THE FORMER STORY TELLER GOT
UP AT CRACK OF DOWN TO RIDE IN A
HOT AIR BALLOON OVER LAKE
SHELBIVILLE.
IT HAPPENED IN OCTOBER OF 201 1
CH.
BYE.
ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT PUTS
THE WEATHER CHANNEL ON FOR A
HALF HOUR.
WHAT MAY SEEM LIKE A CARE
FREE BALLOON RIDE ACTUALLY
REQUIRES A LOT OF PREPARATION.
THE DAY STARTS EARLY FOR THE
PILOT.
SHOW AN EFFORT MAYBE.
IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS SAFE
YOU GOT TO KNOW THE WEATHER.
I MEAN IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL GET
YOURSELF IN TROUBLE.
EARLIER I THOUGHT I KNEW THE
WEATHER BUT I DIDN'T HAVE A
CLUE.
AFTER THE QUICK MEETING IT IS
TIME TO CHECK THE WIND.
WE LET HELIUM BALLOONS GO OUT
AND THEY WILL TELL YOU WHICH WAY
THEY GO AND WE HAVE A COMPASS
AND READ THE READINGS ON IT.
AND WE JUST GO OFF OF THAT.
THE GPS.
WE LET IT GO UP EARLIER AND
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS GO OUT A
MILE AND FIND A PLACE TO FLY
BACK OVER THE TARGET WHICH I PUT
MY GPS SO I NEED A READING OF
293 TO GET ME THERE.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
WE HAVE TO GO SOUTH.
THAT'S TOO RISKY.
AFTER A LITTLE SEARCHING A
GOOD LOCATION WAS FOUND.
IT'S CHALLENGING.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT FUN.
READY?
YEP.
ONE --
ABOUT 80 OR 09% WILL PUT THE
HEAT TO IT.
HOT AIR RISES.
ONCE I GET IT SECURED WHERE I
NEED IT TO BE AND A PASSENGER IS
IN, THERE IS LITTLE FOOT THINGS
HERE HIDDEN WITH THE BANNER BUT
WE ARE USE THAT OR HOP IN ANY
WAY YOU CAN GET IN.
THERE IS NO DOOR.
THE DUKE'S OF HAZARDS.
TODAY'S FLIGHT IS PART OF A
COMPETITION IN SHELBIVILLE.
THIS IS A FUN PLACE TO COME.
WE ARE NOT THAT SERIOUS.
THAT'S WHY THIS YEAR'S
CHALLENGE IS TO THROW A MONKEY
AT AN X.
TARGETS LIKE THIS YOU KNOW
IT'S DOWNWIND BUT WITH THE PIE
BALL THERE IS A BIG RIGHT HOOK
UP THERE.
SO WE WILL PLAY IT LOW IF WE
NEED TO AND ONCE WE GET CLOSER
TO THE TARGET WE CAN HOP UP.
AND SO WITH THE BALLOON
INFLATED WE HAD LIFT OFF.
THANKS, WHEREVER YOU GUYS
ARE.
IT IS NICE TO BE A LAND
OWNER.
WITHOUT LAND OWNERS WE WOULDN'T
BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO STEER?
OR DO YOU HAVE TO READ THE WIND?
READ THE WIND, YEAH.
WE APPROACH THE TARGET,
CAREFULLY AIM AND --
MISSED BY A LARGE AMOUNT.
BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER BECAUSE THE
SIGHTS WERE STILL INCREDIBLE.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A DREAM OF
MINE SINCE I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.
WE WERE ON CHASE CREW AND JUST
SEEING WHAT THEY DID, YOU KNOW?
I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PILOT.
FINALLY GOT CRAZY ENOUGH TO GO
DO IT.
THAT'S WHY I CALL IT MY BLUE AND
CRAZY DREAMS.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED?
THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED.
I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN
THAT ON THE GROUND, I WOULD
RECONSIDER.
RECONSIDER?
YEAH, DON'T BLAME YOU.
IT'S -- DON'T GET OUT OF THE
BASKET UNTIL I TELL YOU TO.
OKAY.
NOW SAFELY ON THE GROUND IT
WAS TIME TO PACK UP.
THEN ALL OF US FIRST TIMERS
GATHERED TO BE WELCOMED INTO THE
COMMUNIT
COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE BALLOONING STARTED IN
FRANCE ORIGINAL PILOTS BROUGHT
-- YOU GUESSED IT, CHAMPLAIN.
A TRADITION THAT WHEN THEY DO
IT FOR FIRST TIME FLYERS --
[APPLAUSE]
THERE YOU GO.
NOW GET UP.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN AN HOT
AIR BALLOON?
I HAVE NOT.
WE GOT TO GO LAST YEAR AND
ONE OF THOSE WAS OUR PILOT.
ISN'T IT CRAZY?
IT IS A LOT OF WORK BUT A LOT
OF FUN.
AND TIGHT QUARTERS.
TIGHT QUARTERS.