I’ve read stories about how flight attendants and adventurous passengers joined the Mile High Club. Some of the stories ended up in employees being fired and other bad endings. But this story has a happy ending, I assure you.
The day set out with an adventurous spirit. We arrived with a group of friends for our flight. I jumped in the bucket and the flight operator got things heated up.
When I say hot, I mean it got real hot. You could feel your eye brawls heating up.
The fire really got everyone excited and heated up.
Before long, we were getting it up off the ground.
Right about now is when I thought this might be a bad idea. My hands grasped the handles a title tighter. Too bad the floor was made of basket I thought.
Our first sight was of a river crossing at a low altitude. We couldn’t join the Mile High Club without getting warmed up.
We passed over a few farms on our way.
Even though everyone was doing it, looking over at our friends in the nearby balloon didn’t give any reassurance.
As we approached the Mile High Club, I counted down to the 5,280 foot mark. The first reading was 5,205.
Unfortunately, my camera froze and I only caught the 5,230 mark instead of the 5,280 Mile High Club mark. So you’ll have to envision the picture yourself.
Bottom Line
Joining the Mile High Club in a hot air balloon is exactly what I expected it would be, but only slightly more scary than imagined.
The ride up in the hot air balloon was more frightening than expected, but the views from the Mile High Club were well worth it.
Have you ever joined the Mile High Club and was it everything you thought it would be?
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Really wondering why you chose that title. Most people will expect one type of story and then you deliver this story.
Not me no way
I am glad you were responsible enough to use a balloon for protection when you officially joined the Mile High Club.
Who were you with? Not sure you can join solo. 😉
Sorry! Don’t understand.
I’ll debut my real MHC story on my blog… one day… maybe after a few glasses of wine 🙂
Just go to Denver…
@angelina Bow Chica wow wow, do tell! Where should I mail a bottle of ’98 Dom to? 😉
Did you use protection?
Hi Sean – there were no safety harnesses in the basket. All 6 of us were just standing on the basket which the pilot claimed had a metal bottom.
For those that were wondering, this wasn’t the MHC that Angelina mentioned, we just climbed up to 1 mile high and then coasted on down and landed on a street. Was a great experience.
All 6 of you, huh? :). I knew hot air ballooning could be adventurous but that redefines mile high club ha.
Having been lucky enough to fly hundreds of flights (including competitions – yes there is a ballooning sport based on flight destination objectives – you can ‘steer’ these things) the basket really is your friend. Lots of attempts to design something better have all bowed in failure to wicker basket with an aluminum frame. They absorb a hell of an impact. Although you are lighter than air you are actually 2-3 tons of air as well as the balloon and passengers. When the wind is anything other than still you have all that momentum when you touch ground.
Hmmm…. I guess my NM mile high balloon experience in the late 1990’s was better than I thought.
I was SO hoping this involved the two middle Singapore Suites.
Awesome!!!! I’ve bought tickets for the Balloon Festival in New Mexico in October. It will be my first time in a hot air balloon. I can’t wait 🙂
Unless you’re leaving out some important details, you did NOT join the Mile High Club! Either that or you and your friends are VERY close!