We all fly by the seat of our pants now and then, but how about flying with no pants at all? That was the plight of Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries, who on January 7, 1785, made history over these chalk cliffs with the first aerial crossing of the English Channel. When their hydrogen-filled balloon dropped altitude due to overloading, the two tossed all the cargo they could into the drink below, britches included. Reaching France in their underpants, the undoubtedly chilly pilots still received a warm welcome.
Of balloons and lost pantaloons
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
The smoke before the bonfire
-
Boxing Day—a shopper’s delight
-
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
-
A Bengal tiger in Ranthambore National Park, India
-
Autumn in Piedmont
-
A new park with a new mission
-
On a Healing Field for Veterans Day
-
Think deep thoughts
-
What does the fox dream?
-
Gauchos showcase Argentina’s independent spirit
-
Reflections on the mighty Amazon
-
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
-
In memory of those lost
-
Saskatchewan s spookier side
-
The Sky Over Nine Columns in Venice, Italy
-
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil
-
The confluence of the Arve and Rhône Rivers
-
Christmas Tree Point Road and Twin Peaks, San Francisco
-
National Museum of African American History and Culture
-
Get amped for Glastonbury