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Wednesday

19

August 2015

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VIDEO: My First Stearman Flight

Written by , Posted in Adventure, airplane, Bealeton, Canon 7D, Samsung Galaxy EK-GC110, Transportation, Video, Virginia

My first open cockpit flight in a BT17 Stearman at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival in Bealeton, VA. (Photo by Steven Glintz.)

I went to the Flying Circus Balloon Festival (see photos here) thinking I would take a balloon ride, but worked up the courage to take a flight in the open cockpit Stearman biplane (also known as a PT17).  The one I flew in was built in the 1940s, and is the same style plane the Tuskegee Airman used to train on for World War II.

I was nervous since this was my first time in an open cockpit plane, but I’m so glad to have had this experience!!  It was better than riding a roller coaster.

Have you ever taken an open cockpit flight?  Let me know your experience in the comments.  Here’s a quick video I shot during the flight.

My pilot got me as close as possible to the balloons so I could get great shots.
view from 1940s Stearman flight at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival / photo by Renel Holton / www.renelholton.com / IMG_2368

It was about a 10 minute ride at 3,000 feet with an amazing view!

view from 1940s Stearman flight at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival / photo by Renel Holton / www.renelholton.com / IMG_2320

view from 1940s Stearman flight at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival / photo by Renel Holton / www.renelholton.com / IMG_2345

Steven Glintz, one of the other photographers at the meet up, was kind enough to snap this photo of me as I was taking a photo of my pilot in the mirror after I landed.

My first open cockpit flight in a BT17 Stearman at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival in Bealeton, VA. (Photo by Steven Glintz.)

My first open cockpit flight in a BT17 Stearman at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival in Bealeton, VA. (Photo by Steven Glintz.)

(Featured photo by Steven Glintz)

Tuesday

18

August 2015

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COMMENTS

Flying Circus Balloon Festival

Written by , Posted in Adventure, airplane, Bealeton, Canon 7D, Transportation, Virginia

Flying Circus Balloon Festival / photo by Renel Holton / www.renelholton.com / IMG_2205

I went to the Flying Circus Aerodrome Ballon Festival in Bealeton, VA with the intention of shooting the hot air balloons and possibly taking a ride.  I didn’t get to take a balloon ride because they sold out quickly, but as the morning went on I worked up the courage to ride in the open cockpit Stearman biplane.  I’ll post the video soon (you can view here), but for now here’s some shots from that morning.

Have you taken a hot air balloon ride?  Let me know your experience in the comments.

Hot air ballon in the early stages on being filled at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival / photo by Renel Holton / www.renelholton.com / IMG_1938

Hot air balloon in the early stages on being filled at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival

Hot air balloon being filled at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival / photo by Renel Holton / www.renelholton.com / IMG_2028

Hot air balloon being filled at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival

view from 1940s Stearman flight at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival / photo by Renel Holton / www.renelholton.com / IMG_2320

view from 1940s Stearman flight at the Flying Circus Balloon Festival

Pro Tip: Bring cash if you want to take a balloon ride and haven’t booked in advance.  Most of the pilots are independent contracts and only accept cash.

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Thursday

5

June 2014

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South Africa Part 3: Shosholoza Meyl Train to Johannesburg #RenelInSouthAfrica

Written by , Posted in Africa & Middle East, Canon 7D, Cape Town, Johannesburg, South Africa, train, Transportation, Travel

I spent nine days in South Africa! If you missed part 2 click here, and be sure to follow my South African adventures using the tag #RenelInSouthAfrica2014. The itinerary for the next two days took me on a 30 hour train ride from Cape Town to Johannesburg on the Shosholoza Meyl.

Day 1

We left Cape Town around 10am for what would end up being a 30 hour ride on the Shosholoza Meyl to Johannesburg.  “Shosholoza” is the name of a Ndebele folk song that originated in Zimbabwe but was popularized in South Africa.  “Meyl” is a word that is related to a South African word for “long distance train.”  (Click here to see a lyric video with the English translation.)

I was in the 4-person sleeper with two other ladies from my tour.  Our cabin was the biggest out of the group so it ended up being the hangout room.  The other two cabins were two-person sleepers.  The cabin was actually bigger than I thought it would be but still a little claustrophobic such a long journey.  The sleeping cars are considered tourist class cost about 620 Rand (USD $59) for a one-way ticket from Cape Town to Johannesburg.  That price is about half of what it would cost to fly.  There’s a economy class with only seats on the other side of the dining car.

Shosholoza Meyl train cabin - photo by Renel Holton - www.renelholton.com / GOPR0016
mountains - photo by Renel Holton - www.renelholton.com / IMG_7641
mountains - photo by Renel Holton - www.renelholton.com / IMG_7679
mountains - photo by Renel Holton - www.renelholton.com / IMG_7692
mountains - photo by Renel Holton - www.renelholton.com / IMG_7701
mountains - photo by Renel Holton - www.renelholton.com / IMG_7729
solar panels - photo by Renel Holton - www.renelholton.com / IMG734
mountains - photo by Renel Holton - www.renelholton.com / IMG_7650

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Friday

7

September 2012

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