Thursday, April 30, 2009

Balloon Rides

This picture was taken in 1903, in Portland Oregon. It shows an attraction where people could purchase a balloon ride. The two balloons can be seen in the background. I find it interesting that people could purchase a "flight" experience at this early date.

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11 comments:

  1. This is a great photo, and probably one of the best you've ever posted.

    Just looking at it makes me overcome with a wave of nostalgia for a simpler time.

    If you enlarge the photo, you can see a baby in a stroller on the left, and it looks like someone is walking or standing in the basket under the balloon that's in the air on the right.

    And there's a separate ticket booth for each of the balloons, with the name of the ship over each one.

    Where's Doc Brown, I feel the need for a time machine.

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  2. It's weird (Ok, OK, *I'm* weird)but as much as flying terrifies me (hubby carries permanent thumb prints in his knee caps) I would love to go up in a balloon. Maybe it is the idea that when a balloon fails, it sort of swooshes around as it lands, while an airplane takes on the trajectory path of a rock!

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  3. Can I go with you Smart Girl? I'm feeling that way too. Good observation on the picture.

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  4. "Balloon Rides." If there is money to be made someone will do it.

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  5. Heather:

    Since we're practically sisters, you can come with me any time.

    Let's go and not come back.

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  6. heather an smartgirl,i wanna go too,and i wont leave my sox lying around,,he he.
    oldbear.

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  7. If I recall correctly, there was a balloon ride at the Chicago Worlds Exposition in 1892. That is the year the Ferris Wheel debuted too, and it carried a staggering 2000 passengers at a time!

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  8. It looks like an early dirigible, similar to the ones Alberto Santos-Dumont used to fly..

    Seems Captain Tom Baldwin, pictured here, was a real part of aviation history, like Thaddeus Lowe (and Pancho Barnes...)

    http://nationalaviation.blade6.donet.com/components/content_manager_v02/view_nahf/htdocs/menu_ps.asp?NodeID=-1747565546&group_ID=1134656385&Parent_ID=-1

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  9. OK, anyone who wants to come, but we're not coming back

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  10. Yea! We're leaving and not coming back...I'm excited!

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  11. What a happy photo! Thank you all for your observant comments which brings the photo to life!!

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