1: Steve helps the crew of Itsa Touchie Subject unload the envelope.
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2: Placing the envelope on the tarp.
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3: Steve helps Rachel unload the fan.
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4: Unloading the fan.
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5: Laying the basket (gondola) down on its side.
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6: Preparing to hold the throat open so the fan can "cold inflate" the envelope.
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7: Steve at the throat of the envelope.
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8: Holding the throat open for cold inflation.
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9: Yes, that's Steve holding the throat open.
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10: Better hang on tight so it doesn't blow away....
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11: Fergie fires the burner to heat the air and stand up the balloon.
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12: Steve watches Itsa Touchie Subject lift off.
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13: Fergie has landed the balloon to exchange passengers and take a second hop.
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14: Whoa! Look who climbed into the basket for the second hop!
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15: And look who's hanging on, wondering how he got here....
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16: Fergie prepares to fire the burners again to get Touchie bouyant.
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17: The crew keeps "hands only" on the balloon as it starts to rise.
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18: Steve is hanging on tighter as Touchie lifts off....
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19: There they go -- Fergie, Steve, and the other passengers....
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20: What a beautiful balloon....
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21: Bigger is better!
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22: The crew watches Touchie drift away.
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23: Balloons leave contrails???
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24: So where did Fergie say he was going to land this time?
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25: Anybody seen a red, yellow, and blue balloon?
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26: Touchie's gettin' HIGH!
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27: Oh, yeah, there were other balloons at Chama, too.
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28: Touchie and friends, just hangin' around Chama.
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29: Chasing Touchie, we see Fifth Dimension, the other balloon we crew for (courtesy of George Garcia).
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30: So how are we supposed to get over there?
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31: Looks like Fergie is getting ready to land.
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32: He's landed in a fenced field.
Unfortunately, the owner won't open the gate.
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33: That's OK: The crew and passengers will just walk him out.
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34: So HOW much does a 105,000 cubic foot balloon weigh?
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35: When the wind is pushing it backwards? A LOT!
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If you have a high-speed internet connection (like cable or DSL),
you can click HERE to download a 2-minute movie of the crew walking the balloon out.
Don't try this if you have a dial-up connection -- the file is too large (20 Megs).
36: The balloon is packed up and loaded into the trailer, so now we're all hanging around waiting to take a group picture.
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37: Touchie crew, Touchie pilots, and Touchie passengers:
Sunday, February 26, 2006.
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38: Initiation: Oops, Fergie said a bad word!
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39: Has he finished telling that story yet?
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40: OK, now, bottoms up -- but no hands!
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41: Keep drinking -- Don't spill any...
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42: Doused with a little champagne...
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43: Oh, that is wet and cold...
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44: Here, let Joel help rinse it off...
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45: Now Steve knows why we had him take off
his jacket and sweater and give us his cell phone...
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46: Welcome to Ballooning!
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47: One last initiation rite: The pinning.
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48: Fergie warns Steve about the consequences of letting the pin fall off.
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49: Pilot Fergie, Steve, and Pilot Ralph.
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50: The moral of this story?
You never know what might happen when you talk to strangers!
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