Air Races

For my birthday, Eve took me to the Reno Air Races. It is the last event where planes race against each other as a group. It's a circular course and the pilots are required to stay between 50 and 250 feet off the ground.




We got tickets to the pits and got to see the planes and the crews up close.







It had been awhile since I'd been to an air show. As a kid I don't think I appreciated the areodynamics of the stunts the pilots were doing. The trick pilots would do flips and cartwheels, and the fighter jets would slow down to what seemed like 40 MPH.







The races were good, but I thought a little short. They'd do 5 - 7 laps around the course, for a total of 40 miles, but at speeds of around 400MPH. It made your heart jump.

Balloon Races

From Dallas, I flew to Denver for work. Friday I came home to Reno and the next day was the Reno Balloon Races. A friend of Eve's lives near the park they launch the balloons and has a breakfast party every year.



We got up at 4 in the morning and over to the park. Before the sun comes up they have a morning glow. They stand up a few balloons to light up. Then set up and launch five balloons at day break. It was a great show.







We went back to the house for breakfast and mimosas. We had a nice time hanging out, and watching dogs chew bones. Then we heard a jet as a balloon floated 40 feet above the house. We walked back down to the park to see 75 balloons floating over the hills. It was a tranquil scene.







Then it was time for a nap.

Matt and Lindsey's Wedding

I got back from the fire Monday, had a quick work week and then headed to Dallas Friday. It was my birthday Sunday as well as my good friends Matt and Lindsey's wedding. A lot of my friends were going to be in town for the wedding and it was good to see them all again.




I didn't take enough pictures, but it was a relaxing weekend. It was an odd back and forth between seeing my family and hanging out with my friends. Everyone seemed to be doing well and I tried to convince a few to make trips to Reno. Ski season is right around the corner!