A HOT AIR BALLOON LANDED IN AN INTERSTATE HWY INTERCHANGE.

Narrative

TOOK OFF FROM WILSONVILLE AREA AND DRIFTED BASICALLY NBOUND. HAD PREVIOUSLY OVERFLOWN AREA IN AN AIRPLANE TO SCOUT LNDG AREAS WHICH WERE ADEQUATE IN THIS AREA. AFTER DSNDING WHILE XING RIDGELINE; I VIEWED SEVERAL POTENTIAL LNDG AREAS IN VALLEY BEYOND. AFTER DROPPING INTO VALLEY; WINDS DIED OFF AND BECAME VERY ERRATIC; AND CLOUD COVER INCREASED. THERE WERE 2 SCHOOL AND PARK TYPE AREAS IN ADDITION TO A PASTURE AREA THAT WOULD ALL PROVIDE POTENTIAL LNDG SPOTS. HOWEVER I FOUND THAT THE WINDS WERE EXTREMELY LIGHT AND; WHILE WE WOULD DRIFT TOWARDS A FIELD FOR AWHILE; THAT WIND WOULD DIE OUT AND WE STARTED DRIFTING ANOTHER DIRECTION. I MADE ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT A LNDG IN LARGE OPEN AREA BEHIND A GROCERY STORE. BY THIS TIME WE WERE TO A POINT THAT FUEL RESERVES WERE AN ISSUE. WE BEGAN A DRIFT TOWARDS A LARGE PARKING LOT THAT WAS UNOCCUPIED AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION. AT THIS TIME THE WINDS AGAIN SHIFTED. I WAS OVER THE LARGE GRASSY AREA ON THE EXIT RAMP TO A HWY AND LANDED THE BALLOON SAFELY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO ANY PROPERTY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR IS A FULL TIME AERONAUT IN THE RIDE BUSINESS. HE HAS RECENTLY RELOCATED TO WILSONVILLE; OR. AS IS CUSTOMARY IN THE BALLOONING BUSINESS; THE RPTR CHKED WITH ANOTHER BALLOONIST IN THE AREA; A COMPETITOR; TO FIND OUT WHERE THE BEST PLACES TO FLY WERE LOCATED. THE COMPETITOR GAVE THE RPTR SOME VERY BAD INFO. THE RPTR HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE FAA; LCL LAW; OR LANDOWNERS REGARDING THESE INCIDENTS. HE LANDED NEAR AN I-5 EXIT AFTER ALMOST 2 HRS OF FLT WHEN THE PAX HAD ONLY PAID FOR A 1 HR RIDE. FUEL WAS BEGINNING TO BE A PROB; AND THE PAX GOT TO SEE THE RPTR BECOME VERY ANXIOUS.