Hot Air Ballooning

Galena On The Fly, Inc. flies new balloons that are specifically built to fly passengers. Our compartmentalized baskets are completely padded with plenty of rope handles, and can carry up to fourteen people comfortably. Since we fly equipment built for the sole purpose of carrying passengers, the sides of the basket are 48 inches high to set even the most nervous of passengers at ease.

We offer rides in Galena twice daily, at sunrise and sunset. The meeting time for these rides will vary as the sunrise and sunset times change with the seasons.

We meet at the Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa located just a few short miles outside of Galena. This is also where your flight will originate. We have several different locations from which to launch our balloons, all of which are located on the Resort property and will provide the most scenic flight possible.

The flight itself will last approximately an hour, and the whole event around 2.5-3 hours.

After take-off, the first few minutes of the flight are spent at tree top level, allowing you to get a feel for the flight. From there we may ascend up to 3,000 or 4,000 feet above the ground. At this altitude it is possible to see three different states. At times we may see some of the abundant wildlife that calls Jo Daviess County home. This area is known for its large population of whitetail deer.

Towards the end of our flight, we will ease back down to tree top level in anticipation of landing. This is a great opportunity to talk to earthbound spectators who may have gathered to catch a glimpse of our beautiful new balloons.

Upon landing you will be whisked away in one of our new passenger vans and returned to the Resort, where we have a champagne celebration and presentation of first flight certificates.

Reservations are required, and we do have a ten day cancellation policy. The flights are $175.00 per person, and while we do not charge your card until after your flight, a credit card number is required to guarantee your reservation. We do fill up, so to ensure a reservation on your desired flight date, advanced reservations are recommended. We accept MC/Visa and Discover.

If you would like to make reservations, purchase a gift certificate, or have further questions feel free to call me at 800-690-1287 or locally at 815-777-2747.

Wynne Reunion

Hello Wynne Clan!
Keri and I are hoping to plan a (Isabel and Stanley) Wynne Family reunion for Labor Day Weekend 2010.

The plan is to meet up in Galena, IL. We ware renting a large house that will house much of the family.

If we run out of room at the house some families could get hotel rooms close by and spend the day and evening at the house.

The house we have found has 5 large bedrooms. With sleeping bags and airmattresses the bedrooms should be large enough for parents and kids in one room. We plan to split the cost of the house by room, approximately $100/night/room. The home also has a largekitchen, gathering areas and a yard to play in. There is a hot tub too!

Colette is put together a list of activities in the Galena area. Families could plan their own daily activities as they would like. Scavenger hunts, water ghts , family portrait sessions and a talent show have been suggested as act ivies.

The plan for the evenings is be to gather at the house for a meal. Families will be assigned one of the lunch or evening meals to prepare for the group as a team. Menu would be up to the families cooking - we have thrown around the idea of having a friendly competition at those evening meals - Top Chef Wynne Reunion. The cost for these meals would be shared by the group.

Hope you can make it!