Balloon Ascension Day

Anyone who's ever been on a hot air balloon will tell you it's an incredible experience, especially if they've been on such a trip in a place of particularly majestic scenery. It might be hard for us to imagine today, but there was a time, not so long ago, when humans didn't know how to get up in the air and stay there the way we take for granted today, through by plane. or helicopter. In those days, being able to fly, or even float, was an almost impossible goal that many people tried to achieve, but only a few succeeded. Jean Pierre Blanchard is one of those who have succeeded, and January 9 is the day to remember his feat.

The History of Balloon Ascension Day

The first Balloon Ascension Day was as exciting as it seemed. A man named Jean Paul Blanchard, a French inventor and aviator, stood in front of the Walnut Street Jail in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at a site now known as Independence Square, performing a number of last-minute adjustments to his balloon, while sizable crowds looked on. Blachard has been preparing for this for a while now, and he's already sold a lot of tickets to people who enjoy seeing him take to the skies in his hydrogen-filled hot air balloon. In fact, Blachard was so good at creating buzz about his project that it is thought that almost the entire population of the capital city went to the prison courtyard to see it, and a lot of people from the surrounding countryside. In fact, the president of the United States himself, George Washington, was present.

Some viewers tried to convince Blachard to let them go with him, but he refused, identifying as the first person to fly into the air in the New World. And then... he went up, reaching an altitude of 200 degrees during his flight. He monitored his pulse throughout the trip, eventually making his way down the field of a confused farmer who helped him back up. And so, on January 9, 1793, the first hot air balloon flight ever to take place in North America was declared a success, and balloon travel became more popular.

How to Celebrate Balloon Ascension Day

Plan a trip to the hot air balloon festival. In the United States, there are about 30 hot air balloon festivals to choose. Go to one or go to all. You can find a full list at TownAndTourist. If you've captioned it, be sure to share your photos and experiences. It's definitely a sight to see. From the preparation stage to the spectacular launch, hot air balloon lovers will surely be satisfied. And of course, memories for a lifetime. It's a great way to #CelebrateEveryDay and be a part of Celebration Nation. Make sure to share using #BalloonAscensionDay on social media.

In short, if you've never been in a hot air balloon, this would be the perfect time to do it in honor of this successful inventor. If the place you live is too cold for this to be possible or interesting at this particular time of year, you can arrange to take such a trip when the weather is better.

Alternatively, if you happen to be on vacation afterwards, you can take a hot air balloon flight to get a real view of the area. Around the world, the best hot air balloon adventures are held in some different places such as Serengeti National Park (Tanzania), Napa Valley (California), Cappadocia (Turkey), Gstaad (Switzerland), Istria (Croatia) and Yarra Valley (Australia).

However, whichever location you choose, you're guaranteed a stunning view that you can't get any other way and an incredible experience you'll remember for a lifetime. And you will finally understand what our ancestors were so excited about!