I like my job.

And on days like this past Saturday, I really like my job.

I've lived in St. Louis almost two years now, and I've always managed to be out of town for the Great Forest Park Balloon Race. Check that... I was driving out of town on the day of the race two years ago and caught a glimpse of the giant hot air balloons rising over the park's treetops.

So that's the closest I've ever come to this trademark St. Louis event.

Until Saturday.

Thanks to the big boss here at KMOV, I got to walk around the launch field while the 60 or so hot air balloons were launched skyward.

It was a pretty impressive experience. These 15 story monsters darkened giant sections of the park with shadows on an otherwise glorious day.

The weather may have been too perfect -- at least by ballooning standards.

What wind we had was light and variable, so the balloons didn't really go anywhere. They just floated to the sky... drifted one way... then another... and came to rest not far from where they launched.

But who's worried about the destination when you're on a journey as beautiful as a balloon ride?