Community Corner
Birthday Girl Gets Soft Landing In Temecula Neighborhood
Isabel Ruiz was surprised by family members with a hot air balloon ride for her birthday.
TEMECULA, CA — It was a soft, although a little unexpected, landing for a Burbank family who chartered a hot air balloon ride in Temecula Thursday morning.
It started in the pre-dawn hours. Birthday girl Isabel Ruiz had stayed the night at Carter Estate Winery & Resort and was surprised by family members — who made a 3:15 a.m. drive from Burbank — with a hot air balloon ride.
Like it so often happens in Temecula, when the ride was over, the balloon made a soft landing in a residential neighborhood, not far from Abby Reinke Elementary School.
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The touch down took place around 8:45 a.m. and no one was injured in the incident.
Phil Brandt of Amazing Adventures, who was piloting Thursday's ride, told Patch's Ashley Ludwig, "Anywhere you can make a safe landing and easily get to (the balloon) is the best landing spot."
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The birthday girl was all smiles. "It was so peaceful and quiet," she said.
Happy Birthday Isabel!
—Patch editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this story.
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