• user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire, serialized FROM cache_block WHERE cid = 'ad:291:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 27.
  • warning: file_exists(): open_basedir restriction in effect. File(/var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/../ad_/ad_cache_.inc) is not within the allowed path(s): (/var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/:/tmp/) in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/sites/all/modules/ad/adserve.inc on line 160.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_block SET data = 'a:1:{s:7:\"content\";s:3176:\"<div class=\"image-advertisement\" id=\"ad-675\"><a href=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/ad/redirect/675/t291\" onclick=\"window.open(this.href); return false;\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/default/files/HP--Richard Roberts.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"600\" /></a></div><div class=\"ad-image-counter\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&amp;a=675&amp;c=fileArray\" height=\"0\" width=\"0\" alt=\"view counter\" /></div><div class=\"advertisement-space\" id=\"space-t291-1\"></div><div class=\"image-advertisement\" id=\"ad-404\"><a href=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/ad/redirect/404/t291\" onclick=\"window.open(this.href); return false;\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/default/files/HP--TheOrchard.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"600\" /></a></div><div class=\"ad-image-counter\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&amp;a=404&amp;c=fileArray\" height=\"0\" width=\"0\" alt=\"view counter\" /></div><div class=\"advertisement-space\" id=\"space-t291-2\"></div><div class=\"image-advertisement\" id=\"ad-264\"><a href=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/ad/redirect/264/t291\" onclick=\"window.open(this.href); return false;\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/default/files/HP--Batte_3.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"600\" /></a></div><div class=\"ad-image-counter\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&amp;a=264&amp;c=fileArray\" height=\"0\" width=\"0\" alt=\"view counter\" /></div><div class=\"advertisement-space\" id=\"space-t291-3\"></div><div class=\"image-advertisement\" id=\"ad-401\"><a href=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/ad/redirect/401/t291\" onclick=\"window.open(this.href); return false;\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/default/files/HP--EyeWorks_0.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"600\" /></a></div><div class=\"ad-image-counter\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&amp;a=401&amp;c=fileArray\" height=\"0\" width=\"0\" alt=\"view counter\" /></div><div class=\"advertisement-space\" id=\"space-t291-4\"></div><div class=\"image-advertisement\" id=\"ad-263\"><a href=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/ad/redirect/263/t291\" onclick=\"window.open(this.href); return false;\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/default/files/HP--CoatTails_0.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"600\" /></a></div><div class=\"ad-image-counter\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&amp;a=263&amp;c=fileArray\" height=\"0\" width=\"0\" alt=\"view counter\" /></div><div class=\"advertisement-space\" id=\"space-t291-5\"></div><div class=\"image-advertisement\" id=\"ad-399\"><a href=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/ad/redirect/399/t291\" onclick=\"window.open(this.href); return false;\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/default/files/HP--EverydayGardener_0.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"600\" /></a></div><div class=\"ad-image-counter\"><img src=\"http://www.northsidesun.com/sites/all/modules/ad/serve.php?o=image&amp;a=399&amp;c=fileArray\" height=\"0\" width=\"0\" alt=\"view counter\" /></div>\";}', created = 1369478327, expire = -1, headers = '', serialized = 1 WHERE cid = 'ad:291:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 112.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire, serialized FROM cache_block WHERE cid = 'ad:18:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 27.
  • warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/sites/all/modules/ad/adcache.inc on line 310.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_block SET data = 'a:1:{s:7:\"content\";s:40:\"<!-- No active ads were found in t18 -->\";}', created = 1369478327, expire = -1, headers = '', serialized = 1 WHERE cid = 'ad:18:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 112.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire, serialized FROM cache_block WHERE cid = 'ad:20:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 27.
  • warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/sites/all/modules/ad/adcache.inc on line 310.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_block SET data = 'a:1:{s:7:\"content\";s:40:\"<!-- No active ads were found in t20 -->\";}', created = 1369478327, expire = -1, headers = '', serialized = 1 WHERE cid = 'ad:20:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 112.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire, serialized FROM cache_block WHERE cid = 'ad:19:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 27.
  • warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/sites/all/modules/ad/adcache.inc on line 310.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_block SET data = 'a:1:{s:7:\"content\";s:40:\"<!-- No active ads were found in t19 -->\";}', created = 1369478327, expire = -1, headers = '', serialized = 1 WHERE cid = 'ad:19:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 112.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire, serialized FROM cache_block WHERE cid = 'ad:287:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 27.
  • warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/sites/all/modules/ad/adcache.inc on line 310.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_block SET data = 'a:1:{s:7:\"content\";s:41:\"<!-- No active ads were found in t287 -->\";}', created = 1369478327, expire = -1, headers = '', serialized = 1 WHERE cid = 'ad:287:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 112.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire, serialized FROM cache_block WHERE cid = 'ad:288:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 27.
  • warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/sites/all/modules/ad/adcache.inc on line 310.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_block SET data = 'a:1:{s:7:\"content\";s:41:\"<!-- No active ads were found in t288 -->\";}', created = 1369478327, expire = -1, headers = '', serialized = 1 WHERE cid = 'ad:288:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 112.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire, serialized FROM cache_block WHERE cid = 'ad:289:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 27.
  • warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/sites/all/modules/ad/adcache.inc on line 310.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_block SET data = 'a:1:{s:7:\"content\";s:41:\"<!-- No active ads were found in t289 -->\";}', created = 1369478327, expire = -1, headers = '', serialized = 1 WHERE cid = 'ad:289:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 112.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire, serialized FROM cache_block WHERE cid = 'ad:17:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 27.
  • warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/sites/all/modules/ad/adcache.inc on line 310.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_block SET data = 'a:1:{s:7:\"content\";s:40:\"<!-- No active ads were found in t17 -->\";}', created = 1369478327, expire = -1, headers = '', serialized = 1 WHERE cid = 'ad:17:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 112.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire, serialized FROM cache_block WHERE cid = 'ad:30:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 27.
  • warning: date(): It is not safe to rely on the system's timezone settings. You are *required* to use the date.timezone setting or the date_default_timezone_set() function. In case you used any of those methods and you are still getting this warning, you most likely misspelled the timezone identifier. We selected 'America/Chicago' for 'CDT/-5.0/DST' instead in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/sites/all/modules/ad/adcache.inc on line 310.
  • user warning: Table './wyattemmerich_drupal/cache_block' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_block SET data = 'a:1:{s:7:\"content\";s:40:\"<!-- No active ads were found in t30 -->\";}', created = 1369478327, expire = -1, headers = '', serialized = 1 WHERE cid = 'ad:30:mix_and_match:http://www.northsidesun.com/content/and-away-big-balloon?cookie_check=1&quicktabs_1=4' in /var/www/vhosts/northsidesun.com/httpdocs/includes/cache.inc on line 112.

Up, up and away in a big balloon

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By

AS WE FLOATED off the grassy field, the man in the basket with me feigned surprise and said, “Uh oh! What do we do now?”

I’d met the hot-air balloon pilot - a tall, thin man from Waynesboro named Dean Durr - a little after six that morning at the pilots briefing at the Canton Multipurpose Complex. It was the weekend of the Mississippi Championship Hot Air Balloon Fest.

When Mr. Durr found out I’d be riding with him on this morning’s “fun flight” as a member of the media, he asked if I’d ever flown before.

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