the 1837 Rebellions, during World War I (1914 – 1918), and during World War II (1939 – 1945), the Fort served as a prisoner of war camp and internment camp.

Our guide explained why the Fort mascot is a goat named David. From 1842 – 1843, the Royal Welch Fusiliers served at Fort Henry. Their mascot was a goat. In commemoration of their service, a white Saanen goat lives on the premises. The current goat is “David IX”, the 9^th mascot of Fort Henry.

In this 60 minute tour, I gained a tremendous appreciation for Fort Henry and great insight to life there in the 1800s. This is a credit to the thorough narration of our guide and her depth of training. With this outstanding orientation to the Fort, I appreciated the next series of activities on my pre-selected schedule as more than simply military drills. This was a reenactment of Canadian military history.

I took a seat in the spectator bleachers on the sunny side of the Parade Ground. I watched the Garrison Parade, Artillery Firing, and Rifle Drills. I saw “David IX” take a place of honor with the officers.

When an officer dismissed the soldiers, I walked along the ramparts imagining life there when many companies of 100 men, their wives, and children lived within the Fort walls. They were a disciplined people who faced hardships and sacrifice for the country they served. The glory of a nation born on this land belongs to them. It’s their contribution, Canada’s heritage.

What I had seen and felt during this afternoon at Fort Henry came to a patriotic grand finale - The End of Day Ceremonial. Armed soldiers again formed military lines on the Parade Ground in an elaborate series of movements. Some stood at attention beneath the waving British flag. Other lifted their boots in a high march as they climbed steps up the ramparts and prepared to load a canon. A single infantry man played the bugle. With honor and glory, the soldiers sounded their rifles, fired the canon, and lowered the flag. Not a sound was heard soldiers folded the flag and carried it away for safe keeping.

June 23, 2008

“Fort Henry National Historic Site is one of Canada’s premier historic attractions, and has been designated by the Government of Canada as a place of national significance. In 2007, Fort Henry was included in the designation of the Rideau Canal as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.”

– John Robertson, Manager Fort Henry National Historic Site of Canada

I highly recommend visiting Fort Henry – Patty Lonsbary

Fort Henry National Historic Site of Canada

www.forthenry.com

Kingston, Ontario

From Highway 401, take Exit 623 (Country Road 15) south to the end,

turn right on Country Road 2, turn left at first traffic light to Information Center,

or continue to Fort Henry at the crest of the hill.

New to Me!

Traveling can open your eyes to all kinds of wonders. I especially like natural wonders, but occasionally local culture opens my eyes.

In upstate New York, we found a Wal-Mart with covered spaces for the area Amish people to park their horse and buggy. New to me, but fairly common in places where the Amish live.

Then, this toilet seat in Ontario stumped me. Ed’s son Andrew solved the mystery. He told me this is an international symbol. What does it mean? Don’t stand on the seat when you pee! He said he’s heard this is a real problem with travelers from some countries like China. Now, that is really new to me!