Wine Country Balloon & Wine Festival 2010 Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival
| 2010 Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival |
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 With crystal clear skies and views for miles, this morning's hot air balloon ride was the perfect way to kick off this year's Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival at Lake Skinner. Being my first time in a hot air balloon, my nerves were in full force, but our pilot, Scott McClinton from SkyCab Balloons, reassured me that it would be a smooth ride. We watched as he and his crew set up, inflating the enormous balloon until it stood upright. Crewmembers Keith Graham and Kym Lynch worked diligently to get the balloon in riding form, then waved us off as we began to float up, up, up in the air...
With the always beautiful Temecula Valley beneath us, we roamed over the festival site, getting a sneak peak of all corners of the festival grounds before the crowd showed up. We even managed to wake up some of the campers, as we were greeted during our descent by eager kids wanting to take a picture next to the balloon, and who even helped with deflating and putting it away! Scott and his crew explained the ins and outs of hot air balloons, how they work, and the variety of places they travel throughout the country giving hot air balloon rides. And the best part-they graciously capped off the ride with a complimentary champagne toast! With over fifty hot air balloons going up this weekend for the Balloon and Wine Festival, you can expect the skyline to be dotted with bulbous balloons of all colors and patterns. You can't beat the scenery and serenity of a hot air balloon ride, and this weekend makes for the perfect time and place to try it out. For more information on SkyCab Balloons, contact Scott McClinton at www.SkyCabBalloons.com
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