Thank you for highlighting our amazing sport. As a commercial balloon pilot we share our passion with our passengers often but our competitive side is usually unseen..
Ah I am looking forward to watching this. My wife and I saw all these balloons driving back from Budapest to Belgrade. Had to look up what it was when we got home. Incredible to see so many!! 😁
It's a great surprise to see Downie Live on a Wednesday! I've been to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta so I know what you mean when you say it's surreal being around a lot of them. Your experience was even better because it wasn't overcrowded and you got to be part of a crew.
Beautiful to watch. Scary to contemplate... Scary thoughts: Pilot error / pylons and electrical cabling... In-flight devastation, loss of life, traumatised onlookers, grieving families, friends, connections... Take Care. Good Luck. I haven't even ever been in a _plane_ let alone a _balloon_ or an _airship_ !! 🤔🥺 Being on _horses_ is _quite high enough_ off the ground for _me_ ...and horseriding was always _far more enjoyable_ an exercise, in my mind. 💕🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴💕
This seems like the absolutely COOLEST thing to witness. Learning about niche competitive sports is not something I thought I would love so much, but here we are. 😄
I just checked and there isn't an extra/new video on your nebula channel right now. I already subscribe to nebula because I love the Jet Lag crew. I usually watch your videos early there too. Love the content. Thought you would want to know.
I worked on the ground crew for a hot air balloon ride company for nearly a year. It was kind of a brutal job for me. I don't fall asleep easily and we would usually be notified at 10PM that we would be needed at 5AM the next morning. I hated that, but everything else about the job was pretty fun. Oh, except being the single person on the crown line. When standing up the balloon, you have someone pulling a rope that leads away from the basket and is attached to the top, or crown, of the envelope (balloon). Your job when pulling that line is to not let everything stand up so quickly that it goes past vertical and ends up swaying back and forth a bunch. You want it to stand straight up and sit there. My boss, the aeronaut (pilot), who was the one using the burners during the stand up procedure, thought that meant standing the balloon up really slowly was the best way to do it. That is not actually true. He would stretch it out for at least 5 minutes if not 10 and the whole time I'm trying to hold down all of that force that wants to pull up, my hands being crushed by the rope I've wrapped around them in order to maintain my grip for as long as I needed, all of my muscles burning and starting to give up, unable to maintain the traction I need on the wet, dewey grass. And he would berate me if I couldn't manage to keep it from swaying because I was utterly exhausted by the time he finally got it up. Eventually, the envelope needed to go into the shop for some repairs, which his instructor would do. This instructor could tell by inspecting the envelope that my boss was taking way too long to stand the thing up and chewed him out pretty hard in front of me. I loved it, even if it was a little bit awkward. When my boss would berate me, he would throw all kinds of stupid misoginy into the mix, calling into question my manliness. I felt so justified watching him have to cower in front of his pissed off teacher.
Hey Mike if you want to learn more about sondes. I'm one of the many sonde hunters down here in the states that tracks sondes released by National Weather Service.
Very interesting to watch. Who knew that hot air balloon was a sport. I will say it is not on my bucket list as it is higher than a coffee table. Thank you, Donnie.
In my small city we have one guy with a balloon. But (of course) he flies in the mornings, so I never see him. But he post beautiful pictures on Facebook, and that is good enough.
I love Hot air ballooning and if you ever get a chance come to Lancaster Pennsylvania in September and see the the hot air balloons. You can search Lancaster county hot air balloon festival and there you can see when the next hot air balloon festival is like maybe next year is the festival and I want you to see the hot air balloons in the early morning
I see they track down their expensive GPS Wind gauge. But what about all the litter with all the balloons that they’re releasing in the air. I guess those are just scattered around the field somewhere now. 😡
Then explain what it’s called when one of them hoists a trophy above their head and is crowned World Champion for a year? Just a recreational champion?
Reminds me of a much more ordered version of the 1965 movie "Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines", a comedy about an air race from London to Paris in 1910. I highly recommend it but beware of the theme song! Once you get it in your head there's no getting it out! IDKWYGNBIKIBTWY.
Thank you for highlighting our amazing sport. As a commercial balloon pilot we share our passion with our passengers often but our competitive side is usually unseen..
This is insane. What a huge spectacle, so beutiful. Thank you for showing us that.
Finally you are in my home country Hungary! You should check out Budapest and its trams and trains!
Igen! Yes!
Ah I am looking forward to watching this. My wife and I saw all these balloons driving back from Budapest to Belgrade. Had to look up what it was when we got home. Incredible to see so many!! 😁
This was amazing thanks for sharing
This was truly an amazing video! The competition looked almost as if they made a version of the Olympics that's themed after Hot Air Balloons!
How do you come up with your video ideas? You do a lot of great things that’s no one else is really doing combined with great production.
again somewhere I could have never imagined I would be, but here I am again with you.
Very cool. I went on one for fun with my wife in Langley, BC 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Missed opportunity to have 99 red balloons instead of 120.
Amazing!!!
Great video! I watched it even earlier on Nebula!
Awesome Josh! Thanks again for the support. It means I get to keep making videos like this. ❤️
This was super cool to watch. Thanks Mike 🎈
Thank you for sharing!
It's a great surprise to see Downie Live on a Wednesday! I've been to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta so I know what you mean when you say it's surreal being around a lot of them. Your experience was even better because it wasn't overcrowded and you got to be part of a crew.
I think hot air balloons are magical, so jealous! This would have been spectacular to see in person, thanks for showing us!
Really fun video! Quite the sport. Thanks
I love watching hot air balloons. Brings back chasing bubbles or balloons when you were a kid....pure joy.
Beautiful to watch.
Scary to contemplate... Scary thoughts:
Pilot error / pylons and electrical cabling... In-flight devastation, loss of life, traumatised onlookers, grieving families, friends, connections...
Take Care. Good Luck.
I haven't even ever been in a _plane_ let alone a _balloon_ or an _airship_ !! 🤔🥺
Being on _horses_ is _quite high enough_ off the ground for _me_ ...and horseriding was always _far more enjoyable_ an exercise, in my mind.
💕🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴💕
high tension electric cables! and bad weather would sacre me a lot in a balloon !
So beautiful, I'm surprised that the balloons didn't bump to each other more often.
This was amazing!!!! what an incredible sight!
Interesting but more so, absolutely stunning visually.
You have the most unique videos. Good on ya!
Thanks! I try to keep them interesting.
Canadian championships held in High River AB every September.
This seems like the absolutely COOLEST thing to witness. Learning about niche competitive sports is not something I thought I would love so much, but here we are. 😄
I love Hot Air Balloons! Also, seeing them dot the sky? Wow 🤩
5:05 Yes! Exactly! I do see it.
Well, this was a simply awesome video!
I started ballooning in 76 and bought my balloon in 78. I crewed in Albuquerque once and flew twice. I called my balloon Northern Lights
Im from ABQ it was a fantastic festival in October
Awesome video...was looking forward to see what this was gonna be following the insta post. Awesome!
A really interesting sport!
Can we have a Canadian series of jet lag with you as the guest, please
I’d love that!
Next video: Macau
wow.
I just checked and there isn't an extra/new video on your nebula channel right now. I already subscribe to nebula because I love the Jet Lag crew. I usually watch your videos early there too. Love the content. Thought you would want to know.
Thanks Rebecca! Jet Lag is so fun to watch.
I like that there's Electronics in the sport!
I really need a hot air balloon trip, over the pyramids, northern India or the Grand Canyon preferred. Another great video to wake up to.
I want 7.16 to 7.30 as a screensaver !!! AWESOME !
I worked on the ground crew for a hot air balloon ride company for nearly a year. It was kind of a brutal job for me. I don't fall asleep easily and we would usually be notified at 10PM that we would be needed at 5AM the next morning. I hated that, but everything else about the job was pretty fun. Oh, except being the single person on the crown line. When standing up the balloon, you have someone pulling a rope that leads away from the basket and is attached to the top, or crown, of the envelope (balloon). Your job when pulling that line is to not let everything stand up so quickly that it goes past vertical and ends up swaying back and forth a bunch. You want it to stand straight up and sit there. My boss, the aeronaut (pilot), who was the one using the burners during the stand up procedure, thought that meant standing the balloon up really slowly was the best way to do it. That is not actually true. He would stretch it out for at least 5 minutes if not 10 and the whole time I'm trying to hold down all of that force that wants to pull up, my hands being crushed by the rope I've wrapped around them in order to maintain my grip for as long as I needed, all of my muscles burning and starting to give up, unable to maintain the traction I need on the wet, dewey grass. And he would berate me if I couldn't manage to keep it from swaying because I was utterly exhausted by the time he finally got it up. Eventually, the envelope needed to go into the shop for some repairs, which his instructor would do. This instructor could tell by inspecting the envelope that my boss was taking way too long to stand the thing up and chewed him out pretty hard in front of me. I loved it, even if it was a little bit awkward. When my boss would berate me, he would throw all kinds of stupid misoginy into the mix, calling into question my manliness. I felt so justified watching him have to cower in front of his pissed off teacher.
Other than Space X what ways haven't you traveled yet Downie?
Those definitely looked light alien spacecrafts in mystic fog.
That would be awesome having a few beers and a bbq watching that 💯👌🏽
Sounds like a perfect day!
Hey Mike if you want to learn more about sondes. I'm one of the many sonde hunters down here in the states that tracks sondes released by National Weather Service.
What sonde models are common over there?
This geocacher approves of your geocaching reference! Another great episode, Mike!
Haha Yes! Thanks!
That was surprisingly fascinating. 🎈🎈🎈
Very interesting
Very interesting to watch. Who knew that hot air balloon was a sport. I will say it is not on my bucket list as it is higher than a coffee table. Thank you, Donnie.
Love the videos
Great video! Really interesting!
I live in a town that does hot air balloon classic every end of the july. I've also crew for balloons for the last 12 years
I've made a lot of videos focusing on ballooning, but I have yet to make one in another country. Hoping to change that next year!
Next year, you need to go to the European Tram Operators Competition. Tim Traveler did a good job snapshotting this years events.
In my small city we have one guy with a balloon. But (of course) he flies in the mornings, so I never see him. But he post beautiful pictures on Facebook, and that is good enough.
Move over badminton
Right?! Tossing bean bags and all! haha
Nobody does it like you
Hot air ballooning was a sport in the 1924 Paris Olympics
This is a cool video
when is the bathurst 1000 vid coming out so keen to watch it
This is so new to me , hot air balloon sports lol interesting. Another good video
Glad you liked it!
Really wish you'd go back to doing videos about trains--
--Wait. This IS pretty cool. Carry on! :)
You have an amazing life! Are you sick of hotel rooms yet? They do take their toll. Stay safe, enjoy life.
nice i love it
I used to fly my plane alot. That was risky. Ballooning scares the pants off me. I couldnt😬🤭😅
I love Hot air ballooning and if you ever get a chance come to Lancaster Pennsylvania in September and see the the hot air balloons. You can search Lancaster county hot air balloon festival and there you can see when the next hot air balloon festival is like maybe next year is the festival and I want you to see the hot air balloons in the early morning
Awesome
I am lifetime member on Nebula
Glad to have you there, Julian!
It is a pity they littered all of those balloons.
You need to go the Albuquerque for Balloonfest. THAT IS AMAZING
I guess I’m so early that his next video on Nebula hasn’t been posted yet
I'm uploading it now. Hang tight!
where is the hotel video on nebula?
Thought you made get a ride
Why do you have the Brazilian national anthem in the background??? 😂
❤👌🏼
❤
Anyone who doesn't give this video a thumbs up can go fish a balloon!
Hahaha! I see what you did there ;)
If only more people knew how unregulated and how utterly dangerous hot air balloon flying was, there’d be no industry for it
I see they track down their expensive GPS Wind gauge. But what about all the litter with all the balloons that they’re releasing in the air. I guess those are just scattered around the field somewhere now. 😡
this is NOT a sport, its a recreation
I think the competitive aspect makes it a sport.
Doing it for fun without competition would make it recreation.
Ballooning can be done recreationally, commercially and competitively. This in fact is a sport.
Its not for anything competitively. There's rarely anything you can do to control the balloon for fast maneuvers. It's just used for fun or recreation
Then explain what it’s called when one of them hoists a trophy above their head and is crowned World Champion for a year? Just a recreational champion?
That's just for bragging rights as a fun thing to do. Building your own model plane and flying it. You just do it for fun.
Seriously a stupid sport, it be betrer when flying the furthest and land on a designated spot
Harris 2028
Reminds me of a much more ordered version of the 1965 movie "Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines", a comedy about an air race from London to Paris in 1910. I highly recommend it but beware of the theme song! Once you get it in your head there's no getting it out! IDKWYGNBIKIBTWY.
Great movie! Watch it once a year at least - when I need perking up. 😉😊