Oh dear, what did I mean? I am pretty sure that I meant to go to the right instead of going to the left where the overlook with the barricades is. If that overlook is to the right, I should have said go to the left to find the balloon. I was writing by memory after dismounting from my bike. I can't get on and spend a half hour checking my work right now as it is football night around here and I don't have control of the TV. Sorry. I do intend to test out my directions asap. Feel free to mention any corrections that are needed on it.

Before the bridge. Before your all the way up the hill. If you go up that dirt path from (uh…sea level?) the bottom level, you don't go the whole way up. At around the same elevation as the ball that's above the tunnel (which is to the right of that path) you can turn to the left and find yourself on a narrow ridge between the low fields and the level that has the suspension bridge. Ride along this windy, narrow(ish) grassy ridge, following the side of the rockface and you will find a ball(oon) just before the end.

I think you can see this ridge on the map in the book as an "S" shaped grassy space between rock walls just below the level with the suspension bridge.

Good luck

OK, tried it out again. I am going back to make changes on the course I typed up. The changes start after B5. At that point you stay along the edge of the mountain and find a natural tunnel that leads to the dry lake bed, which is where the next balloon is. Now labeled B6. A few balloons will change numbers until the route gets corrected. Once you go into the passage behind the waterfall, there is NO balloon in there. But keep going. You skip the right exit (with obstacles, overlooking the ruins) and go through to the left exit which leads up to the castle road. I'm making the changes on the original course that I typed up. Now I think it is correct, but I have to see if this route is fast enough to be finished on time. Any improvements you all know of are welcome!

Thanks to Tristis for comments about the dry lake bed, which I finally found (again).

I think it is in a different place. (But I've been wrong once.) Starting from the hotel side of the island, go across the wooden hanging bridge. You arrive on a large grassy plateau. Head for the opposite side and pop the balloon there. Then go to the right and enter the tunnel/passageway. Ride it down, and after coming back out into the sunshine turn right and stay to the right, and you will find that grassy ledge with a balloon there. Assuming that is the right one.

Well, I can see that. There is a balloon at the end of that ledge overlooking a hole in the rock the dirt path goes through and ledges get mentioned a lot around here (esp. by me ). But the one in the description in the question is on that higher ledge that looks out over the pool where the falls are.

Tristis,

I couldn't wait to get home from church to try your instructions (and I'm the minister!) and I'm very happy to say that you led me to that final balloon. In all my hours of cycling, I somehow missed this bit of land. Now I just have to get all 20 in the allotted time.

Thanks so much,
Laurie

Congratulations! Let us know if you can get around it all in the allotted time. I am still trying my route out for timing. I still make mistakes going around it or end up in the wrong place and can't start at the first balloon that I named B1. And I had to find that dry lake bed. So as yet I have not done the route from start to end full speed ahead. I am also learning shortcuts, like that you can go from B4 straight up the hill past the resort without having to go around or through it.

I think the balloon you guys are talking about is on the ledge or plateau I arrive at by going over the wooden swinging bridge. Do you know if the bridge leads to that ledge?

I'm still thinking that if we get all the balloons a few times we will have opened some doors. Can't imagine that they would have tempted us so much otherwise.

When you get the balloon you call B4 you can go almost straight up the rock wall and run beside the tunnel until you hit the road. Saves time pedaling in the sand. I believe the dry lake inside the volcano is inside the opening at the top of the hill where B5 is. I haven't been able to get on my Wii today because hubby is watching Nascar.

If I end somewhere other than at the end of the beach I pedal out there and hit the B button to end the game. Then I start again from there. Going both ways on the beach just takes too long to get even close to finished in 30 minutes.

For anyone that has managed to get all 20 balloons in 30 minutes, how far did you travel?

Yes, I think so. I travel up the hill next to the mountain to get to the opening to B5. And I did what you did to get to start out at the end of the beach. So I am about to try to do it all in one session and see if it is possible on my route. I'll let you know how far I travel even if I don't get the 20. It might be better taking a different route.