09/15/07: Great Forest Park Balloon Race
Here are less than 99 (of the 250) shots of the
2007 Great Forest Park Balloon Race taken by Dan Klarmann on 9/15/2007. Karen failed to persuade me to enter the photo contest. Maybe next year.
This page (and all my travel pages) are essentially sponsored by MrTitanium.com
Click on any thumbnail to begin browsing the larger images and (sometimes clever) captions.
The first in a series of shots showing the inflation of the Energizer bunny balloon
--Click to Enlarge--
Notice the man-high opening being held up to let the heavy-duty blowers begin their work
--Click to Enlarge--
Air howls into the nylon shell
--Click to Enlarge--
The Bunny Crew works to loosen folds for better air influx
--Click to Enlarge--
The air starts to reach the ears. Helicopter circles the field
--Click to Enlarge--
The feet and the battery start to take form
--Click to Enlarge--
Face-down bunny inflates slowly
--Click to Enlarge--
Bunny hot foot?
--Click to Enlarge--
And the warmer, lighter air begins to get a rise.
--Click to Enlarge--
Up pops the bunny, stabilized by the crew.
--Click to Enlarge--
How many Bunny Crew members does it take to hold down a bag of hot air?
--Click to Enlarge--
More flame, more gain. Preparing to board.
--Click to Enlarge--
Wave bye-bye to the bunny
--Click to Enlarge--
Flame broiled bunny, the hare in this race.
--Click to Enlarge--
"Up, up, and away" plays over the loud speakers as the first of the chase balloons are inflated
--Click to Enlarge--
Dan has a camera that suits the needs of the shorter-than-the-crowd. (Karen took this shot with her phone)
--Click to Enlarge--
From flat to fluffy, these expensive tapestries are tended. The helicopter flies around and around
--Click to Enlarge--
The first chase balloons are almost ready to go!
--Click to Enlarge--
Tilting up the basket
--Click to Enlarge--
Spectators, workers, and millions of dollars of nylon
--Click to Enlarge--
RAT is the name of this one. I wonder why?
--Click to Enlarge--
Balloon shadow gives my eyes a rest. See the sun glow through the balloon?
--Click to Enlarge--
Note the balloon of a different size?
--Click to Enlarge--
Pretty.
--Click to Enlarge--
Blinded by the sun on this hazy day.
--Click to Enlarge--
Not as close as they look
--Click to Enlarge--
Six in a shot. There'll be more.
--Click to Enlarge--
KMOV is probably in the helicopter (not shown)
--Click to Enlarge--
I usually see United Van Lines on the Interstate, not overhead.
--Click to Enlarge--
Like boats, all these air ships have names. This one is "America"
--Click to Enlarge--
Seven in a shot
--Click to Enlarge--
Eight
--Click to Enlarge--
Rat and the rabbit, a menagerie in the offing?
--Click to Enlarge--
Rat flame
--Click to Enlarge--
Only five, but I liked the clouds
--Click to Enlarge--
This one looks interesting!
--Click to Enlarge--
"A Balloon"
--Click to Enlarge--
Oblivious jet in the stratosphere sees these balloons as on the ground.
--Click to Enlarge--
Starting to get a rise, but what's with the shape?
--Click to Enlarge--
Panic! A gust of wind catches two crews at the vulnerable point of neutral bouancy. Balloons sweep toward the crowd, and the fence.
--Click to Enlarge--
National City aborts; note the open trap on top. The other took damage from the fence and scrubbed minutes later. Very sad : (
--Click to Enlarge--
Seven and a half (on the left), not counting the toys
--Click to Enlarge--
Mayflower and Pepsi rear up. Bunny in the bushes.
--Click to Enlarge--
An even dozen above.
--Click to Enlarge--
Bright sun, dark balloon
--Click to Enlarge--
Ten up, five still on the ground
--Click to Enlarge--
Twelve, plus a half off the top
--Click to Enlarge--
Fifteen, and still not the most in one shot.
--Click to Enlarge--
Bunny hovers, waiting for more chasers
--Click to Enlarge--
Eighteen, still rising
--Click to Enlarge--
Got Air?
--Click to Enlarge--
Twenty-Three, not enough, yet. Remember, that's only one direction in a sky full of balloons
--Click to Enlarge--
Only 22 balloons in this narrow slice of sky over mid-town.
--Click to Enlarge--
Seventeen, counting the Bunny (top left is his foot)
--Click to Enlarge--
Sponsor tents and balloons. You count them
--Click to Enlarge--
Another Pepsi, in case we missed the first
--Click to Enlarge--
Hi, high hare.
--Click to Enlarge--
Not a helipad
--Click to Enlarge--
Does Bass Pro have darts?
--Click to Enlarge--
Pepsi can warmer
--Click to Enlarge--
Mayflower, Pepsi, and the bunny
--Click to Enlarge--
Another Bunny trio (still watching from the launch site)
--Click to Enlarge--
Flat Earth?
--Click to Enlarge--
The United Van looks melted
--Click to Enlarge--
Flat Earth rising
--Click to Enlarge--
Alpo has yet to roll out their balloon
--Click to Enlarge--
Alpo inflates
--Click to Enlarge--
Sillouette, jaunty silouette
--Click to Enlarge--
Here I've digitally tweaked the previous dark image. See the guy lying on the St Louis Balloon?
--Click to Enlarge--
Alpo photographer isn't looking where I am. Flaming Van
--Click to Enlarge--
Alpo rising with flame
--Click to Enlarge--
Shooting into the light
--Click to Enlarge--
Across the sponsor pavillions you see the Chase Park Plaza
--Click to Enlarge--
Who has gas?
--Click to Enlarge--
I suspect that pilot wanted a closer look
--Click to Enlarge--
Alpo aloft!
--Click to Enlarge--
Balloons are pretty
--Click to Enlarge--
Cut to the Chase. Note the one down in the trees? They are fighting for a northerly breeze.
--Click to Enlarge--
Overexposed, but looks like pouring popcorn
--Click to Enlarge--
Popcorn right side up
--Click to Enlarge--
Quite a wide field chasing the Bunny
--Click to Enlarge--
Balloon shadow on a pavillion, and a crowd of spectators
--Click to Enlarge--
Hot popcorn
--Click to Enlarge--
Human ballast for Wehrenberg
--Click to Enlarge--
Bunny is far away, compare the gondolas
--Click to Enlarge--
Almost all are aloft
--Click to Enlarge--
St Louis eclipses the sun, for me, for a moment
--Click to Enlarge--
Karen takes a shot of Dan
--Click to Enlarge--
An empty field, the locus of an hour of fast launches.
--Click to Enlarge--
The airships aloft, the ground crews give chase
--Click to Enlarge--
Three
--Click to Enlarge--
Assorted contestants heading in the right direction
--Click to Enlarge--
Flat Earth over Energizer
--Click to Enlarge--
Again, compare the gondolas for distance
--Click to Enlarge--
Karen took this shot of Dan taking a shot of the last balloon rising using her trusty phone
--Click to Enlarge--
Twenty seven, again. About as many are out of frame
--Click to Enlarge--
The fairgrounds for this balloon festival
--Click to Enlarge--
One last shot, as we cross the parking lot to head home.
--Click to Enlarge--