Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Last Friday was a cool day for hot air … balloons that is.
Four hot air balloons were launched in the greater Presque Isle area filling the sky with vibrant reds, yellows, oranges, blues and purples.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
Taking to the skies last Friday were these hot air balloons. In total, four balloons were launched in the greater Presque Isle area filling the sky with vibrant reds, yellows, oranges, blues and purples.
“We had hoped to have eight or maybe even 10 balloons there,” said Doug Shippee, a balloonist from St. John, New Brunswick, “but because the balloonists were coming from such great outside distances, they checked the weather and saw that Friday was the only flyable day, so they decided not to come at the late minute.”
The balloonists that did launch came from Ottawa, Mylan, N.H., Exeter, N.H. and St. John, New Brunswick.
Shippee said the idea to fly in the winter sprouted last summer.
“We’ve been coming up the last two years to the Balloon Festival,” he said, “and the weather was so bad last summer that I said to the organizers that we would try to come back in the wintertime when there aren’t any festivals going on and show the people more balloons in the air. That was the intent; we just picked a bad weekend for weather.”
Despite the weekend storm, balloonists were able to float over the area for about three hours Friday.
“We didn’t get over downtown Presque Isle like we had hoped because the winds were very light and variable … more difficult to fly in,” said Shippee. “During a normal day, we could plan a flight where we’re more visible to the people, but we had fun anyway.”
Two balloonists launched from the Family Christian Center in Presque Isle, one from Washburn, and one from Caribou.
Since the ground is covered in snow and leaves are off the trees in the wintertime, Shippee said it’s easier to spot animals from the air this time of year.
“More importantly, the outside temperature – or ambient temperature – because the air is so cold in the wintertime, we don’t burn very much fuel in a winter flight because the balloon rises so easily in the cold air,” he said.
“What I really like is that I don’t have to worry about crops in the fields, or cows and horses in the fields. They’re all inside, and the rivers and lakes are all frozen, so ballooning is much easier in the wintertime for a pilot as far as the landing is concerned,” said Shippee. “It’s a nice soft landing on those fields.”
Shippee stayed at Bruce and Delores Roope’s home on the Reach Road while in town. To thank Delores for her hospitality, Shippee took her for a balloon ride.
“It was wonderful,” said Roope. “So peaceful and beautiful. We saw two big coyotes, and the only sounds we heard where the fuel being released into the balloon, and a brook that hadn’t frozen we could hear babbling. I enjoyed it so much.”
Shippee said he loves flying in Presque Isle and is looking forward to returning.
“I hope the Balloon Festival organizers will continue to have their event,” he said. “All we need is good weather. I would almost suggest a winter balloon festival in Presque Isle because normally we get better flying weather in the winter than we do in the summer. There would also be no competition with the other dates of other festivals.
“You can balloon in the snow … as long as the wind’s not blowing too hard and the snow’s not like rain … we’ve flown in little snow showers with no problem at all,” said Shippee. “Regardless of the season, we’re looking forward to coming back.”
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
This colorful hot air balloon was one of four launched in the greater Presque Isle area last Friday catching many motorists off guard. Two balloonists launched from the Family Christian Center in Presque Isle, one from Washburn, and one from Caribou. The added color was appreciated by many given the amount of snow that has fallen in central Aroostook County.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
Four hot air balloons were launched in the greater Presque Isle area Feb. 29. Balloonists came from Ottawa, Mylan, N.H., Exeter, N.H. and St. John, New Brunswick. Pilot Doug Shippee said he wanted to come back in the wintertime since last year’s Crown of Maine Balloon Fest was virtually wiped out due to bad weather. “We wanted to show the people more balloons in the air than we did last summer,” he said. Here, this colorful balloon seemingly peaks through the snow-covered trees.
