Hot Air Ballooning - Riding High across the Arizona Sky

A hot-air balloon ride has been on my bucket list for many years.  During our February 2019 winter get-away, we flew to Arizona and spent several days in the Sedona area. This allowed us to do a number of exciting adventures including riding high across the Arizona sky in a hot-air balloon.

After doing some research on the Internet, I booked our flight with Red Rock Balloon Adventures.  I knew it would be the highlight of our trip … and we were not disappointed.

On the morning of our ride, the alarm rings at 6:00 a.m. but my hubby and I are already awake. I am as excited as a little kid on Christmas morning. After a light breakfast, we go to the hotel lobby. At 6:55 am, Mark (pilot with Red Rock Balloon Adventures) arrives in a white van to take us to our launch site.

There are 14 of us flying today. Since the basket can hold up to 16 people, only one balloon is needed for today's flight. While the sun begins to rise, the crew begins to unload and roll out the balloon.

We watch with fascination while they inflate the balloon. With a loud rushing sound, gas flames shoot from the burner filling the yellow balloon bigger and bigger. The whole set-up process takes about 20 minutes.

 Inside the balloon ...

It's time for us to enter the basket. We wondered how this was done.  Two small square foot holes allow us to get up, straddle the basket edge like riding a horse, and then swing our other leg inside the basket with a short drop to the floor of the basket.

Inside the basket, the balloon has five compartments. The center square is for the pilot. There are two compartments on each side of the center. Mark places us by groups so people traveling together are not separated. 

Let the adventure begin! The company describes the balloon ride as follows: ”A truly magical feeling, soaring gently with the wind experiencing an ‘aerial nature walk’. Sedona’s natural wonders and wildlife sightings will delight you. Experience the splendor of gliding over Mother Nature’s own beautiful, panoramic Red Rock County. After your gentle lift-off, you’ll be gliding over the gorgeous red rock country. The views are simply incredible! After a peaceful landing, a commemorative picnic and chase crew awaits you.”

Lift off is around 7:30 a.m. It was so gentle, we hardly knew it happened. On the ground, the air is a crisp 25 degrees F. As the balloon gently rises to 1,000 feet and higher, the air feels calmer. The ride is smoother because we are drifting with the air currents (not fighting them). The balloon glides along with speeds from 2 mph to 20 mph with heights ranging from 1,000-3,000 feet above the ground.

Off in the distance, we can see a smaller balloon flying the friendly skies of Sedona.   The 1967 song “Up, Up, and Away” made popular by the singing group the 5^th Dimension starts running through my head.   "Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?"

We get a bird’s-eye view of the Red Rock Scenic Byway and the airport runway.   

Red Rock Scenic Byway

Airport

Next, Mark expertly maneuvers us closer to Cathedral Rock.   

Cathedral Rock

Cathedral Rock is one of Sedona's four vortexes. A vortex is defined as, “a place on or near an interesting rock formation where people have reported feeling inspired by a beneficial source of energy. One vortex location is reported to be in the gaps between the spires of Cathedral Rock".

Mark tells us the wind conditions are perfect today. This allows him to take us safely to Cathedral Rock for a closer view . We get the same views as rock climbers and hikers without expending any energy.

   

We continue gliding gently across Arizona’s colorful and rugged landscape.

Balloon Shadow

Colorful & Rugged Landscape

We begin our descent heading toward an upscale residential district in Oak Creek. Mark tells us this is one of their rarer landing sites. Since the balloon drifts with the breezes, we go where it takes us.   

Nearing the community of Oak Creek

The whooshing sound of the balloon announces our arrival. Many residents are taking their morning stroll or walking their dogs. Other residents come outside just to watch the balloon land.

In the meantime, Mark is in radio contact with the “chasing” crew. They have been tracking us and are awaiting our arrival.

Mark expertly and gently lands the big yellow balloon at a quiet intersection (yes, balloons can legally land on the road). Our exciting and memorable flight lasted about 90 minutes.

After we exit the wicker basket (the same way we got into it), the crew efficiently and quickly deflates and rolls up the balloon.   

Wrapping it up ...

Mark drives us to the Bell Rock trail head parking lot for the traditional champagne toast and refreshments (champagne, Mimosa, soft drinks, or orange juice, muffins and fruit.   

 Traditional Champagne Toast & Refreshments

In keeping with a long-time ballooning tradition, we raised our glasses while Mark cited the Balloonists Prayer:

“May the winds welcome you with softness.
May the sun bless you with its warm hands.
May you fly so high and so well that God
joins you in laughter and sets you gently
back into the loving arms of Mother Earth.”

Author Unknown

Back in the van, we head north on AZ 179 (aka Red Rock Scenic Byway) to Sedona.  We are returned to our hotel by 10:30 am.  What a way to start the day!

Just in case you are wondering … hot air ballooning has been recognized by Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) as the safest air sport in aviation.

Sedona, Arizona (population 10,336 as of 2017) has a wide variety of food and lodging options. Since opinions, preferences, and budgets vary, I recommend checking a trusted travel source for current reviews.

Family vacations created some of my favorite memories. To learn more about Red Rock Balloon Adventures, their safety record, prices, and policies, please click on the following link:

Red Rock Balloon Adventure