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The Hot Air Balloon I went up in was a rainbow of colors, one of three owned and operated by a local ballooning company. For 5.00, a ride of at least forty minutes duration is promised and we were aloft for just under an hour. It's certainly serene when floating along through the air, but it is deafening when the pilot turns on the burners! A sharpening breeze blew our balloon further adrift that expected and we landed in a pasture amidst an interested herd of Hereford steers. The chase vehicle soon arrived, the pilot popped open a celebratory bottle of champagne (as promised in their literature), and I inquired about booking another flight!

Hot Air Ballooning is very popular nowadays, with clubs and ballooning companies offering rides and even instruction for wannabe pilots. However, the pastime is not new on the scene, in fact the very first hot air balloon rose from the ground in 1783. In France, the Montgolfier brothers were the early developers, sending up tethered balloons with no passengers, then experimenting with first geese and then a dog, and finally mustering the courage for two men to try it. The next step was an untethered balloon, which stayed up for 23 minutes flying over Paris, landing in a park in the Bois du Boulogne. They had little control over their balloon, a condition that exists to a great extent to the present day; basically the pilot still goes where the breeze blows him.

If you actually need to get somewhere, a hot air balloon is a fairly impractical vehicle. You can't really steer it other than rising or descending to find crosscurrents in the wind, and it only travels as fast as the wind blows. Hot air balloons are based on a very basic scientific principle: warmer air rises in cooler air because the hot air is lighter. A cubic foot of air weighs roughly 28 grams (about an ounce). If you heat that air by 100 degrees F, it weighs about 7 grams less. Therefore, each cubic foot of air contained in a hot air balloon can lift about 7 grams. That's not much, and this is why hot air balloons are so huge -- to lift 1, 000 pounds, you need about 65, 000 cubic feet of hot air!

Inside the balloon's envelope there is a constant variation between the pressure of the hot air against the top of the envelope versus the pull of gravity. The pilot's objective is to maintain equilibrium between the two forces through the judicious use of the propane-fueled burners, which are mounted on the gondola, which in turn is suspended under the open balloon. It takes a lot of practice to get the feel for achieving that near exact balancing act between ascent and descent.

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Guide to skiing 101 by mansi gupta

For all those who cherish skiing, this sport has everything to offer from fun, adventure, excitement, to some of the exotic skiing resorts and quite a few thrilling contests. This archaic sport has thus been able to garner worldwide acclaim. Now there are wonderful skiing resorts almost all across the globe to cater to the skiing enthusiasm of people especially visitors. Let us take a look at a few globally recognized or eminent skiing resorts in the world today.

• When we talk about skiing, the foremost spot that figures is Aspen. Aspen Highlands as well as Aspen Mountain cuddled in Colorado, United States, offer around 1400 acres of slopes for all the skiing lovers. These slopes are not just meant for the professionals but even the beginners, young and old, snowboarders and skiers can have a lifetime experience skiing here. But skiing is not the only sport to relish in the breathtaking ambience. Well there are other activities such as hot air balloon tours, snowshoe walks and snowmobile rides. All in all the 7495 feet high Aspen Mountains together with Aspen Highlands leave no stone unturned to gratify the skiing passion of people. You can make your stay comfortable at the accommodations offered by Aspen Alps, Ajax Condominiums and Aspen Meadows Resort.

• Another skiing destination that is swarming with people during the months of November to April is the Big Mountain. Big Mountain standing firm in whitefish, Montana is America's everlasting attraction. On this approximately 3000 acres of real estate you can enjoy on incredible 91 runs. The proficient ones can ski at a set of 15 separate runs and bask in the glory of wonderful aura and the pleasant game. Other games such as sledding, tubing, sleigh riding, dog sledding tours etc. can even be enjoyed here. But this isn't all…there are nine different restaurants too! The average low temperature of this place is around 44 degrees but winters at 17 degrees can be icy cold. Once Big Mountain is another big destination on your mind, you can get your reservations done at the beautiful Alpenglow Inn or the Grouse Mountain Lodge.

• Big Sky welcomes all the skiing aficionados. The resort is a construction of the former NBC broadcaster Chet Huntley. This area as later on purchased by Boyne Resorts in USA. The contemporary attraction of Big Sky is its being recognized as one amongst greatest skiing resorts and its amazing accommodations.

• Another big name associated with skiing is that of Deer Valley. Deer Valley, a ground to four mountains is situated in Park City, Utah. These huge mountains- Bald Mountain, Flagstaff Mountain, Empire Canyon and Bald Eagle Mountain together make Deer Valley an ideal skiing destination. Horseback riding, swimming, golfing, river rafting are other activities to delight in.

• Colorado presents another great skiing spot- Copper Mountain. Copper Mountain has gained immense recognition because of its incredible 12,313 feet elevation and the huge area 2433 acres of land it conceals, thereby making a perfect skiing spot. Along with these characteristics there are other delightful features too. For instance the West Lake District a home for skating, shopping and bars. The Lazy Lizard and Endo's Adrenaline Café serve as excellent eating joints to all the visitors.

Besides these for the skiing devotees there are timeless other hot destinations to hit like Whistler Blackcomb, Valle Nevado and Snowmass.

Mansi gupta writes about skiing . Learn more at http://www.skiforvacation.com

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