A Driver’s Legacy: Xfinity Series Driver Ryan Ellis

- Ryan Ellis, didn’t end last years Nascar Xfinity Series season as he hoped, but as the 2024 season gets started, we took a look at where he came from and where he hopes to be.

Charlotte: Re-segregationist History

- We thought the battle had been won, as part of the civil rights movement, but decades of rollbacks have put us back nearly where we started.

AI: It’s Not Coming…It’s Here

- We wanted to know what AI is capable of, what it’s used for, and to ask the big question…should we be worried?

Tying the Knot

- Taylor Young and myself spent a few days with different couples from around the Carolina’s to talk about their weddings, and how they’ve experienced changes in how we think about marriage and weddings.

Big City Buzz: A Story about Community Spirits

- Taylor Young and myself spent 3 days in Columbus, Ohio to learn about what they call Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas.

Float Away

It’s hard not to be romantic about balloons.

Hot Air Balloons were our earliest form of sustained human flight, going back to the 1700s.

They have served as tools of industry and have been used for weather forecasting, as weapons of war, and as entertainment items.

The Industrial Era brought the zeppelin and, eventually, the airplane pushing hot air balloons into the category of the “quaint” or “novel.” They belong to a bygone era.

An era where the elements played a more direct role in the outcomes of our adventures.

The novelty of balloon flight is as real today as it was 200 years ago; you can spend a day at the Statesville Balloon Festival each year and see for yourself.

Balloonists such as Joe and Beth Hamilton (veteran balloonists of nearly 40 years) offer attendees the chance to experience the romance of balloon flight or imagine themselves as a character in a Jules Verne novel.

Balloon Festivals aren’t just for being airborne; they are enchanting from the ground up.

Every year, spectators witness the sky decorated with the colorful flare of balloons by day and their mesmerizing glow at night.

Families, Couples, Friends, and balloon aficionados are all welcome. Balloon Festivals are a chance to reminisce, maybe check off a bucket list item, grab a drink, soak in the sun, and wish you weren’t afraid of heights.