What started out as a joke after District Weekly contributor (and Drink of the Week champ) Dave Gooch took a ride in a helicopter after downing a few cocktails at DaVinci—next up blimp, then Hoovercraft, then Virgin Galactic—turned into reality today as Gooch boarded Airship Ventures‘ Eureka, which is actually a Zeppelin, currently stationed in Long Beach through the weekend.

He has been in communication with us via text and Twitter, and here’s what he has to say:

11:09:07 AM — T-minus 50:53 — “Waiting for orientation. There’s an astrophysicist here!”

12:47:43 PM — “Look to the beach and you can see me in the air.”

12:49 PM — “In a zep over the skies of Long Beach. So great.”

We will continue to update you on Gooch’s observations. In the meantime, anyone got a number for Richard Branson?

BREAKING!

1:13:13 PM — “Just landed. Should’ve Tweeted more.”

UPDATE!

1:14 PM — “Having champagne toast after zep ride. Well played airship ventures.”

Tags: airship ventures, da vinci long beach, dave gooch, eureka, Long Beach, virgin galactic