That's right, I watched the sunrise from a hot air balloon over Iredell County. The winds were calm; the temperature was around 54. Describing the weather is easy. It’s much harder to find the words to describe the view. It’s the kind of view you don’t want to stop experiencing; you want to feel that sensation of floating aimlessly across the sky and seeing at least a hundred miles away.

I arrrived at Carrigan Farms at 430 a.m. We were in this beautiful rock quarry behind the acres of delicious strawberries at Carrigan Farms. There was a quiet, eeriness as fog rolled across the water.

The WCNC crew began setting up lights and eating some fresh berries and coffee for breakfast.! After a little guessing game with Bobby and Colleen about where I was, it was time to launch the balloon. It takes about 10 minutes to inflate the 230 pound envelope (thats what they call the balloon part). In the dark it’s a pretty amazing sight!

At the end of the 6 o'clock hour of the morning show we finally lifted off. First thing in the air we made a toast. This being live TV and the fact that real champagne gives me one incredible headache. We used sparkling grape juice…not too bad at 6:50 a.m.

Champagne has been a part of ballooning for more than 150 years. It started because peasants in France used to see a giant hot air balloon and think it was evil. At the time, champagne bottles carried the”seal of kings”… so they hung those shiny containers of bubbly off the sides so they wouldn’t be attacked when they landed. Fortunately for us, our only attack would’ve been a very over-weight black lab who barked at the balloon basket…like we were a bunch of evil, dog-nappers!

Our flight was over the rolling country side of Iredell and Rowan counties with a view of Charlotte, Lake Norman, and all of the mountain ranges of North Carolina. My favorite spot in the distance was Pilot Mountain (known to Andy Griffith fans as “Mount Pilot”). It’s actually located north of Winston-Salem, almost on the border of Surry and Stokes counties. That was about 80 miles from our vantage point in the balloon, piloted by Ed Ristaino.

Now, tomorrow’s location is something you really have to see to believe in the early morning hours. Actually, you can SMELL it, before you SEE it!!!