Nice evenings during the summer mean balloon flights over Woodinville and the surrounding area.  I was driving home one evening and, as I came up I-405, I could see a balloon that looked like it might be close to home.  Rather than turn towards the house, I headed for one of the nearby fields that has been a landing zone for balloons before (and that have made it into posts on here).  When I got there, the balloon was close but was tracking slightly west of the field so no way it was going to make it in.  It was heading towards the town so I decided to drive towards the south side of the town to see where it might end up.

I was coming around the south side on the road that skirts the town and the traffic had come to a halt.  This was because everyone was watching the balloon low overhead.  I actually took a shot through the sunroof of the car as it came low over me.  I looped around the roundabout but didn’t take the south exit because the crew seemed to be heading that way and I didn’t need to crowd things.

I went around to the next road and looked back across the fields as the balloon continued on its way.  It wasn’t touching down so I guess the area was not ideal.  I figured I might head a little further south and see if it came even further.  I took the road to Redmond and pulled off at one of the field entrances.  Sure enough, they were still drifting south but looked like they might finally be getting close to landing.  I didn’t shoot much video, but I did get a little to emphasize the way the balloon was drifting through the trees.  As I watched it, the ground crew pulled up and started honking at me.  They were incredibly rude.  As soon as I saw them arrive, I was getting out of the way.  Not my fault that they were struggling to catch their balloon, but they behaved like everyone should just get out of their way.  I did anyway but, if you are reading this balloon crew, don’t be assholes to bystanders if you are struggling to recover your balloon and its passengers.