High Adventures

Sorry for the lateness of the blog ....

This Saturday I was taken by surprise and brought to Middletown, New York (not too far from our humble little town of New Paltz) for an amazing adventure. We drove up through a small town and finally got to a white barn where not far behind it was an open field with hot air balloons awaiting their passengers.
Fantasy Balloon Flights is a wonderful hot air balloon company that has been in business in the Hudson Valley for twenty-five years. It is owned by pilots Ken and Lana Smith who are two very enthusiastic and avid fliers. They welcome you with open arms and tell you that all of the passengers and crew become family, because without each other none of this could happen. Fantasy Balloon Flights has been featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and has the second largest hot air balloon in the world (which we flew in that day). It also has a 100% safety record which makes the whole experience a lot more comforting.
Going hot air ballooning was a wonderful gift which has given me memories that will last me a lifetime, however if you are a bit more of a daredevil, I have another great place for you to visit. About two weekends ago, I went skydiving at The Ranch which is about 15 minutes away from SUNY New Paltz. The Ranch is another safe and welcoming place filled with an interesting crew. You are paired up with an instructor (for a tandem jump) and given a fast training before you are put in a plane for a twenty minute ride high above the clouds. You are attached to your instructor and your parachute before you hear those few words, "One, Two, Three, JUMP!!!" The jump from the airplane was 13,500 feet high and was one of the most exhilarating and coolest things I have ever done.

I 100% recommend these two adventures to anyone willing to go high up in the sky for a fun ride! So if you are looking for a fun and unique experience close to New Paltz, you now have two places to go!!!