CLOSE PROX COMMUTER LTT AND HOT AIR BALLOON ON VICTOR AIRWAY AT 7000 FT.

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COMING OUT OF ARPT ABC WE WERE LEVELED OFF AT 7000 FT MSL FOR ABOUT 10 MINS ENRTE TO ARPT BCD. I WAS THE PIC AND THE PF AT THE TIME. I HAD CUT MYSELF EARLY IN THE MORNING SHAVING AND NOW I HAD STARTED BLEEDING AGAIN. SO I WAS BUSY ATTENDING TO MYSELF AT THE TIME WHEN THE FO SAID DO YOU SEE THE BALLOON AHEAD. I WAS LOOKING UP BUT WAS NOT FOCUSED OUTSIDE. AS I DID; I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. I SAID 'WHERE' WITH KIND OF A CHUCKLE; BECAUSE EARLIER ON THE CLB OUT; I SAW A SMALL BALLOON THAT YOU HOLD AROUND 4000 FT AND THOUGHT TO MYSELF HOW COULD A BALLOON BE THIS HIGH. MY FO PROCEEDED TO SAY AGAIN 'DO YOU SEE THE BALLOON?' AS I MOVED AROUND IN MY SEAT I SAW A HOT AIR BALLOON AT 7000 FT ABOUT 4 MI IN FRONT OF US. THE BALLOON WAS JUST TO THE L OF OUR COURSE AND WE HAD TO ALTER OUR COURSE TO THE R TO MAKE SURE WE WOULD MISS. THE BALLOON WAS HIDDEN BEHIND ONE OF THE WINDSCREEN POSTS FOR A TIME AND THAT IS WHY I DIDN'T SEE IT RIGHT AWAY. I HAVE NEVER MET UP WITH A HOT AIR BALLOON AT 7000 FT. I DON'T THINK HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE (RIGHT ON A VICTOR AIRWAY) BUT THAT DOESN'T EXCUSE ME FROM NOT SEEING HIM SOONER. I GUESS NEXT TIME I SHOULD TAKE THE FO A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS AND LOOK A LITTLE HARDER BEFORE JUST ASSUMING IT WAS A SMALL BALLOON. YOU KNOW THOSE BALLOONS DON'T MOVE VERY FAST AND YOU CATCH UP TO THEM A BIT QUICKER THAN EXPECTED.