VFR IN IMC; BUT ONLY BRIEFLY.

Narrative

AFTERNOON BALLOON RALLY AT POU; ARPT CLOSED TO TFC AND TWR SHUT DOWN -- OPEN TO ONLY BALLOONS. AFTER A FAIRLY RISKY INFLATION; I CALLED POU AND WIND WAS 7 KTS. REACHING 1000 FT I CALLED SWF AND WIND WAS AT 13 KTS. THE PLAN WAS TO FLY TO STEWART AND LAND THERE. IT IS ACROSS HUDSON RIVER AND I FIGURED THAT WOULD BE A GOOD EASY PLACE FOR MY CHASE FIND ME IF THEY GOT LOST. AFTER RECEIVING PERMISSION TO LAND AT SWF; THE HIGHER I WENT; THE MORE COUNTERCLOCKWISE I WENT; AND THAT WOULD GET ME TO THE ARPT. IF 3500 FT WAS GOOD; HIGHER MIGHT BE BETTER. LOOKING UP; THERE WAS A HOLE APPROX 2 MI DIAMETER ABOVE ME AND I WAS IN THE CTR. I FIGURED I WOULD GO UP AND SEE IF I TURNED L MORE. ABOUT 4600 FT MSL; I WENT THROUGH A WISP ABOUT 200 FT THICK. I COULD STILL SEE GND AND JUST DSNDED THROUGH IT AND WENT TO 4100 FT. THAT WOULD NOT GET ME TO ARPT; SO I CONTACTED SWF AND TOLD THEM I WAS GOING TO LAND N AND E OF THEM. THE BALLOON ENVELOPE BLOCKED MY VIEW OF THE WISP. LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH WINDS ABOUT 6 KTS UNEVENTFULLY.