Hot in East Texas again

The forecast as of this morning:

We went to the Great Texas Balloon Race in Longview last night. When we arrived, there was a Warthog A-10 Thunderbolt flying around and going through it’s paces; this is really fascinating to watch, and looks like it would be lots of fun for the pilot. With the 30mm Gatling gun in the nose, I’d hate to be the target.
The balloonists did a balloon glow, where the balloons are inflated after dark, and the burners are ignited either randomly or in patterns. It’s really pretty – it reminds me most, oddly enough, of a book I had as a very young child which showed colored easter eggs. The colors were so vivid in that book that the picture has stuck with me all these years. The balloon glow is like that, except that it’s dynamic. It’s also interesting because you can go out in amongst the balloons, watch them set up, and see how it works. All the balloonists are friendly, as long as you don’t get in their way. Texas Grandma was a crew member on hot air balloon teams almost every year since the beginning of the event, but not this year.
It was also pretty hot, but last night wasn’t as hot as I have seen it in years past at the races. There was just enough of a breeze to make it comfortable.
It was a good time.
-Popgun

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