Thanks to the whims of the wind, St. Croix Electric Cooperative had to make a last-minute change to its kick-off of the Touchstone Energy Hot Air Balloon's SCEC-sponsored activities during the 2022 Hudson Hot Air Affair celebration – S’mores and More, Balloons Galore – held the first weekend in February.

The plan was for balloon inflation and tethered rides in the co-op parking lot in Hammond on Friday morning – as had been done two years prior.

Touchstone Energy Hot Air Balloon Pilot Scott Wooge contacted SCEC en route to Hammond from St. Louis, Missouri late Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 3) and said conditions did not look favorable for Friday flights but they looked “nearly perfect” for Thursday afternoon (Feb. 4), so co-op staff went to work to alert Members and other Invited Special Guests of the switch of the event to Thursday, Feb. 4 from 2-5pm.

Unfortunately, the event never made it off the ground. Due to equipment malfunction, the crew was unable to “stand up” the balloon after the cold air inflation and there were no tethered rides. SCEC member and retired photographer Joe Tallarico and his daughter shared photos they took during the aborted inflation – including this one of Twin Cities Pioneer Press photographer John Autey inside the balloon with Pilot Scott. One of Autey’s photos was featured on the bottom of the front page of the print edition of the Pioneer Press that Friday announcing 2022 Hudson Hot Air Affair.