Balloon festival in Decatur

Operators attach a giant U.S. flag to the basket of a hot air balloon Saturday at the 32nd annual Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Festival at Point Mallard in Decatur.

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Balloon crash survivor going back up

The hot-air balloon pilot who survived a 9,500-foot fall in Anderson last year said recently he will launch his new balloon, Lucky Trails, in Michigan this weekend in what he said will be his first competitive flight since the horrific plunge.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever had anything like that happen,” Chuck Walz said in a phone interview with The Greenville News. “I pray to God nothing like that ever happens again.”

Dozens of onlookers watched in horror last Labor Day weekend as Walz’s balloon, Little Trails, plunged from the sky and hit a tree that rescuers credited with saving his life. A firefighter who witnessed the drop said the limp balloon and basket looked like “a rock on a shoestring.”

Walz, who lives in Munith, Mich., and has hundreds of hours’ flying experience, said he was still on crutches in January when he got back into a balloon for the first time.
On that first ride, a noise made him jumpy, he said.

“I won’t deny the fact that I was nervous. I’m still nervous,” said Walz, an engineer with the Jackson County Road Commission.

Walz said put aside the crutches about three months ago and has since been up in a balloon by himself.

Walz said he will pass on competing in this year’s U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship, even though the contest will be in Marshall, Mich. — practically his backyard.

It was during last year’s championship — held in Anderson — that he crashed.
“I’m not going to compete because that would be stuck in the back of my mind,” Walz said.

The Great Southeast Balloon Fest, which was being held at the same time as the championship, won’t be back this year. But it has nothing to do with Walz’s crash, said Dan Stukas, who was balloon meister at last year’s festival.

“It’s directly related to money,” Stukas said.

A group of balloonists is trying to put together a smaller event for downtown Anderson in July called the Electric City Hot Air Affair, he said.

Walz said he remains confident that flying balloons is safe and encourages those who have never been up to give it a try.

He said he’s still in touch with some of the Upstate residents who helped him and his family in the aftermath of the crash and would like to return to the area to personally thank them.

“I think everybody would be amazed to see how I walk and how I’m getting around,” Walz said.

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Darth Vader ushers in Balloonfest 2009

EL PASO -- Getting hundreds people up at sunrise requires nothing more than a mix of hot air and a "Star Wars" character.

Christine Sambrano was one of the early risers Saturday, driving from the West Side to the Upper Valley to meet her friends and family at 6 a.m. for an El Paso tradition. She joined nearly 1,000 other people who attended the 24th annual KLAQ Balloonfest's opening day at Grace Gardens, 6701 Westside Drive.

"There's not many events like this in El Paso, and it's nice to not have to drive to Albuquerque," she said. "It also makes great memories for the kids and anyone else who's here for the first time."

The crowd was made up of hot-air-balloon lovers of all ages and tastes, but the Darth Vader helmet balloon was the event's must-see attraction.

Imported from Belgium, the 86-foot-high, 640-pound balloon was originally seen at the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta two years ago and impressed KLAQ Event Director Gina Roe Davis. She said the balloon and its company were great crowd-pleasers, and she couldn't wait to get them in El Paso.

"I think the whole 'Star Wars' theme is very entertaining and it's good for the whole family," Davis said. "It brings out the kid in everyone."

Thirty-one balloons were launched in two waves Saturday morning.

Two more launches will follow at 5:30 a.m. Sunday and Monday.

The first Champagne Festival will be from 4 p.m. to midnight Sunday and from 2 to 10 p.m. Monday. Concerts are also taking place at Wet 'N Wild Waterworld, including headlining band Hoobastank on Monday night.

Pink Rivera may be reached at news@elpasotimes.com; 546-6194.


KLAQ Balloonfest information
# What: Daily launchings of Darth Vader and 30 other balloons, concerts, and the first El Paso Champagne Festival.
# Information: 544-9550, www.klaq.com; 886-2222, www.wetwild.com; 877-2745, www.elpasogracegardens.com.
Balloons
# Where: Grace Gardens, 6701 Westside Drive.
# Sunday and Monday: all balloons launch at 5:30 a.m.
# All balloons land by 8:30 a.m. each day.
Concerts
# Where: Wet 'N' Wild Waterworld, 8804 S. Desert, Anthony, Texas. Gates open at 7 a.m.; rides open at 8 a.m.
# Sunday: Rev Theory (6 p.m.), Burn Halo (5 p.m.), 11-11 (4 p.m.), Full Bloom (3 p.m.), Suicide Romance (2 p.m.), Los Roqueros (1 p.m.) and Gideon (noon).
# Monday: Hoobastank (6 p.m.), Sweetest Downfall (5 p.m.), Fully Blown (4 p.m.), Bash (3 p.m.), Grip (2 p.m.), Aerial (1 p.m.) and Slick Reynolds (noon).
# How much: $25 at the door (includes concert and one-day ride ticket); $49.95 festival pass (includes all concerts and Wet 'N' Wild season pass).
Champagne fest
# What: El Paso Champagne Festival, with champagne tastings, food and music.
# When: 4 p.m.-midnight Sunday, 2-10 p.m. Monday.
# Where: Grace Gardens, 6701 Westside Drive.
# How much: $7 in advance at 7-Eleven/ Fina stores in the El Paso area and Pic Quick stores in Southern New Mexico; $10 at the door. Admission includes a champagne glass and one full champagne-glass tasting. Food and other drinks also will be sold.

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Police search for hot air balloon

POLICE have carried out a search following reports of a low flying hot air balloon in Stafford.

Residents in Queensville became concerned after seeing the aircraft flying over their homes last night.

Officers were continuing to conduct an "extensive search" of the area this morning, but so far no evidence of any incident has been found.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "At 10.20pm Staffordshire Police received reports from local people of an alleged incident involving a hot air balloon in the Queensville area of Stafford.

"Officers, along with partner agencies, carried out an extensive ground and air area search, and they are continuing to do so this morning.
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"At this stage, no incident appears to have occurred in the area."

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Annual balloon festival kicks off in northwest Ga.

MENLO, Ga. -- Thrill seekers may find just what they're looking for this weekend at the annual Northwest Georgia Balloon Festival in Menlo.

The three-day festival kicks off Friday and runs through Sunday. Brave visitors can take a ride in a tethered hot air balloon. Those who prefer to keep their feet on the ground can watch an air show of 13 brightly colored, free-floating hot air balloons.

The three-day festival also includes, food, live entertainment, carnival rides, and arts and crafts.

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Halgrimson: Many local ties to cross-Atlantic balloon ventures

On July 26, 1958, U.S. Navy scientists Capt. Malcolm O. Ross and M. Lee Lewis ascended from Crosby, Minn., for a third Strato-Lab research flight. They stayed at an altitude of 82,000 feet for more than 34 hours.

During the flight they gathered scientific and medical data for future manned space flights. They landed on a farm west of Woodworth, N.D., 40 miles northwest of Jamestown.

U.S. stratosphere balloon flights – some manned and others unmanned – in the 1950s and 1960s were the forerunners to manned space flight and the beginning of the exploration of space.

During the 1970s, a number of attempts to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a balloon were made; including one very notable trip by Maxie Anderson, a graduate of the University of North Dakota:

• Free Life – On Sept. 20, 1970, an English balloon pioneer and an American couple attempted a west-to-east crossing and ditched 30 hours later just off Newfoundland. The three crew members died, and no wreckage was found.

• Yankee Zephyr – On Aug. 7, 1973, a single pilot left Bar Harbour, Maine, and the flight was ended by a storm and the pilot rescued.

• Light Heart – On Feb. 18, 1974, an attempt to use the “jet stream” to cross the Atlantic resulted in the pilot’s death when he crashed in the ocean. No wreckage was found.

• Windborne – On Jan. 6, 1975, another attempt was made, but the weather did not cooperate. The pilots’ lives were saved.

• Odyssey – On Aug. 21, 1975, the same man who piloted the Yankee Zephyr tried again but ended up in the ocean two hours later.

• Spirit of ’76 – On June 25, 1976, the Odyssey’s refitted gondola attached to an envelop built by Mark Semich of Semco Balloons, left from Lakehurst, N.J., and went down in a storm 550 miles later. The pilot was rescued by a Russian trawler.

• Silver Fox – On Oct. 5, 1976, an attempt made by Ed Yost broke all of the records set during the previous 18 years but went down in the middle of the ocean 700 miles from Europe when the wind direction changed. He had set a distance record of 2,474 miles. Yost is considered the father of modern hot-air ballooning. He died May 27, 2007, at the age of 87.

• Double Eagle – On Sept. 9, 1977, an attempt by Maxie Anderson and Ben Abruzzo plus two pilots from New Mexico crashed into the sea off Iceland. They had flown for 64 hours and 2,950 miles.

• Eagle – On Oct. 10, 1977, another attempt left from Bar Harbour and crashed 220 miles later in another storm.

• Double Eagle II – The Atlantic Ocean was conquered in 1978 when Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman, flew 3,120 miles in 137 hours in the Double Eagle II. The crew left from Presque Isle in Maine on Aug. 11 and landed at Evereux, France, about 60 miles northwest of Paris.

In October 1978, Maxie Anderson received the University of North Dakota Alumni Association’s highest award. Anderson was born in Sayre, Okla., and earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from UND in 1956.

After many ballooning adventures, some of which included his son Kris, Anderson died when he and Don Ida crashed in a Bavarian forest in West Germany on June 27, 1983, while participating in a balloon race. He was 49.

Other ballooning events tied to North Dakota include the April 27, 1981, event that ended when Ben Abruzzo and Japanese restaurateur Rocky Aoki landed their balloon on a Millarton, N.D., farm 13 miles southeast of Jamestown. The flight set a world long-distance record for their balloon of 1,348.1 miles. The flight began in Fountain Valley, Calif., and ended in a North Dakota field.

On Monday, Feb. 11, 1985, Abruzzo and his wife, Patricia, and four friends died in an airplane crash near Albuquerque, N.M. The were on their way to ski in Aspen, Colo.

Part three on local ballooning will appear in two weeks.

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Celebrating the winning history of Indy Speedway

Memorial Day weekend signals the official start of the summer season and causes us to pause and remember the many veterans who have laid down their lives in serving our country. And, as anyone who is a fan of racing knows, it's the weekend of the big 500-mile race at the beloved Indianapolis Motor Speedway, known as "The Brickyard."

This year marks the 100th year of the speedway, with the Indianapolis 500 turning 100 in 2011. The Brickyard also hosts NASCAR's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and the Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP race.

The original track of crushed rock and tar was the surface on which a motorcycle race first took place on August 14, 1909. Even before the first races, however, the U.S. National Championship for Gas-filled Balloons was the first competitive event held at the IMS.

Spearheaded by Carl Fisher, with the assistance of three partners (Arthur Newby, Frank Wheeler and James Allison), originally the plans were for the IMS to serve as a testing ground for the automobile industry, with occasional racing events featuring the manufacturer's latest models. In 1909, Indianapolis ranked fourth in the country for automobile production and it rose to second four years later.

After season one, it was obvious a more sturdy and substantial track material was needed. In just 63 days, 3.2 million 10-pound street paving bricks from Wabash Valley Clay Company in Veedersburg, Indiana were laid, a surface that would hold up for a quarter-century before some patchwork was done.

In 1910, when attendance at three multi-day races wasn't as large as expected, a decision was made to focus on just one large event in 1911. The Memorial Day crowd at the track had topped 50,000 spectators and became the weekend for the 1911 big event, which would cover 500 miles. The winner would bring in an award of $10,000.

That first race included 40 cars and was won in a time of 6 hours and 42 minutes with an average speed of 74.6 miles per hour. The event was so successful Fisher doubled the purse on what would become an annual race.

The IMS has seen many great moments over its 100-year history.

"There have been so many monumental moments. It's difficult to quantify which is most significant," said Eric Powell, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Media Coordinator.

He's seen a few firsts at the IMS in recent years. One he recalls vividly and considers one of the greatest moments in IMS history was just four years ago.

"In 2005, Danica Patrick led in the 500 and it was the first time a woman had done so," Powers said.

"I've never heard a roar from the crowd like I did at that particular moment."

Powell thinks the IMS holds a special place for so many fans for a variety of reasons.

"There are different things that bring people to the speedway. It depends on personal taste. There are history buffs with a real appreciation of the speedway.

"It's the oldest speedway in the country in terms of racetracks that have continually had racing every year. Also, there's the history of the 500. It's such a glorious event and a lot of well-known things have happened at that event," Powell said.

"In the last 20 years or so, it's become more family friendly and just a great place to bring the kids out for a pretty affordable price. And a lot of people just enjoy racing for the competition, technology and daring aspect of it. Not everyone can get onto a racetrack at 200 miles per hour," he said.

The IMS is a facility steeped in tradition, from the "Yard of Bricks," a row of original bricks left exposed to serve as the start/finish line to the celebratory drinking of milk by the winner, a practice that originated in 1936 after winner Louis Meyer enjoyed a bottle of buttermilk in Victory Lane.

Although the race is a one-day event, the month of May becomes a flurry of activity at IMS. This year's activities began May 1 with a hot-air balloon glow to honor that first competitive balloon event at the site 100 years ago.

Powers said it was such a success that it may return next year. Other centennial events have included wine tasting, live music and fireworks. The days leading up to the race also include qualifying and practicing. Although this year has been different because of the month-long centennial events, it is usually a 4-day event.

"It kind of takes over the race track and the city," Powell said.

Even if you don't plan to be a spectator in the stands at this year's Indy 500, the facility is open 364 days a year to visitors. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum gives an extensive overview of the IMS with approximately 75 vehicles that have played a part in the history of the magnificent venue.

When not in use, you can purchase a ticket for a track-lap, which is a leisurely ride around the track via tour bus. A popular grounds tour is also available on select dates. The guided tour includes a narrated history of the Racing Capital of the World's past century with a behind the scenes look at spots within the IMS usually only accessible to drivers and officials, such as Victory Podium and the "Yard of Bricks" at the start/finish.

Grounds tours sell out quickly and advance tickets are recommended. FYI: INDIANAPOLISMOTORSPEEDWAY.COM.

Fun Facts about the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
* Ray Harroun won the first Indianapolis 500 driving a racing version of the locally produced Marmon passenger car called the "Wasp." He devised a rod with a mirror attached that was placed on his car for the race and it is believed to be the first rearview mirror ever used on an automobile.
* There are 200 laps in the Indianapolis 500. Each lap around the track is 2.5 miles. The four turns on the oval are banked at exactly 9 degrees.
* The Borg-Warner Trophy, introduced in 1936, is 64 3/4 inches tall and 110 with the base.
* The Indianapolis 500 was put on hold during the world wars. Racing did not take place in 1917 or 1918 or from 1942 -1945.
* There have been three four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500: A.J. Foyt (1961, 1964, 1967 and 1977), Al Unser (1970, 1971, 1978, 1987) and Rick Mears (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991).
* The youngest winner of the Indianapolis 500 was Troy Ruttman, who won the 36th race in 1952 at 22 years old.
* The oldest winner of the race was Al Unser, who was 47 years old when he won the 71st Indy 500 in 1987.
* Janet Guthrie was the first female to race in the Indianapolis 500 in 1977. Four more females have raced since then (Lyn St. James, Sarah Fisher, Danica Patrick and Mika Duno).
* Eight times the race has been won by a rookie driver.
* Five drivers have won back-to-back races: Wilbur Shaw (1939-40), Mauri Rose (1947-48), Bill Vukovich (1953-54), Al Unser (1970-71) and Helio Castroneves (2001-02).
* 1936 was a significant year for the Indy 500. Louis Myer is the first driver to ever become a three-time winner. He is also part of three Brickyard traditions: he was the first winner to be presented with the keys to the Pace Car, it is the first year for the Borg-Warner Trophy and he is photographed drinking buttermilk after the race, which began the tradition of handing milk to the winners.
* At 220 miles per hour, Indy Car Series cars travel slightly more than the length of a football field every second.
* A front tire for the Indy Car Series weighs approximately 18 pounds.
* The draft (or "hole" created by an Indy Car Series car extends 25 feet behind the car.
* Nine different flags with different meanings are used during racing.
* The IMS has a seating capacity of 250,000 permanent seats and is the largest spectator sporting facility in the world.
* In 1929, a golf course was added to the speedway. The current Brickyard Crossing Golf Course sits on the same land outside the oval backstretch and inside the oval's field.
* At the 2008 race, more than 12,000 gallons of Coca-Cola products were consumed, more than 10 tons of fries and enough Indy Dogs that, if laid end-to-end, would circle the track oval more than 2 1/2 times.
* In May 2008, more than 4,000 Firestone tires were used by racing teams.

Highlights of the 100 years of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500 race
* 1911: Inaugural Indianapolis 500 takes place. Forty cars race. Winner is Ray Harroun with a time of 6 hours, 42 minutes at an average speed of 74.602 MPH.
* 1919: Howdy Wilcox becomes first driver to turn a qualifying lap in excess of 100 MPH.
* 1923: Tommy Milton is the first two-time winner of the race.
* 1936: Louis Meyer becomes first three-time race winner.
* 1940: Wilbur Shaw is first driver to win back to back races.
* 1942: World War II puts a halt to the Indianapolis 500 for the next four years.
* 1951: 40-year-old World War II veteran Lee Wallard becomes first to win in less than four hours.
* 1960: Rookie Eddie Sachs is just short of hitting 150 MPH.
* 1965: Scottish driver, Jim Clark, becomes first driver to win in a rear-engined car.
* 1969: Mario Andretti wins Indy 500 after original car was destroyed in practice crash.
* 1977: Janet Guthrie becomes first female to qualify for the race and Gordon Johncock wins the race for fourth time.
* 1984: Tom Sneva breaks five track records and hits the 210 MPH mark.
* 1991: Willy T. Ribbs becomes first African-American driver to qualify.
* 1992: Closest finish ever. Al Unser, Jr. wins by .043 of a second.
* 2005: Danica Patrick becomes first female to lead the race and finishes fourth, the highest ever won by a woman.
* 2007: Two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves snags another trophy as winner of ABC's Dancing with the Stars.

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