Claire and Tony Colburn's relationship has always flown high.
They met in 1992 when Claire piloted Tony's first-ever flight in a hot-air balloon at a rally in Siskiyou, Calif.
They married two years later. (Claire Colburn tossed the bouquet from a balloon.)
In 2003, they moved to Tobaccoville, where they run Yadkin Valley Balloon Adventures with the help of their children, Elise, 8, and Avery, who turns 14 today.
Tony and Claire are FAA certified balloonists. They offer rides year-round in their 90,000 cubic-foot balloon, Dream Chaser.
The balloon, which was made in Statesville, is large enough to hold 90,000 basketballs.
Many of their flights take off from RagApple Lassie Winery in Boonville. Flights typically launch in the early morning and late evening hours when the winds are calm because the balloonist can't control the balloon's course.
Tony pilots most of the flights these days, while Claire, the children and other helpers chase the balloon in the family's sticker-covered van. The crew stays in radio contact with Tony and watches the skies, following the balloon as the wind carries it.
"You just have to basically take what the weather gives you on that day and make your flight work," Tony said.
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