At Lake Skinner, amongst the early-morning hustle and bustle of the first day of the 2015 Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival on Friday, May 29, David Ball and his wife Lauren found themselves back at the scene of their first date almost 20 years ago. The Cherry Valley couple reminisced on that day in 1997 when their first date jitters were soon replaced by a fascination with hot air balloons. "I bought a balloon because it looked like so much fun," said David, a retired computer consultant. "(David) was already interested in hot air ballooning, which is why he wanted to come here for a date," Lauren shared. She recalled her love of hot air ballooning, which grew out of a request for her help from a balloonist during her first date with David. "He let me hold the rope while he was doing the inflation. I was hooked." After Lauren retired from her position as director of social work at Loma Linda University's psychiatric hospital, the couple, who regularly traveled across the United States and even internationally - visiting Chile and Taiwan - has been able to do more hot air balloon flying, they explained. The annual three-day Balloon and Wine Festival in Temecula, started in 1983 by commercial airline pilot and balloonist Walt Darren and event organizer and fund raiser Evelyn Harker, combines hot air balloon flights with wine tastings, culinary presentations and entertainment and each year attracts thousands of visitors from throughout Southern California to Lake Skinner for the event. "This is one of our favorite events," said David as he worked to heat up his hot air balloon, a smaller model known as a sport balloon. "There's lots of entertainment. This crowd you see here, we pretty much know all of them and see them at other events. We're kind of a big family, all the various pilots and crew. It's a fun thing to do. Some people do sailboats, some people do sand buggies, and we do balloons." David explained that in order to fly a hot air balloon, one must obtain a pilot's license. David is commercially rated, which allows him to take passengers on balloon rides, he explained. In fact, the first balloon he bought was a large commercial balloon with a basket large enough to hold four. In 1997, it cost $28,000. Though he doesn't do much commercial flying anymore, explained Laura, commercial pilots are also flight instructors. "He gave me lessons so that I could become a commercial pilot. It's sort of like teaching your wife to drive, but more so, and he keeps instructing me all the time," she laughed. Now that they're both retired, said David, the couple regularly travels to make hot air balloon flights. As part of the Southern California Balloon Association, a recreational club, David and Lauren travel across Southern California, she explained. "We get together about once a month and fly somewhere in Southern California. We try to pick fun, interesting places, and the communities usually love it," said Lauren. She said people "get thrilled" to see the morning sky full of hot air balloons, especially because that's not a sight one sees every day, or even very often. Last weekend's Wine and Balloon festival in Temecula wrapped up on Sunday, May 31, and will be back again next year. If you would like to ride the Gypsy Spirit, contact Dave and Lauren Ball, of Cherry Valley, at 909-747-4163. You may also contact them by email at mtnflyer2@gmail.com.

Love and Balloons are in the Air at Temeculas Balloon and Wine Festival