The Royal Show by balloon.

The Royal Show in Kenilworth was the highlight of the long list of agricultural shows we would attend with our balloons.

July weather was usually kind so we were able to put on a good show to the enormous crowds.

The day would start tethering in a car park as the visitors drove in and when the tanks were empty or the thermals started, we packed away the balloons and went off for breakfast.

The day would be spent exploring all the stands in the enormous showground and at some point we would have to find the nearest propane supplier and buy som large heavy tanks to lug back to the car park and find a secluded area to refuel the balloon tanks. A grubby smelly job but had to be done and then we could go and find Joe and Heather who would put the kettle on and make us all a cup of tea. But woe betide anyone who expected such service whilst Joe was listening to The Archers!

I knew where the 2nd hand book shops were in nearby Leamington Spa so when some crews nipped off to the pub for lunch, I would explore the shelves for books on ballooning, early motoring and horology.

During the afternoon our eyes would scan the sky and pilots would begin to discuss whether or not we thought the weather would allow us to fly out of the main arena in the evening. The stewards needed to know so they could make arrangements and announcements.

There were probably about 6 balloons in the holding arena with pilots and crews poised for action, engines running. Once the marching band finished their piece and marched out, we would watch for the chief steward to give us the sign to drive in.

The first cars in would choose the best places to lay out their balloon so you can imagine the chaos. But it was all good-humoured and everybody was ready to help one another if need be. The competitive spirit was high because the pilot who managed to land his balloon beyond the boundaries of the car parks and ran back to the main arena won an enormous round of applause from the crowd and was presented with a bottle of champagne.

I love winning and enjoyed this moment of glory more than once — arriving triumphantly on a bicycle borrowed from a boy who had to walk all the way to the showground to collect his precious bike.

After winning a few times, the other pilots scuppered any plans of success by un-hitching my trailer hitch just before driving in to the arena so when I roared off to pick the perfect spot the trailer was left behind. Much hilarity as I had to go back and start again.

There was plenty of scope for mischief amongst the balloon crews and one year at the Royal Yorkshire show, one poor pilot found his balloon had been dragged out of its bag, turned inside out, and put back in the bag. How we laughed as the hapless crew started inflating and realised they’d been ‘had’.

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More soon … I promise. Maybe the time I crashed a balloon on the north face of The Eiger?

Or the the time I flew into a hornets’ nest in Ubatuba ( Brazil) ?

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