A tight landing

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NICK EICHER, HOST: A backyard in Southern California got a surprise delivery—no signature required.

A hot air balloon carrying 13 people dropped in unannounced onto a strip of grass barely 10 feet wide.

The homeowner was watching TV, the wife exercising. Both of them headed for the backyard to find out what all the commotion was.

AUDIO: Hi everybody! Haha! How’s your guys’ trip so far?

Yeah, thanks for asking—I imagine the balloon pilot thinking—though no doubt he had many other things on his mind, like how little fuel he had. Like the shifting winds. And genuine thankfulness he was able to stick the landing—bringing that balloon down without hitting the house or getting caught in the trees.

AUDIO: That is so cool! / Wow! Hahahaha!

Yeah, sometimes the safest landing is a simple right-side up.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

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