Does this blimp make my ass look fat?

Today, the Caperello family got the chance to share something totally unique – a ride on an airship. A blimp. It was freakin’ awesome.

The event, a birthday celebration for cancer survivors explained in my last post, was put on by the American Cancer Society (the official sponsor of birthdays) and Horizon Blue Cross & Blue Shield. My mom who works for ACS got an email from the event coordinator that some media would be present and wanted to interview my dad. The Ewing Observer is a local, monthly paper – the most recent edition came out yesterday, so it’ll be a while before we can read their account of today's happenings.

I said,"They want to interview you! That’s pretty cool, huh Pops?" His response was nonchalant.

“I’ll answer any questions they have," he said, "but I want them to know that every American deserves healthcare.”

Yes. My pop’s initial reaction was to use the publicity as a pulpit for the healthcare crisis. We wore matching red t-shirts that read, The healthcare crisis is a cancer crisis on one side and Make health insurance adequate, affordable, available, administratively simple on the other side.

I’m not entirely sure where Horizon stands on healthcare reform, but the reps there at Solebury Airfield couldn’t have been nicer. We won't see the article for some time to know if dad got his message out, but at a certain moment, it was all about the blimp, baby.

And that moment was right about here:


That's dad in the red.
Captain Terry (seen below) dropped some knowledge on me n moms while they had dad in the air with the reporter from the Ewing Observer.


Fun facts:

• There are 22 airships in the world, 3 are owned by Goodyear

• There is $50,000 worth of helium in that thar blimp

• This blimp has 2 pilots and a crew of 11 (Terry had the morning shift, so his partner or “line pilot” I believe he was called, is at the helm with my pops)

• Blimps don’t do snow or ice. After Sept 13 it’s going to its’ home in North Carolina. At 25 mph it takes about 12 hours to get where they have to go. I wouldn’t mind going for that ride if it was during the day and I had an appropriate amount of beer or scotch.

• On a scale of 1-10, ten being perfect – Terry rated today’s weather of 82-degrees and clear blue skies as an 11.

After a ten-minute ride they circled back to drop off the reporter (Diccon Hyatt is actually the community editor, but I digress) and pick up mom and myself.

I took an embarrassing amount of photos – the whole album will be up on Facebook shortly, but here are some of my favorites:


Pre-flight interview.


Maybe you can tell, maybe you can't - but the level of excitement is off the charts!


Momma & me: excited and nervous.


That's a propeller spinning around. It sounded like a mega-souped-up lawn mower.


The pilot steers the rudders with wheels on each side of his seat which makes him look a little like Joe from Family Guy. He doesn't look like he's going anywhere, but in fact, he is.


Two of my favorites: Round Valley Resevoir and Spruce Run in the distance.


The center gauge on the top row says we're at 1300 feet - the pilot says it's the perfect altitude for sight-seeing.


Airfield wildflowers.


Coming in for a landing!


Terra firma.

The wind was a little disconcerting. You could feel the airship being pushed by strong gusts. I've been parasailing before, but it's an entirely different effect. The feeling of lightly propelled floating at that altitude is unmatched.

Here is the bio of my dad that he and I wrote at ACS’ request:


Frank is 62 and has spent over 40 years working as an IT professional – and is very excited about this blimp ride! He loves the idea of simply being able to float above the Earth and look down. In a hot air balloon, he says, you’re at the mercy of the wind and might not be able to see something you’d like to, but in a blimp you have directionality in where you float. Airplanes move too fast at low levels to see anything and at higher altitudes, you can’t see anything because it’s too far away. He just thinks it would be a really neat thing to experience.

Frank has been fighting stage four metastatic pancreatic cancer since fall of 2007. It has been a tough journey thus far, but with total support from his family and friends, he refuses to give in and is hunkered down for the long haul. He’s also impressed by the spirit of those he has encountered at his various doctor’s offices and even his local pharmacy; finding that healthcare professionals and the people working with them have been extremely caring and loving individuals.

Frank is proud that the American Cancer Society the sponsor of his next birthday, October 8.


Yeah, my pops wasn’t just excited – he was thrilled. It felt so good to see that smile on his face.


That's our shadow, man. Far out.

By popular demand (I've always wanted to say that), you can click here to see the entire photo album.

Things I’m excited about this fall for $400, Alex.

Well this has been an interesting and exciting summer in more than a few ways. A quick round up reminds me of turning 30 with some of my best friends in Baltimore, going camping in the Catskills and visiting some great peeps in Albany, taking control of my life using Livestrong, volunteering for the LS Challenge in Philly, getting a new kick-ass bike and using it to push my limits and explore this area of the Jerz, making some new friends and getting to spend a bunch of time with my dad – helping to take care of him and such.

But the arrival of September, while it signals summer is drawing to a close, does not mean that the fun stops there. Oh no, there is a whole lot going on this autumn and they fall into two general categories:

Gear and Rides:


This is a Camelbak hydration system. It’s a fancy backpack that holds 100 oz of water. It would have been very useful while I was out riding on 95 degree days and stealing water from garden hoses in the mountains. But that’s ok, I have it now, and not only is it way more comfy than the bag I’ve been using, but it’s also in this color called “cheddar” (mmm, cheese)which will help people see me and is perfect for leaf peeping and hunting seasons. No, I don’t hunt, but I don’t want to be mistaken for a large, huntable animal out on the trails either. It could happen.


This is a bar-map. It is basically a piece of plastic that holds maps and route instructions, and velcros to your handlebars. You may be asking, Catherine, don’t you have a GPS? Yes, I do, but I am a cartography nerd and this way I can plan my exact route without “the bitch” (that’s why I call the GPS voice) telling me the fastest route by car, which is not necessarily the best or safest route by bicycle.

I have one more piece of gear that is shipping to me today called a RoadID. It’s an ID tag that fastens onto a bracelet, anklet, shoe lace or you can get it as military-style dog tags. My mom is always very worried about me when I go out for hours on end, which is understandable, and this little item will identify me in an emergency even if my cell phone is busted and my driver’s license is lost or stolen. While the people at Road ID slacked a little on a specific customer service request, they did send me an online coupon for me to provide to my friends, undoubtedly with hopes to boost their sales, but it’s a purchase to consider if you’re the active or outdoorsy-type. Coupon Number: ThanksCatherine534854. This coupon is good for $1 off any Road ID order. It can be used up to 20 times in the next 30 days, so get crackin'.

I can’t wait to get all this stuff together and go for my next long ride (tomorrow, perhaps?) because I’m training for a 50 mile ride (aka half-century) to take place on Oct. 4. It’s called the Pumpkin Patch Pedal and winds through some of the most beautiful farmland in central Jersey. I’m excited. It was a goal I set in the back of my head for July and I’m feeling pretty good about it. Hope the weather and my knees all cooperate.

No, not everything on this post will be about my bike.

Fun times:

In addition to things I love every fall like leaf peeping (which will definitely be enhanced by long descents down winding roads or trails) and pumpkin hunting and carving, I’m also looking forward to camping. I’ll be going with one of my best friends, her husband and two kids – I’m looking for a place that I went to years ago that has a haunted hay ride for the youngins, they should like that.

Last year I enjoyed some mid-October camping in the Catskills for another best friend’s 29th birthday. I think autumn camping is my favorite because of the colors, the ability to comfortably wear hoodies all day long, you don’t wake up sweating in your tent in the morning and the beer stays colder longer while sitting around the fire. It sure does get cold though if you’re tenting alone, that’s why I cuddle with rocks from the outside of the campfire ring. It does the trick, trust me. This year Shan is turning 30 and while I secretly hope she will choose camping again this year, I can’t wait to see whatever hijinx and shenanigans she decides on.

Also, I am ready for some football!! Hell, I’m already enjoying some preseason games, but I cannot wait for Week 1. I’m an Eagles fan, and I’ve got some thoughts on the whole Michael Vick thing – but I’m not getting into it now. Perhaps later this week.

Lastly, and most immediate, is Thursday’s blimp ride. Yeah, you heard me: blimp ride. The American Cancer Society is having a birthday party for cancer survivors this week, and included in the festivities is the option to take a ride on the Horizon blimp. Although my dad is a Libra, he gets to partake in these festivities. And he is soo excited! We’re all really looking forward to it. I’ll write about that and include some pictures at the end of the week also.

So, for the most part, that’s that. Of course I’m looking forward to spending time with the people I care about most as well as getting to know some of the new people I’ve met recently, and now that cooler weather is here, I’m gonna be making more soups and stuff – which reminds me, the stuff on the stove should be ready right about now.

It’s always bitter-sweet to see summer go, but what are you looking forward to?