Poteau Spooky BalloonFest 2009 With Helicopter Candy Drop

TULSA, Okla., Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Poteau, Oklahoma's annual BalloonFest,
will be held on Halloween weekend with over 20 hot air balloons featuring a
helicopter candy drop, the "Mean machine" Hummer monster truck rides,
helicopter rides, stage coach rides, mud pit races, crafts and more.

Mayor Jeff Shockley said, "Each year we add several more attractions to our
BalloonFest but this year, we have really gone all out. There is something for
everyone. The skies will be full of over 20 hot air balloons, skydivers and if
that is not enough, on the ground will be a real carnival both days. We
encourage you to make overnight arrangements soon as our motels are rapidly
filling up. This is a great and safe way for the family to spend this holiday.
Join us and come see that Poteau is 'above the ordinary'."

A Pet Costume Contest is scheduled as well as Little Mr. and Ms. BalloonFest,
Silver dollar pick up for kids and our Fun Times Carnival. Contests include
ugliest big toe and biggest nose contest. A spook house for kids is planned.

Each night will feature hot air balloon glows, silhouetted against Cavanal,
the "World's highest hill."

The live music line up includes: Pottersfield, The Banister Brothers, Still
Kickin', Good Nite Jon Boy, Mint 11 Bee, Terri & The Executives and Magic 55.

Gate admission is $5 per person and parking is free. For more information
contact the Poteau Chamber of Commerce at poteauchamber@windstream.net or
918.647.9178.

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92-year-old wins hot-air balloon ride

At age 92, Ethel Sundell of Reno has lived through several wars, 17 U.S. presidents and still works out at the gym.

She went on her first hot-air balloon ride Friday during the 28th annual Great Reno Balloon Race. She entered a drawing at Curves and won a free ride in the fitness center-sponsored balloon.

Sundell contacted her 58-year-old son, Charles Sundell of Reno, last week when finding out she won.

"She called me and said, 'What do you think?' I said, 'Go for it,'" Charles Sundell said.

Ethel Sundell said she enjoyed the balloon ride and would take another one if given the opportunity.

"The ride was fantastic," Sundell said. "I can't describe it. It was so wonderful."

Toward the end of the ride, Sundell said the warm temperature made her feel a bit queasy.

"I sat down in the balloon, and they had to help me up and I recovered right away," she said. "I'm fine."

Sundell moved to the area 10 years ago from Odebolt, Iowa, to be near her son. She's a retired schoolteacher and has two children, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

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Clubs let New Mexico balloon festival spectators float above the crowds

ALBUQUERQUE – Visitors can cut through the crowds by participating in two exclusive clubs at the world-famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

"We love to take our kids, meet friends and enjoy a wonderful meal with the best seats at the Balloon Fiesta," Renee Lancaster says. "We've brought many of our Dallas friends out to join us."

She and her husband, Robert, Coppell residents, are fans of the Gondola Club at the annual ballooning event, this year Oct. 3-11.

A second option is the Albuquerque International Balloon Museum's Diamond Club.

Each October, Albuquerque hosts the world's largest hot-air balloon festival. Participants from around the globe (and around Texas) marvel at novelty shapes (a flying cow, stagecoach, Smokey Bear and nearly a hundred others) as well as many-colored balloons in the regular shape.

Over nine days, the event draws nearly a million fans, making the low-crowd clubs attractive offerings. Life can't get any better than when you're sitting in comfortable seats, enjoying scrumptious food and watching more than 700 hot-air balloons turn the sky into a kaleidoscope of colors.

With a VIP pass ($100) for the Balloon Fiesta's Gondola Club, participants sit (indoors or out) in a reserved area at field level, have unobstructed views of takeoffs, reserved parking, a buffet, private bathrooms, a collectible souvenir pin and an easy walk to the Fiesta's lively "Main Street." (The Gondola Club provides golf-cart shuttles, if you prefer.)

A few hundred yards from the field, the Albuquerque International Balloon Museum's Diamond Club offers VIP arrangements designed for outdoors, although indoor viewing also is available. Here, you're above the crowds as hundreds of balloons sweep right over your head, so close that you sometimes can talk to the passengers. For the $75 VIP pass, you get preferred parking, a buffet, a glass of wine, indoor restrooms, a souvenir pin and golf-cart shuttle to and from the field. An added bonus is admission to the not-to-be-missed museum with docent-led tours on request.

Early reservations for the clubs are advised.

Contact: Gondola Club, 1-888-422-7277; www.balloonfiesta.com.

Diamond Club, 505-822-1111; www.balloonmuseum.com.

Kay Grant is a freelance writer in New Mexico.

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Balloon story continues

You may remember a blog post here from a few weeks back when a hot air balloon was spotted a couple days in a row over Clear Lake.

The long story short, goes something like this:

• Guy rides balloon over Clear Lake.
• Jeremiah Miller sends me a photo (Jeremiah's in Afghanistan, by the way) of the balloon. Jeremiah received the photo from his step dad in Waseca.
• I ask readers if they know who was piloting the balloon.
• Turns out the balloonist is Russ Lucas of Claremont. I actually knew him because I used to work with his wife, but I didn't know Russ flew his balloon in our area.
• Russ, so impressed with how far the photo has gone, offers Jeremiah a ride when Jeremiah returns from overseas.
• Jeremiah suggests his mom and step dad take the ride instead.
• Russ gives Jeremiah's mom and step dad a ride in the balloon.
• This morning, I received the following e-mail from Jeremiah:

James,
Thanks for getting us in contact with Russ! He generously offered to give my Mom and Step Dad a ride yesterday! It had been a life long dream of my Mom's, she was so excited to go. They said it was amazing. Russ also offered to give me and my wife a ride when I get home. Pretty cool what one photo can do! Thanks again!

Jeremiah

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The Great Reno Balloon Race Takes Flight

If you were up early enough, you likely saw the hot air balloons filling our skies. Over the years, The Great Reno Balloon race has grown from a couple dozen balloons to about 100.

When you're on the field or flying, it's something amazing to see.

Many people come out in the early morning hours while it's still dark, because they want to see the glow show and the mass ascension at Rancho San Rafael Park.

Marge O'Berg of Reno says, "I really enjoy the glow show. I think that makes it worth getting here. Seeing that line up of them, up in the sky, all lit up. I think that's worth it."

"We came from Fernley. So we left at 3:15 to come out here," says Marjorie Mauk.

Kids in pajamas, eating donuts and having no idea of what's to come.

First timers are impressed with all their eyes have to take in.

"Colorful, exciting. Just to see the small kids too, the excitement in their eyes. It's pretty cool, pretty amazing and for the amount of people that are here," says Michael Coulter of Sacramento, California.

As the sun begins to rise, the anticipation grows, for those new to the event and the ones who have been here before.

Jane Cates says, "It's amazing, it's so beautiful. It's a gathering of family and friends. We're all enjoying something of beauty."

"Looking at all of them as they're just starting to come up, it makes your heart sing," adds Pam Jones of Reno.

Hot Air Balloon Pilot, Scott Spencer tells the group riding in his balloon, "Here we go. Goodbye everybody!"

Spencer explains his flight plan, "What I'm gonna try and do is maneuver us out a little bit and then we're gonna climb. Is everybody okay with the altitude?"

"Despite the fact balloons aren't good transportation, unless you don't care where you're going or where you get to. You'll never see the world like you will in a hot air balloon. Man, what a spectacular view," adds Spencer.

If you missed everything Saturday, don't worry everything happens again on Sunday.

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Exeter friends share hot air balloon ride

EXETER — Elva McBride’s kids gave her the gift of a dream.

On a trip to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico last October, Elva and her friend Doris Hall explored the possibility of taking a balloon ride. Elva “just always wanted to” ride in a hot air balloon, she says.

The cost during the Fiesta was prohibitive, so Elva delayed her dream.

Elva is a lifelong adventurer. She’s visited Canada and seven European countries. When she wants to see more of the United States, she gets in her car and goes.

“I’ve been to all 50 states,” she says, “and I would come back to Nebraska any day of the week.”

For Elva’s eighty-first birthday this year, her children gave her the perfect gift: an hour-long ride with Nebraska balloon pilot Rich Jaworski, of Euphoria Balloons in Blair.

Jaworski, a world record holder for flight duration, impressed both women with his skill and his professionalism. “That man is very precise,” Doris says. “He really knows what he’s doing.”

Doris jumped at the chance to come with her friend.

Bad weather delayed their flight a couple of times, but on the evening of June 3 flying conditions were just right. They met Jaworski in Springfield, Nebr., south of Omaha, at the Sarpy County Fairgrounds. As advised, both women wore long sleeves against the chill and felt comfortable throughout.

Doris and Elva hopped into the basket of the red and white “Euphoria” with Jaworski and a mother and daughter pair from Omaha. Doris’s sons, Wade and Warren, and Elva’s daughter, Yvonne Austin, came along to watch. Jaworski also had two balloon chasers on the ground, following in their vehicle.

Elva and Doris marvel at how smoothly the balloon rose. Neither woman had a sensation of rising. The balloon ascended to about 700 feet, then Jaworski brought it back down to keep it between 200 and 300 feet, “To see better,” Elva explains.

The treetops felt very close, they recall.

Winds took them in a southerly direction. The balloon flew over corn fields, pastures and country roads. Elva and Doris appreciated their unique perspective on familiar countryside, but they were most impressed by the utter silence of the flight.

There was no sound of rushing wind, Elva says, because they were moving with it. Except for an occasional airy blast noise from the propane tanks as Jaworski adjusted the balloon’s altitude, no mechanical noises intruded on their experience.

They watched deer on the ground below, never alerted to their silent flight overhead. They moved soundlessly above a train winding on its track. Along the Platte River, they flew above a dead tree that was home to half a dozen herons’ nests without disturbing any occupants.

“Peaceful,” both women repeat, describing the experience. “Relaxing.”

Sounds from the earth rose to them clearly. They could hear dogs barking and cows mooing, and car tires crunching on gravel roads. As they floated above a baseball diamond in Louisville, “the kids were hollerin’ and waving,” Doris says.

Jaworski kept in radio contact with his ground crew throughout the flight, so all of the chasers were prepared to meet the balloon where it touched down near Manley. The women said Jaworski chooses his landing sites carefully, seeking out very low ground cover like alfalfa or harvested wheat, and avoiding livestock.

He gave instructions on how to hang on, and told them to expect a gentle bounce. With the sun’s rays growing longer, he brought the balloon down in an alfalfa field. It bounced once, as predicted, but on the second landing, a rogue wind caught the deflating balloon, and “we just went a-scootin’ across the field,” Elva says.

Their vertical flight was suddenly made horizontal. Jaworski’s chasers made a grab for the balloon, but the wind carried it swiftly away. The ground crew ran after it.

“We were piled one atop the other,” Doris says.

The basket dragged through the alfalfa and then, with everyone still in it, was pulled roughly down a draw, where it hit a creek bed and flipped onto one side. Elva, who had changed her grip to move out of Jaworski’s way as he fought to bring the balloon under control, bruised her shoulder on a propane tank.

“I just giggled and carried on,” Elva says. “I couldn’t help it; I thought it was funny.”

In a ceremony that followed, the riders knelt as if to kiss the ground, and Jaworski poured a little “champagne” over their heads. Everyone helped repack the balloon into a carrying sack smaller than some giant pumpkins. All of the riders had to sit on the bag to get the air out of it.

Despite the rough landing, both women are ready to go again, anytime.

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Color the Skies fest opens today

Most mornings, the sunrise is far and away the most spectacular sight in the sky. Today and Sunday, though, the fiery ball faces some stiff competition from colorful hot-air balloons being launched at the Color the Skies festival in Ripon.

The fourth annual event, which raises awareness and money for Children's Hospital Central California in Madera County, also includes fun runs, tethered balloon rides, a car show, musical entertainment, an aerobatic jet team, a pancake breakfast and more.

Both days' schedules start with the breakfast, which runs from 5:30 a.m. to noon. Entertainment and activities are staggered through the morning and into afternoon, but if you want to see the festival's focus — the inflation and launch of the balloons — you'll have to rise early (Slept in this morning? You still have Sunday). Inflation starts around 6:30 a.m., and all the balloons are aloft by 7:30, said Jessica Coleman, president of Color the Skies, the nonprofit group the runs the festival.

"Actually, the pilots want to go earlier than that, but they stick around for the spectators," said Coleman, who founded the festival with her husband, Greg.

How many balloons will there be? "We'll, we're shooting for 20, but I always say they're like herding cats," she said Thursday, "so right now, we have about 17. Yesterday, we lost one, but by the time of the festival, we could gain two. We have a lot of balloonists in the Central Valley and Northern California. The furthest, I believe, is coming from down in the Laguna Beach area."

The Colemans — Ripon residents and parents of two daughters, 9-year-old Gabrielle and 6-hear-old Sophia — used to live in Fresno and over the years have held various positions on the hospital's foundation and trustees boards. "Once we moved up here, we just stayed involved with it," Coleman said. "My husband currently is the chairman of the board of trustees. He's been involved with the hospital for about 15 years."

When the couple were looking to create an event in this area to benefit the hospital, they settled on the hot-air balloon festival.

"A balloon festival really reaches the people who would actually need the services of the hospital, rather than doing a benefit dinner, where people could go only if they can afford it," Coleman said. "This is something that is all about children, is really geared toward families, and will reach a mass amount of people. And, you know, balloons — people come from all over to see hot-air balloons. Not a lot of cities in the country have a hot-air balloon festival. So it's a way to reach a lot of people and so something good at the same time."

The two-day schedule is full of fun activities, including tethered balloon rides for $7. "The pilot doing the rides on Sunday brings extra-long cords and goes up 40 to 50 feet," Coleman said.

Today's highlights include a car show from 6 to 10 a.m., a 1-mile run at 7:30, a 5K run at 8, the Wild Wonders Animal Show at 8 and 10:15, a show by the Patriots civilian aerobatic jet team at 8:45, a performance by the YES (Youth Entertainment Stage) Company at 9:30 and a sky-diving demonstration at 10:30.

Sunday's highlights include the Patriots jet team at 8:45, the sky diving at 10:15, a performance by the Sun Kings, a Beatles tribute band, at 11 a.m. and the Color The Skies BBQ from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For a full schedule, go to www.colortheskies.com.

"We try to stagger the entertainment on the stage so there's always something fun going on," Coleman said. "We're doing a wildlife program with Wild Wonders, out of L.A. They used to travel with Animal Planet. So while Mom and Dad are out running the 5K, the little kids can watch the animal show."

Admission to the festival — held at the Mistlin Sports Park, on East River Road off Jack Tone Road — is free, and parking is $5. Tickets to the pancake breakfast are $5 in advance (information at colortheskies.com), $7 at the door. Entertainment is free, and children's arts and crafts and bounce houses are $1. "Everybody can have a good time and not feel they have to spend a ton of money," Coleman said. "A lot of great businesses donate products, like Save Mart donates all of our food that we sell. Last year, we sold 1,700 pancake breakfasts. We try to go into it with keeping our costs low, and take it from there."

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Antelope Island hosting kite, hot air balloon fest

ANTELOPE ISLAND, Utah (AP) - Antelope Island on the Great Salt Lake is hosting a hot air balloon and kite festival this weekend.

The 2009 Antelope Island Balloon and Kite Stampede started Friday and runs through Sunday night.

Organizers say hot air balloons will fill the sky. Professional kite flyers will demonstrate their art and their intricate crafts, as well. Many kites will be several feet wide or in diameter.

Visitors to the festival are invited to bring and fly their own kites.

On the Net:

http://www.antelopeballoons.com

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StayCation for Some This Labor Day Includes A Hot Air Balloon Ride

2009-09-05 13:53:13 - StayCation: ‘The act of staying near home and enjoying the local sites and activities’ is making a comeback this Labor Day weekend in Michigan.

Plymouth, MI – StayCation: ‘The act of staying near home and enjoying the local sites and activities’ is making a comeback this Labor Day weekend. Some are splurging on a hot air balloon flight over Kensington Park in Milford or Island Lake State Park in Brighton, Michigan says Scott Lorenz, President and Chief Pilot of Westwind Balloon Company of Plymouth,
Michigan.

www.westwindcos.com/balloon

“With the Michigan economy in its current state, people are rediscovering the fun stuff to do near their homes, “ says Lorenz. Why drive 4 hours when you can enjoy the nearby parks with lakes and streams and wildlife right here in Oakland County.

"Passengers love taking photos from the balloon especially when we fly over Kensington Park, it’s fabulous, it’s ten times better than people imagine. I just flew a couple the other night who said they decided to stay home, get a baby sitter and go flying with me over Kensington Park. They had canoed the park’s Huron River and had picnic in one of the dozens of cozy picnic areas. They just enjoyed each other’s company and the entire park. And they were 15 minutes from home if they had to check in on the kids.

Most balloon rides last about one hour and Lorenz flies over the woods and streams of Kensington Park. He and several other pilot friends meet at Park 'n Ride area off Milford Road and I-96 (exit # 155) about 2 1/2 hours before sunset. From there he’ll launch helium balloons, determine the wind direction, then take a short drive to one of nine launch sites in the area that give the best views and best landing sites downwind.

“Sometimes the landing can be like taking an elevator ride and others can be a little more exciting that’s why great care is taken in making the ‘go’ or ‘no-go’ decision on each flight based upon the weather.”

What to wear? Lorenz suggests passengers wear tennis shoes and jeans. He says the air temp “upstairs” is within a couple degrees of ground temp so its not a factor. Cameras and video cameras are highly recommended to preserve the once in a lifetime moments while flying over the countryside.

Flights cost $695 for a private ride which is two passengers and the pilot. All flights are pre-paid. Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, Discover and PayPal are accepted. Gift certificates are available.

To schedule a StayCation Balloon ride, call Westwind Balloon Company of Plymouth, MI, Flying over Kensington Park, Brighton, South Lyon and Milford. 734-667-2098 www.westwindcos.com/balloon Scott Lorenz, Pilot and Owner.

About Scott Lorenz
Scott Lorenz, President of Westwind Balloon Company, has been a commercial balloon pilot since 1982, and has logged 1,450 + hours as pilot in command in a hot air balloon. Scott’s memorable ballooning experiences include: Flying over Niagara Falls, The Great Wall of China, Disney World, the Olympics in Calgary, St. Wolfgang, Austria, Saga, Japan, the Grand Prix in Spain, co-piloting one of two balloons for Mike Howard’s Guinness World Record ”balloon walk” flight at 19,000 feet, a 20 hour-361 mile Gas Balloon flight with Gordon Boring and handling media relations for Kevin Uliassi’s Round the World balloon flights. Lorenz and his balloon exploits have been featured by FOX-2 News, Hour Detroit and The Detroit Free Press. A balloon flight on Westwind Co. was named "most creative date" by It’s Just Lunch. Westwind Balloon Company is a member of the Detroit Chamber of Commerce and the Southeast Michigan Balloon Federation (SEMBA). www.westwindcos.com/balloon

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Annual Big Bend Balloon Bash Held Outside of Alpine

NEAR ALPINE - The annual Big Bend balloon bash took to the skies on Saturday under ideal flying conditions.

In total, 15 colorful hot air balloons, piloted by professionals from all across Texas, gathered just outside Alpine.

The balloons themselves are made out of stronger parachute material.

Residents say once you get up into the air, it's a smooth ride.

The Bash will continue through the Labor Day weekend with flights lifting off in the early morning and a fire concert at Buck Stadium in Alpine on Sunday night.

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Hot-air balloon pilot, paraplegic to speak

Michael Glen, the first paraplegic in the world to become a hot-air balloon pilot, will share his inspiring story with students at two south Reno schools this week.

Glen is scheduled to speak at Galena High School just after 8 a.m. Wednesday. He will then speak at Marvin Piccolo School starting between 9:30 and 10 a.m. Thursday.

He'll also offer tethered balloon rides to young people with disabilities. All riders must obtain a ticket, and can do so by contacting Laura Dickey at 775-334-3123.

Glen's trip to Reno is being sponsored in part by the Reno Access Advisory Committee. The spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the waist down occurred when he was involved in a car accident at age 21. An Arizona resident, he shares his story and his hot-air balloon with people throughout the country, and serves as an ambassador for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

Glen also is scheduled to attend the Great Reno Balloon Race, which runs Friday to Sept. 13.

For more information about Michael Glen, visit www.rollingpilot.com.

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Llangollen Hot Air Balloon Festival round-up

THE sky above the Dee Valley filled with a barrage of colour as 14 hot air balloons took off at day break yesterday.

The mass ascent provided a spectacular climax to the highly successful Llangollen Hot Air Balloon Festival.

David Green, whose company Xuberance Events, organises the festival was delighted at the fitting airborne finale.

During the weekend, daring stunts from the James Bond blockbuster Casino Royale were recreated by a team of talented freerunners who all live locally.

The 007 classic opened memorably with a thrilling chase in which Bond (Daniel Craig) pursues an incredibly athletic bad guy, played by free-running master Sebastian Foucan, through a building site, jumping off cranes and down lift shafts.

It introduced the world to the amazing urban acrobatics that is free running, a sport developed by Frenchman Foucan that involves moving across an urban landscape in the most direct and daring way possible.

FR3RUN, young men from Wrexham and Denbighshire aged from 15 to 20, entertained the crowd with a sequence of jumps, spins, twists and acrobatic leaps.

David Green said: “There was a fantastic crowd this year which gave the whole event a brilliant atmosphere and loads to do.

“The model hot air balloon festival, which is the biggest in the UK, inside the pavilion was a huge hit and the free-running display was absolutely amazing.”

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Hot Air Balloons Finally Launch Sunday Morning

Hundreds of hot air balloons filled the sky Sunday morning after they were grounded on Saturday. Low clouds and unstable weather made for unsafe conditions for the balloons to launch.

The 33rd annual Colorado Balloon Classic is being held at Memorial Park and will happen again on Monday morning.

Sunday night, a scheduled balloon glow was cancelled due to weather.

Monday, the balloon launch is scheduled to start at 6:40 a.m.

Admission is free.

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Balloons take flight, finally

The rains came and the rains will come again, but Thursday evening the hot-air balloons trumped the weather.

After storms washed away flights all day Wednesday and again Thursday morning, officials of the 2009 Balloon Federation of America U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship found a brief window; Championship Director Maury Sullivan called two tasks.

Despite heavy gray clouds and a threat of sprinkles, 54 pilots launched north of Battle Creek and flew west to an "X" in a field near North Avenue and Halbert Road and then to a target they chose themselves farther west. Targets of choice were required to be intersections within a designated area.

Meanwhile, 13 fiesta pilots launched from Kellogg Community College and flew to a target either at Northwestern Middle School or Lamora Park Elementary School, both on Battle Creek's north side.

As the competitive pilots flew over the cut hay field and dropped down to the target, some spectators lined North Avenue for a look.

"It's just great," said Brenda Harrison of Battle Creek, leaning against a car. "She (a friend) called me and said come over and I said I am turning off the stove and I am coming."

Harrison said she used to be part of a balloon club and has crewed before and still likes to watch the balloons.

"It's really nice to have it (the championship) in Battle Creek. I enjoy the other one (Battle Creek's annual summer balloon festival) and this is nice, too. I can just come out of the house and watch."

Harrison, like a few balloon pilots, was surprised to learn about the Thursday afternoon flight, given the state of the weather.

"I was amazed," she said. "It was raining when I came home from work."

Weather officer Brad Temeyer told pilots at their 5:30 p.m. briefing that he saw "isolated bands of light rain, rather light sprinkles" just west of Battle Creek "but that will continue to weaken and I am not expecting more than sprinkles."

Sullivan said he believed the weather window was wide enough for the pilots to fly safely before more rain, expected after dark, moved through the Battle Creek area.

Pilots must fly twice and a total of three tasks, according to BFA rules, for the event to be a valid championship.

Sullivan has seven possible flights before the event ends Sunday morning, and rain is expected to force cancellation of this morning's flight, Temeyer said.

Scores from the Thursday flight were not available at press time.

More public activities are scheduled tonight and Saturday night at the KCC campus between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Food vendors and music are scheduled along with a balloon glow each night at 8:30 p.m. Parking and admission is free.

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Hot air balloons set to be launched in Lincoln

LINCOLN -- Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce executive director Andi Hake has never been a fan of roller coaster rides.

"They make my stomach turn," Hake says.

But hot air balloons? That's a different story.

"I don't like heights, but riding in a hot air balloon is a blast. It's smooth, calm and just a beautiful sight whether you are on the ground or in the air."

Chances are Hake will be both on the ground and in the air during the annual Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival, which begins Friday and continues through Sunday. The chamber organizes the annual event split between the Logan County Airport and downtown Lincoln. The Art Fair is now in its 26th year, while the Balloon Fest is in its 21st year.

More than 40 hot air balloons are scheduled to launch at 6 p.m. Friday evening and take off again during a 6:30 a.m. sunrise launch on Saturday.

"We're going to have a great weekend with beautiful weather and beautiful balloons and it's a wonderful way to show off Lincoln and Logan County," said Lincoln Mayor Keith Snyder.

A complete schedule of events is available at the new and improved Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival Web site, www.lincolnillinois.com.

"We try different things every year and there we are always looking for new options and ideas," Hake said. "This year, we are adding a professional wrestling show. We've done the research and have found that it's a very popular form of entertainment and that's the bottom line. We are trying to entertain people here and find something for everyone to enjoy."

Features at the airport include a carnival, remote-control airplane demonstrations, helicopter rides, airplane rides and tethered balloon rides.

Downtown, the art and craft festivals have been revamped. Hake credits volunteer Marty Ahrends with being one of the driving forces.

"We have a lot of new artists as well as our loyal and favorite artists, but it's really a nice diversity," Ahrends said. "Some of the crafts we have seen already have been amazing."

The flea market and craft fair downtown at Scully Park begins at 3 p.m. today.

"The chamber has worked to develop activities and attractions to bridge the Lincoln Art Fair in Latham Park to the flea market and craft fair in Scully Park," Hake said. "The addition of a craft fair in Scully Park will enhance the downtown experience, while Kickapoo Street from Latham Park to Scully Park will be filled with family-friendly activity for everyone."

New options include a Family Fun Park, 'The Art of Wine' wine tasting event, a quad bungee jump, 50-foot obstacle course, Football Fun area and carriage rides will entertain festival-goers who can travel the Kickapoo Street corridor from park to park. Downtown will also have its own live entertainment. A hot-air balloon inflation is planned for Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at the corner of Kickapoo and Pulaski streets.

Also on Saturday, the Logan Railsplitting Association will do a demonstration at 1 p.m. at the corner of Kickapoo and Pulaski. Latham Park will host the True Blue Barbershop Quartet on Saturday, and Scully Park will have the Country Mavericks on Saturday and the Amazing Elvis on Sunday.

Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival

Where: Logan County Airport and Downtown Lincoln

When: 3 - 11 p.m. today, 6:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunday

On the Net: www.lincolnillinois.com

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Poor weather keeps balloons grounded in Battle Creek

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – People in Calhoun County are watching the skies, waiting for the rain to let up since they're trying to host a hot-air balloon competition.

Once again, rain on Friday morning kept balloons on the ground at the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship. Balloonists were able to get up for one task Thursday evening, but the weather doesn't look like it will cooperate for the rest of the weekend.

Battle Creek has seen some wet days recently, with some poorly timed rain coinciding with one of the largest hot air balloon competitions coming to town. The event has been an almost complete wash out.

"You know when you fly, it's like the earth leaves you," said Al Nels.

Nels is one of nearly 70 competitors from across the country who have come to Battle Creek for the city's first shot at hosting the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championships.

Unfortunately, the weather has not been cooperative, and about the only thing in the sky has been rain as it falls to earth.

"It's just the precipitation right now," said Derrick Jones, event organizer. "You know we're really hoping for a break in the weather tonight for flight and tomorrow morning looks pretty decent.

So far, the balloonists have had only one break in the weather and the balloons have spent most of their time on the ground. The launch site at Kellogg Community College has gone from green field to mud as the pilots grow increasingly antsy.

"We come to these events to fly, not sit in hotel rooms," said Nels.

According to the Calhoun County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the rain clouds have not dampened the economic impact of the event.

On average it costs pilots and crews several thousand dollars to come to these events.

"Probably their social economic strata is a little higher, and they spend money," said Dwight Butt, of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. "They do spend, and that means a lot for tourism in the community."

Even if the balloons remain grounded, the event may have given the local economy a much needed lift.

"In my mind it's a success," said Butt.

It could be some time before anyone knows exactly how much money the event has brought to Battle Creek.

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Tehama County Balloon fest to take off

Tehama County will be looking to the skies on Oct. 24 and 25 as hot air balloons take off for the inaugural Ribs, Rods and Rides Hot Air Balloon Festival at Rolling Hills Casino in Corning.

What's neat about the festival is it is three different groups of people and their die hard groups, said Rolling Hills Marketing Director Kate Grissom. All three groups together will make for a really fun festival. The whole thing is a spectator event and most of it will be free.

In addition to balloons, participants will be able to visit a classic car show and an invitation- only rib cook off with proceeds from the day going to the Red Bluff/Tehama County Chamber of Commerce.

Grissom said Rolling Hills' involvement wasn't just about getting businesses to donate to the chamber.

Our mission is community improvement and development, Grissom said.

We believe if we can be a partner in raising funds, and by providing an event that not only encourages residents and businesses alike to participate we've created a sense of pride in Tehama County and that's a win-win situation.

Chamber President Kris Behrens said the loss of the Nitro Nationals Boat Drags has left the chamber in definite need of funding. She said she was also excited about drawing new people to the area.

The chamber's charge is to support local businesses, but also, as a partner to the Conventions and Business Bureau, to bring visitors to the area, Behrens said. (The festival) brings a new and different venue to Tehama County.

We've really done a fabulous job of preserving our heritage, but this provides a venue totally separate from that, which touches the same, but also a different, group.

The festival will run from daybreak, about 7 a.m., when the balloons take off, to 2 p.m. with lots for spectators to do and see, including wine and olive tasting, games and live music. Rib tasting will be included in the event for a price, which has not been set yet.

Hot air balloon rides will be available to the general public for a price, which also has not been set, with all proceeds from the rides going to the chamber.

Balloons will be tethered, but people will still experience the feeling of lifting off and coming back down, Behrens said.

Orland resident Russ James will be heading up the balloon portion of the event as the Balloonmeister. He will be in charge of organizing pilots and checking weather conditions before take off.

I'm getting kind of excited about bringing an event like this that might bring some notoriety to this part of the world, James said.

As for lift off weather, James said the weather doesn't have to be sunny.

The biggest thing is the wind, James said. When you get more than 6, 7, or 8 mph when you have a balloon on the ground, it's about 60 feet in diameter and 60 feet tall and it wants to go with the wind. Things get a little bit rough and tumble.

James said he has pilots coming from as far as Reno and Carson City, Nev. and Medford and Grants Pass, Ore.

James said part of what makes riding in a hot air balloon fun is the people he meets and the camaraderie with those he flies with.

As a rule, we don't land where we take off like a plane because we go where the wind goes, James said. Ballooning is all about having fun. In a lot of cases it's kind of an adventure to see where you go.

Taking off at dawn avoids conditions found later in the day, such as updrafts and downdrafts, he said.

Sunrise is ordinarily the calmest and coolest time of the day, James said. Not that balloons can't fly (in hotter periods) but you can't, say, if there's an updraft that takes your control away or a downdraft that slams you to the ground or into a tree or power line.

Sponsorships for the festival are available and include festival ride for $1,000 and friends of the festival for $750.

Those interested in sponsorship can call Alan Foley at 528- 1328 or Elizabeth Soder at 736- 1474. For information call 527- 6220.

Entry fee to the show for those with classic cars Further information about the festival can be found at www.rollinghillscasino.com/rrr.

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Weather makes for ideal conditions at Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival

LINCOLN -- Sunshine and cool temperatures Saturday made for a perfect day for art and hot air balloon enthusiasts attending the Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival.

While only a handful of balloons were able to launch Friday night, on Saturday early morning festival goers were able to see the balloons fly into the Logan County Airport. One of those enjoying the view from the sky was Lincoln Mayor Keith Snyder, who received a "great surprise" when he was asked early Saturday morning to help crew and then ride in the "Travelin Lite" balloon piloted by Max Mitchell, the only pilot who has flown in each of the balloon festival's 21 years.

The view of Lincoln from a hot air balloon is "beautiful," according to Snyder, who described the scenery as "green fields" and "lots of trees."

A few hours later, with his feet firmly planted on a street near Latham Park, Snyder helped cut the ribbon to open the festival. Art enthusiasts then filled the sidewalks to view what Art Festival Co-Coordinator, Marty Ahrends described as a diverse mixture of art -- including stained glass, pottery, photography and even spray paint art.

At Cindy and Kirby Pringle's "Dogtown Artworks" booth, art lovers were treated to humorous "dog-people photographs." The husband-and-wife team combines photos of their two dogs, Barney and Buster, with those of human models, creating "dog people."

The idea began seven years ago, when Cindy took a photo of Kirby Pringle dressed in his bathrobe. She then replaced his head in the photo, with a photo of the head of their dog, and made it into a greeting card.

"I looked better with a dog head, so we kept it up," he said. After selling hand-colored black and white photos for many years prior to that, "our business went to the dogs," Cindy said.

Many of the photos feature Buster, a white boxer, with various items in his mouth--like ice cream cones, wax lips, fish, and spaghetti. Buster, known by the name Earl in the Pringles' works, has "great self-control," according to Kirby, and doesn't eat the items used in the photographs.

The Pringles are also selling two books featuring the dogs, aimed at adults and children. In one book, Barney, their boxer-mix who portrays Pearl, has to work hard to overcome an addiction to her bone phone and iPaw.

Besides laughing over the adventures of Earl and Pearl, children attending the Art Festival can create something of their own at the Children's Art Fair. For a $5 fee, options include tie-dye, making a 3-D hot air balloon or creating a food art project.

The hot air balloon activities concluded Saturday, but the art fair continues Sunday.

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Rain dampens but can't drown out balloon festival

PLAINVILLE — If hometown pride could hold back the rain, the Plainville Fire Company’s presentation of the 25th annual Hot Air Balloon Festival would have lifted off as scheduled.

Joanne Edman, walking her small dog, Rascal, through Norton Park Saturday shook her head sadly.

“I’ve done a lot of traveling in my lifetime,” she said. “But, after all the bright lights and big city glamour it’s always nice to get back to Plainville. And now this.”

Edman made an arc with her left arm, the one not restraining Rascal. Before her scattered knots of festivalgoers wandered in the soft rain from craft booth to craft booth while a rock band entertained a small crowd of listeners stationed in front of the bandstand.

“Every year the firefighters knock themselves out to make the festival a success,” said Kirby Deegan. “To have many of the activities limited by the weather is a real shame.”

Standing under a tent, shielded by the rain, Peter Crowe, chairman of the festival, said in 25 years this weekend was the first time the festival has been fully rained out. The hot air balloon launches, fireworks and other shows had been canceled. Nothing was scheduled for Sunday.

“We still have a couple of live bands and vendors,” Crowe said, who chairs the festival committee made up of eight department heads. Members of the nonprofit, all-volunteer fire company work the festival — the largest community event of the year.

“Understandably the crowds have been slight this year,” he said.

Crowe and his committee have been working since January to ready the festival for this weekend. He said he was thankful to the people of Plainville and for their never-ending support. He estimated the cost of getting the annual festival up and running at around $40,000. Profits help operate the Plainville Fire Company; 10 percent of the revenue goes to a high school scholarship fund. In previous years annual scholarship funds have totaled as much as $6,500.

One vendor attracting customers despite the rain was Pat’s Fudge. Pat, who declined to give her last name, sold a visitor a quarter-pound piece of rum raisin fudge for $4. She said sales this year have been slower than in previous, sunnier years.

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Balloons in flight

Competitors in the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship will be flying a four part task this morning, the last day of the championship.

Pilots left the morning briefing with Championship Director Maury Sullivan at 6:45 a.m.
Winds will take the pilots from north of Battle Creek to the south side of the city.

Ten pilots are within 1,000 points of first place and up to 4,000 points are on the table this morning.

Targets this morning include Willard Beach on Goguac Lake.

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Model stunt planned for Llangollen Hot Air Balloon Festival

A UNIQUE ‘little and large’ stunt is being planned at the Llangollen Hot Air Balloon Festival.

For the first time in the UK, organisers are planning to fly a remote control model balloon inside the super-heated envelope of a full-size balloon.

The idea has been hatched by festival director David Green and Andy Marshall, of Lindstrand Balloons, which organises the show within a show, the UK’s largest indoor model hot-air balloon festival.

It will be a feature of this year’s three-day festival which takes place on the weekend of Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 4, 5 and 6, at the Royal International Pavilion.

The pair are warming up for the attempt by flying Andy’s model balloon inside David’s 60,000 cubic foot monster indoors at the pavilion.

Andy said: “That’s a first in itself. It’s never been done indoors but maybe that’s because there isn’t such a good venue for model hot air balloons as the pavilion.

“The roof is big and it’s nice and soft with no sharp bits and nothing to get tangled up in.

“We have to cold-inflate David’s balloon using a giant fan and then get mine up inside it and once it’s in there should be plenty of space for it to fly about in.”

David said: “It should look fantastic and will make for some amazing pictures.

“It will be tricky recreating it outdoors at the show with the high temperatures involved with a normal inflation and the need for absolute calm with no wind at all but if we can we’ll go for it.

“We should be able to switch the burners off for three or four minutes and that should give us time to get the model balloon in there and fly it about.

“It will still be very hot and we may have to look at some way of protecting the model balloon.”

The festival itself is Wales’s biggest hot-air balloon event and the model festival is the biggest in the UK with over 24 balloons taking part, including the one featured in a recent Tesco TV advert.

“It was shot in such a way that it looked full size but it was actually quite a small model,” said Andy:

“Model balloons can be up to 12 feet high so they’re quite substantial.”

The festival will open at 6pm on Friday night when, weather permitting, over 25 balloons will launch, and then it’s party time until 11pm with an outside stage featuring live music.

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Chesterton to host 'Wizard of Oz' hot-air balloon

CHESTERTON, Ind. - Giant ruby slippers will hover over Chesterton when a hot-air balloon marking the 70th anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz" visits the city.

The green balloon will be on display Sunday at the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve in the city about 35 miles southeast of Chicago.

The balloon is 75 feet tall and 55 feet in diameter. It depicts the red shoes worn by Judy Garland's character Dorothy, the Yellow Brick Road and 30-foot-high images of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion.

The balloon's appearance is part of a national tour commemorating the film. It has made stops in Kansas, California, Ohio and Nevada so far.

Chesterton will host its annual Oz Festival Sept. 18-20.

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Donations for ride in RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon

FORT MYERS: The RE/MAX Realty Group of Fort Myers tethered their balloon at the Southeast corner of Summerlin and Cypress Lake Drive in South Fort Myers on Saturday.

Visitors who brougt five cans of nonperishable food were able to go inside the ballon.

The food was donated the Harry Chapin Food Bank.

Additional information about or to contribute financially to the Harry Chapin Food Bank, contact 239-334-7007 or go to harrychapinfoodbank.org.

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Balloons ready for launch in Garden City

FINNEY COUNTY, Kansas – The Hot Air Balloon Classic starts this weekend in Garden City.

It’s not something you hear every day.

"My name is Royce Miller and I'm a balloonist, and the name of my balloon is the Green Hornet,” said Royce Miller, balloonist.

And for the kids, it’s surely not a sight they see every day.

“It was awesome,” said Jasper Partin.

But this weekend is the Sixth Annual Hot Air Balloon Classic in Garden City and the sky will soon be aglow with 13 of them. Even for some adults, it’s the first time they’ve ever seen a hot air balloon up close.

“Quite intimidating I think, it's a lot bigger down in person seeing it first hand rather than seeing it up in the air like you do,” said Brainna Bustamante, teacher at St. Mary’s School.

The kids watched in awe as Miller explained the history and mechanics of hot air ballooning. They also got an up-close look at putting one together and felt the head produced by the burner.

“It was kind of cool sitting with my friends, watching it blow up and turn around, we got to see the inside of it a little,” Partin said.

For nine years, Miller’s been piloting balloons. He says there’s nothing as peaceful as floating along the sky and he wants to spread the word. With his visits, he hopes to inform the public about the joys of ballooning and help the kids broaden their horizons.

"I encourage kids to come out and see balloons, I encourage their parents,” he said. “Like I said, it's just more for the whole family and I want, I like that when I see a family out together enjoying something like this.”

Opening ceremonies start Saturday morning with a balloon launch at 7 a.m. at the Finney County Fairgrounds.

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Up, Up, and Away At New York State's Hot Air Balloon Fest

If you’ll be chilling in upstate New York this Labor Day weekend, you may want to consider a little more action than just chowing down a couple of white hots off the grill. The New York State Festival of Balloons is taking place all weekend in Dansville, and it’s only about an hour south of Rochester. There will be plenty of food, arts and crafts, entertainment, and a huge amount of hot air balloons. You can even camp right at the festival in case you get stuck with overnight balloon duty.

To celebrate their 28th year running, organizers will kick things off on September 3 with their Thursday Night Balloon Glow. Swing by the town’s municipal airport to see the balloons fire up their burners and watch them shine in the night sky. Maybe if you’re lucky you can sweet-talk a pilot into a free ride over the weekend.

Over 35,000 balloon fans usually come to check out the festival, and this year you can be one of the masses for only a $5 admission fee. Your ticket will get you into the festival grounds to see the balloons take off, and there’s even a car show worth strolling around. This festival is a cool way to spend at least part of your holiday weekend—just be sure to pack a spare digital camera battery, because everyone loves pictures of hot air balloons.

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Nothing better than soaring on hot air

HIGH in the sky and far in the distance, a tiny dot begins to take shape as it moves serenely and silently through the air. Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it's a soaring, majestic hot air balloon, 3,000ft up, its crew, swinging in the basket below, unable to hear the gasps of admiration from those they pass below. Only the occasional dog bark rises up to pierce their high altitude tranquillity.

The sight of even a single hot air balloon is somehow captivating – but next weekend, weather permitting, 17 graceful bursts of colour will glide across the Strathaven sky as part of Scotland's only ballooning festival.

From Friday to Sunday evening, the flying machines, including two owned by a pair Edinburgh-based balloonists, will dip up and down over the countryside.

If the weather holds strong, that is.

Too wet, too windy or too cloudy and the mass fly will be cancelled. In one of the riskiest 'all or nothing' festivals around, the balloonists could scale the air three times in one day; or they could be grounded for the whole weekend. But even if they can't take off, Alistair Leggate and his friend and original instructor, Mark Stelling, will not be too upset.

The duo have been roaming the skies together for years, and they would be happy to just catch up with their balloon enthusiast friends from around the globe over a pint.

Alistair, from Lothian Road, has been a master of ballooning for seven years. He rides with a team from Edinburgh University, one of only four universities in Britain which takes part in the sport.

The 30-year-old picked up on the hobby in his final year of study and enjoyed sailing the clouds so much that he became an instructor of the sport – the first person trained up in about a decade at the university.

He says: "Most people just enjoy the ride rather than training up to teach, but I liked the feeling too much. You don't have much control over where the balloon goes, you're basically at the mercy of the wind. The unexpected nature of the journey is a huge draw of the sport.

"That is not to say it is a huge risk to fly. In the last 20 years or so there has only been two fatalities, although it is not the smooth ride of champagne and strawberries people think it is. It can be bumpy. You can be dragged 100 metres along the ground."

In a year, Alistair, whose day job is a financial analyst, estimates that he takes around 80 flights, although he admits that "20 is a good number for somewhere like Scotland". You will rarely see a balloon over central Edinburgh because the ever-expanding air traffic zone means balloonists are restricted to surrounding areas, such as Dalkeith and Fife.

He says: "Riding Scotland is completely different, you never take a balloon out when it's windy or you could get knocked clean over. But I like local flights because the weather makes it more challenging. In France you've basically got open fields, so everybody can take off and land. Here you have to dodge crops and animals, especially during lambing season."

Alistair has travelled in his basket all over the world. But his most memorable trip three years ago when he flew 15,000 feet – half the height of an average airplane – over the Austrian Alps. It was so far up that he needed oxygen supplies to survive. He says: "Everybody's seen the postcard pictures from the ground but seeing hundreds of peaks from the air was amazing.

"You can't replicate that kind of view behind the glass or a helicopter or aeroplane. Even if it can get a bit chilly."

Ballooning is more than a one-man effort. Alistair's balloon holds five people, and Mark's balloon takes four. Only once has Alistair enjoyed the serenity of a balloon trip by himself, as part of his training. "You're usually joined by an instructor or people helping man the balloon, so it's a very strange feeling to be alone.

"You're much lighter and you hardly have to use the burner. It was one of those moments that was eerie, but enjoyable too. The only thing you can hear at 3,000 feet is dogs barking. You leave the cars and bustle behind."

But if you want to experience such moments of tranquillity, it will cost you. A brand new balloon and all the trimmings will cost £30,000.

However, there is a credit crunch approach. Mark, who picked up the hobby in 1995, went for a second-hand balloon, which set him back just £5,000.

The 42-year-old from South Queensferry remembers his first flight over Malham Cove, in North Yorkshire, which he found so enjoyable that he bought his balloon – with its skull and crossbones pattern – a month later.

He remembers: "It was black and white, with the pirate sign across it. Some people thought it was inappropriate but I thought it was a bit of a laugh. You can't fly it now, it looks more like a teabag. But I got 340 hours out of it, which is a good rate."

Ballooning makes a change from his day job, piloting planes for Monarch airline. Every year he spends over 700 hours in the sky, but he knows which method of flying he prefers.

Like Alistair, he says being directly amongst the clouds and wind cannot be beaten. "You see everything, without any engine noise or unnatural surroundings. There's just a slightly rocking breeze and your thoughts."

Next weekend's event will see the 17 balloons – most the regular 'tear' shape – drift to the sky. Each balloon will lift half a ton of weight slowly and sensible, so the crew can enjoy the scenery without crashes. Alistair says: "There are rules of the air. The person above always has to give way. We're not in competition, we're just enthusiasts enjoying the hobby.

"The same people from across the country tow their balloons along every year, so it's not like a wet or windy weekend will make it a disappointment. We're all friends and we'll share our tales."

Even if the rain and wind gets in the way, they will always hold a night glow event. If the weather is too severe, each owner will light up their balloon in the evening in a sign of unity and celebration.

• Strathaven Balloon Festival will take place at John Hastie Park, on between 28-30 August. Admission is free. Log on to www.strathavenballoonfestival.co.uk

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This weekend: Balloons and Tunes - Grove City, Ohio

If you have ever wanted to ride in a hot air balloon, this weekend is your chance. Grove City, Ohio, just outside of Columbus, will be holding Balloons and Tunes, a festival celebrating hot air balloons. The Central Ohio Balloon Club will be providing an opportunity to learn all about hot air ballooning and even a chance to ride in an actual hot air balloon. Both full rides and tethered rides will be available. Balloon ascensions are scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings as well as Saturday and Sunday mornings.

If you are the type that enjoys the beauty of watching hot air balloons, but would not, necessarily, enjoy a ride in one, there will be plenty of other family friendly activities to do, including a climbing wall, inflatables, a rope course, shows, and crafts. Live music will also be featured through out the weekend. Lots of food and beverage vendors will also be on hand.

Festival Info: Hours – Friday 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm, Saturday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Admission - $5, children under 5 are free. Parking is $5. Rock climbing wall $5. Ropes course $6. All day inflatables admission $8. Visit Real Adventure Hot Air Balloon Co. for hot air balloon ride prices and details.

Location: Beulah Park – 3811 Southwest Blvd. Grove City, Ohio 43123

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Navy Pier to launch tethered hot air balloon rides

Ok, so you’ve seen the city of Chicago from the water, from the skydeck of a skyscraper, from the top of a tour bus and from the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier. You’ll soon be able to get a view from Navy Pier at over twice the height of the Ferris wheel, according to a Chicago Tribune article posted today.

According to the report, tethered hot air balloon rides may be available at Navy Pier as soon as next week after the Chicago Plan Commission voted in favor of the proposal this afternoon. The rides would be introduced temporarily until October.

Rides will go up when the weather cooperates and an 8 to 10 minute ride would run $25 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. The ride would raise passengers about 350 feet. The Ferris wheel takes passengers up 150 feet. With ideal weather conditions, up to 1,100 passengers could ride up in the sky in a single day.

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Balloon championship set to take flight

A Texas pilot will try this week to set one new record and tie another when the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship is held in Battle Creek for the first time.

A win this week would give Joe Heartsill of San Angelo, Texas, his third consecutive win, something never done since the Balloon Federation of America held its first championship in 1963 in Kalamazoo. A win also would give Heartsill six championships and tie him for the most ever, a record set by former Michigan pilot Bruce Comstock in 1987.

"This year is kind of exciting," Heartsill said Friday from his home before making the trip north. "We have got a goal and seven would be luckier than six but I have to take it one at a time.

"This year is kind of exciting because I have a chance to make it three in a row and in three different cities,” he added.

Heartsill, 59, who has his own business making real estate investments, won last year in Columbia, S.C., two years ago in Waco, Texas, 1999 in Rantoul, Ill., 1997 in Columbia, Mo., and 1992 in Middletown, Ohio.

“The cool part is being at different locations,” he said.

Heartsill will be one of 54 pilots competing for the 2009 BFA championship, which will be held Wednesday through Sunday at Kellogg Community College. After media and sponsor flights on Wednesday, competition begins Thursday morning, and is scheduled each morning and evening concluding Sunday morning. Fifteen fiesta or fun flyers also will be in the skies.

The nationals have never been flown in Battle Creek and only once in Michigan. Organizer Derrick Jones said he hopes to announce this week that the BFA National Championship will be held in Battle Creek in 2010 and 2011.

It’s the second hot air balloon event held this year following the Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival over the July 4 weekend. The two events are not connected. The National Championship will replace the Holiday Balloon Fest, held each December for the past 10 years.

For Heartsill and many other pilots, Battle Creek will be familiar terrain. He has flown at the mid-summer event several times, winning as an individual and with two others taking the Team U.S. Nationals in 1997.

“It’s almost like playing on home turf,” Heartsill said “We are looking forward to Battle Creek. We want to get in a couple of practice flights. It should be fun. And I am going to do what I always have done, try to be steady and not make any mistakes. Try to be steady on every flight. You try to win the war and not the battle.”
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Winning won’t be easy, Heartsill said. The field includes former national and world champions like Steve Jones, Owen Keown, Al Nels, Johnny Petrehn and his brother Paul Petrehn and Nick Donner.

Heartsill guessed his toughest competition will come from the Petrehn brothers and Nick Donner and his brother, Chase.

“I am always watching for those guys but there are a lot of good competitors out there with a shot. This is for an opportunity to earn a slot at the next world championship and there are a number of competitors who would like that opportunity.”

Two-time winner Paul Petrehn of Howell said many in the field have a good chance to win, including his brother and Heartsill.

Petrehn said many in the competitive ballooning community are watching Heartsill because he has a chance for three in a row and six overall championships.

“It’s becoming a conversation piece,” Petrehn said. “He is putting himself in the hall of fame. It’s not an easy thing to do but Joe is one who could do it. I know he has it in the back of his mind.”

Paul Petrehn, a two-time national champion who won the 2009 Field of Flight and has flown in Battle Creek many times, said several of the pilots have a comfort level because they have competed here so many times.

“It allows me to sleep in my own bed Tuesday night and come over Wednesday,” he said. “Having the familiarity with the summer event and having flown in the winter (at the Holiday Balloon Fest) it gives peace of mind to the pilots and crews.”

The only Battle Creek pilot competing is a rookie, James Mitchell, 21, an aviation student at Western Michigan University.

“It’s my first time and I am going into it looking for learning perspectives,” Mitchell said. “The best pilots in the country will be here and it will be great to be able to fly with them.”

Mitchell said he is realistic about his chances after three years and 150 hours of flight time.
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“It’s always nice to go in with an attitude,” he said. “But these individuals are extremely well experienced. I crewed at the nationals last year and I know what they can do and I have flown against some of them at other events and for me to finish in the top half of the field, I would feel good about myself.”

As pilots like Heartsill, Petrehn and Mitchell prepare for flying, organizers said their preparations are about complete.

“We are good,” Derrick Jones said. “We are glad the time has come after four months of total chaos but we are ready to go and the sponsors and the community are ready.”

The BFA and Jones and the Holiday Balloon Fest board announced in May plans to bring the nationals to Battle Creek.

All agreed it was a short time to prepare but Jones said Friday the Holiday Balloon Fest board and committees, with 10 years of experience organizing an event in Battle Creek and with help from the BFA, were able to prepare in time.

“The staff is ready and by Monday there will be a few pilots in town and the officials will be here and we will get the odds and ends finished and be ready on Wednesday,” Jones said.

He said the organization has put together the event with a $225,000 budget of cash and in-kind contributions including prize money for competitors of $15,700 plus $1,000 for fiesta pilots. About 200 volunteers will be working on the event.

All admission is free and Jones said while there will be balloons in the sky both mornings and evenings beginning Wednesday, vendors, activities for children and some entertainment will be only Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Kellogg Community College.

Parking and admission are free although organizers are asking people to bring a non-perishable food item for the Food Bank of South Central Michigan.

“We had a very short window but things are coming together even better than we hoped,” said Andy Baird, president of the Balloon Federation of America.

“We are very fortunate to have local knowledge, experience and talent and that made all the difference and it is all coming together.”

Baird said bringing the nationals back to the Midwest after the past eight years in South Carolina and Texas is a positive move.

“We are fortunate that the Midwest brings us pretty good weather this time of the year.”

Trace Christenson can be reached at 966-0685 or tchrist@battlecr.gannett.com.

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Balloon company lets air out of dream flights

Customers of A Great American Balloon Co. complain of multiple cancellations


For its phone number, A Great American Balloon Co. uses digits that spell out the phrase We Do Fly.

Clever enough.

Trouble is, more often than not the hot air balloon company doesn't fly, leaving paying customers grounded for months, sometimes years, waiting for a chance to cash in on their prepaid journeys.

In the past several weeks, three readers have written to What's Your Problem? to complain about the Evanston-based balloon company, which flies out of several spots in the upper Midwest, including Fox River Grove and Plainfield.

In all three cases, the readers or a loved one prepaid $175-$200 for a ride, only to be told repeatedly that weather conditions did not permit flying on their scheduled days.

"I think they're hoping I'll die," said Gloria Byczynski, an Ottawa senior citizen whose children bought her a balloon ride for her birthday three years ago.

Byczynski said she's scheduled a half-dozen flights since August 2006. A Great American Balloon Co. canceled every one of them, citing bad weather.

"I'm even wondering if they have a balloon," Byczynski said. "I've been going around with these guys for quite a while."

So has Bob Ruckoldt of Huntley, who wrote to What's Your Problem? on July 30, one day after his scheduled flight was canceled. It was his fifth cancellation.

Ruckoldt said friends bought him the balloon trip two years ago. He's still waiting for liftoff.

"They tell you it's the upper atmosphere, but it looked like a perfect day," Ruckoldt said. "They keep selling new flights, and the rescheduling just gets further and further away. We figure we probably won't get a flight again this year."

Hank Strunk is equally pessimistic. His children bought him a balloon ride last year for his 75th birthday. He said he's tried repeatedly to book a flight, but each has been canceled.

Frustrated, his daughter, e-mailed What's Your Problem?

"These people are just -- I don't want to curse -- but I feel like they're blank liars," Sue Strunk said. "All they do is take money and then string people along until they are so worn down that they stop calling."

Byczynski and Ruckoldt both said they asked for their money back but have been rebuffed. The balloon company has a no-refund policy.

Almost two weeks ago, the Problem Solver called Ron Lake, manager of A Great American Balloon Co. in Illinois.

Lake said flight cancellations are common in the Midwest, and that less than one-third of scheduled trips actually take off.

While some customers take off on their first scheduled trip, a half-dozen cancellations is pretty standard, he said. One group, he said, had to reschedule 15 times.

"We have to be so careful," Lake said.

The last two summers have been uncharacteristically rainy, further slowing operations, he said. Even so, the company flew about 1,800 people last summer, and it expects to fly a similar number again this year, Lake said.

Asked why he doesn't refund money to dissatisfied customers if their flights have been canceled a half-dozen times, Lake said he has no intention of giving money back.

"We would simply become a bank," he said. "The money [would go] back and forth, back and forth."

Lake promised to move Strunk and Ruckoldt to the top of the list of customers, ensuring they would get on a flight quickly.

"We'll get someone to bird-dog them and get them up as soon as possible," Lake said.

He said the company would call the men if there was a last-minute cancellation, then put them in the air that day.

"Whenever we fly, there's usually two or three people that just don't show up," he said more than a week ago.

Several days later, the company called Strunk -- to schedule a flight in October. Strunk said he complained and was given a new date of Sept. 9.

"I was dumbfounded," Strunk said. "I came to a conclusion. I asked myself if I trust or have confidence in these folks, and the answer is no."

Ruckoldt said he received no calls. He and his wife remain scheduled for a Sept. 17 flight, but he has little confidence it will happen.

"If that gets blown off, the season's over," he said. "It could still go on for a long time."

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