While everyone was out for spring break, some friends and I took a field trip up to what I call the "Magic Balloon". Built on the old El Toro marine air field, the Great Park will someday "include a 2.5 mile canyon and lake, miles of walking and biking trails, a cultural terrace, Orange County's largest sports park, and a botanical garden." But for now, they've got a big orange balloon. And you can ride it.. free of charge.
The balloon goes up to 400 feet, any higher and it would cause some problems for the nearby John Wayne airport. 400 feet doesn't sound that high, but when you look down and see that the only thing holding you to the ground is a tiny cable, it sure seems high.
I'm not sure who the designer is behind the Great Park, but they've done a wonderful job. Everything has been so cleary considered, from the graphic design to the landscape architecture to the little details like these huge offset arrows on the landing strip. Orange and white have never looked better.
I love these patches of orange and white checkerboards in the parking lot.
And they've kept some of the old markings from the old Marine air station runways. Viewed from the balloon, they are big and bold and just beautiful. I love the huge graphic circles they designed around the landing site.
The kids thought it was great. Bee was literally jumping up and down most of the time we were up. C was a little concerned, but warmed up once we started playing a little game of "I SPY".. I spy a little blue car.. I spy a patch of red flowers, etc.
We recently read James and the Giant Peach and while we were up in the balloon, being blown around by the wind, I thought of James and his crew teathered to a flock of seagulls flying around in a giant peach. Not such a bad way to travel.