The Moon's a Balloon --- Day 213

Walk: Laurel Village, Mindful Body, Laurel Village
Distance: 3 miles and teach yoga class


A few weeks ago The Chronicle ran an article on two men (?) who were attempting a 100 mile plus lawn-chair 'flight' from Oregon to somewhere in Montana. Surprisingly it didn't last more than a few hours (actually I am  surprised it lasted that long) before the balloons and lawn chairs came crashing down, ejected the two astronauts, and rose back up to sail away on their own.

The readers' Comments thread that ran after the article was the funniest I've seen. Here are a few excerpts; I'm with the guys who say "Best thread ever!" and there are more threads. Maybe read the article and all the comments if you have the time/inclination.

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BEND, Ore. (AP) — Hours into their lawn-chair balloon flight, two men made a hard landing after they were hit by hail and snow as thunderstorms swept into central Oregon. But their back-yard aircraft floated away.

Kent Couch and Fareed Lafta were about seven hours into their flight Saturday when they descended, coming down near the community of Post, about 30 miles east of their starting point. But after they scrambled out of the contraption, it floated away, flight organizer Mark Knowles said.

"They came down hard," Knowles said by cellphone. "The craft went back up. It's sitting up in the sky right above us."

A flight website tracker showed it continuing east across Oregon.......

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Weather-stops-tandem-lawn-chair-balloon-flight-3706893.php#ixzz22tiI4Pal

Readers' Comments (Excerpts)  ---------

ninerkev

11:26 AM on July 14, 2012

Debate amongst yourselves:
Who has more free time? These two or the guy who taught his goats how to surf?

brotherbuzz

12:40 PM on July 14, 2012

At least the balloon guys and the goat guy are getting outdoors.

We're all sitting inside eating Bon-bons, dispensing our wisdom to like minded shut-ins.

unclebunk

12:45 PM on July 14, 2012

 I'm not eating bon bons, I'm eating a grilled cheese sandwich. 

brotherbuzz

12:52 PM on July 14, 2012

Grilled cheese. God, I'd love one, but no cheese in the house and I can't leave the keyboard to go buy some. Else I might miss a opportunity to post some wisdom.

unclebunk

1:03 PM on July 14, 2012

Can you buy cheese on Amazon?

brotherbuzz

1:50 PM on July 14, 2012

Hey there ain't no taxes on Cheese in California.
But on Amazon you have so many choices. From Velveeta to Parmigiano Reggiano, Bonati Riserva Cheese (Whole Wheel) Approximately 80 Lbs
$2,128.60

dewane

2:04 PM on July 14, 2012

If you're looking for Lou, as in Lou Zerr, you've come to the right place. Where can a body get bon bons around here?

 

ninerkev

4:54 PM on July 14, 2012

Hey, now, I'd be outside if I wasn't loafing it at work.

doubledecker163

5:56 PM on July 14, 2012

Everyone knows the answer to that question is: Vitale

AlSwearengen

6:14 PM on July 14, 2012

@towngrier, brotherbuzz wrote, "there ain't no taxes on Cheese in California."

rancholovelazer

9:25 PM on July 14, 2012

Surfing goats...amazon cheese...balloon dude?
This thread is pretty awesome.

 

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Weather-stops-tandem-lawn-chair-balloon-flight-3706893.php#ixzz22tmuhs1K