About Battle Creek's Wk Kellogg Airport

I am still going through my tons of photos I took at the Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival that was held here in Battle Creek, Michigan earlier this month. I had gone to the event on Monday with my little brother from Big Brothers, Big Sisters and he wanted to visit the carnival section.

While there he had to try his hand at shooting hoops at one of the booths. Well, to the surprise of those running the booth, he cleaned up!

Here he is with his winnings: a huge Curious George Monkey and a stuffed football.

I have been a volunteer for Big Brothers, Big Sisters (BBBS) since 2008, and I have really enjoyed it. Lorenzo (pictured) and I have been together as a match for about 2 years now, and we always find things to go do together that is fun.

We go bowling a lot in the winter, and we attend local baseball, basketball and hockey games throughout the year. We have been to the zoo, museums, car shows and even dog shows together. It is fun and enjoyable, and we both learn so much going on these adventures.

If you have ever considered volunteering in the community, I highly suggest getting involved with BBBS. There is so much need for the younger generation to have mentors these days, and some of the hardest working people that I know are REALTORS. So what better way to help the next generation than to share some time with a kid who needs a mentor? It it surprisingly easy to do, and more fun than you can imagine. Even if you have kids of your own, you can still participate in the program.

I had to share this one. Here I am at the NASA exhibit that was part of a moving expedition at the Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival in early July. This was something you could climb a ladder and kind of climb into to pose for a photo.

Or, if you have a even greater imagination, you can just picture me walking on the moon showing houses or vacant land to developers. Imagine what that will be like? 'Too much moon rock over here Mr. Buyer, I suggest you consider the valley over there. It has a better earth rise in the morning...'

Have a great day everyone!

On the 4th of July weekend I went to the Battle Creek Field of Flight & Balloon Festival held at the W.K. Kellogg Airfield. Part of the event was a fair, complete with a ferris wheel and some other rides. I took the photo below when walking around right at dusk when I first got there, and I thought it was kind of a typical scene one might see anywhere in the country in July.

Just looking at it myself, it brings me back to all the times I went to the fair with my parents in the summer time.

Funnel Cake anyone? How about a Sno Cone?

Last weekend at the Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival over the Independence Day weekend, there was an evening performance of a Rocket Car prior to the Fireworks show.  I did not really know much about the evening agenda, other than my wife and I went there to see the balloons and the fireworks show. 

Right after the 'Balloon Illume' which I have written about earlier in my blog, there was a wonderful air show with air planes flying in loops spitting flames from their wings against the darkened sky.  It was really sensational, and everyone around was impressed.

Then came the 'Rocket Car' performance, sponsored by the Air National Guard.  First of all, it should have been a clue when this supposedly super fast car had to be towed in through the gate.  I managed to be sitting right in the spot near the gate, and I filmed it as it was towed in. 

Rumor had it that this car when 'fired up' was incredibly fast, and there were several men who seemed to know all about the horsepower, speed and overall power of this stunt truck in my vicinity.  So, with somewhat mild anticipation, I was interested in seeing this event, if nothing other than the fact that I had no choice as it was the last performance before the fireworks show.

When the 'Rocket Car' fired up, it sure was bright against the evening darkness on the airfield.  However, it did not go very fast.  Hmmmm.  Was it stuggling?  I was not sure, so I kept filming it in hopes of something great being captured on film, like a bright streak into the darkness or a sonic boom, etc. 

The car seemed to putt-putt along the runway, and then made a right hand turn and headed straight at where I and several of the crowd were standing.  Lucky me, I thought!  This thing is going to go airborne over our heads or something great, and I will capture it on video. 

However, it still kind of chugged along, and then when it reached us, it turned like a slow moving watermelon truck away from us.  Then it happened.  It doused the entire crowd with a huge cloud of gray disgusting kerosene smelling smoke that literally blanketed all of us from head to toe. 

There were people that had been sitting on the ground waiting for the fireworks with little kids, and babies, and we were all eating smoke.  Nice one Rocket Car.  Real impressive!  Then it putt-putted away and the 'performance' was over, and the 'Rocket Car' was towed off the field.  I have included the video I filmed on this, so you can see what I mean. 

At the Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival there was a wonderful fireworks display held at the end of the evening on Sunday July 3rd, 2011. 

It was preceded by a Hot Air Balloon Illume (Short for 'Illumination' if you are unfamiliar with the term) and a night time air show with bi-planes throwing fire and shooting fireworks in the dark. 

It was quite an entertaining evening already, but nothing quite tops a 4th of July celebration than good old fashioned fireworks on a hot summer night.

The fireworks were so spectacular, and exciting, I thought I would share it all here for you.  I already posted a blog on part one of this event.  This blog entry is about part two of the Independence Day fireworks in Battle Creek, Michigan.  This section also contains the grand finale. You can also watch other videos about the Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival events on my YouTube Channel.