Here is a man with a dream - to ride a green lawn chair supported by a rainbow array of more than 150 helium-filled party balloons from his home in Central Oregon to Idaho, a distance of about 230 miles.
"If I had the time and money and people, I'd do this every weekend," the dreamer, Kent Couch said before getting into the chair. "Things just look different from up there. You've moving so slowly. The best thing is the peace, the serenity.
His wife's opinion? "He's crazy....It's never been a dull moment since I married him."
Each balloon gives four pounds of lift. The chair weighs about 400 pounds, and Couch and his parachute 200 more. He needs to shoot a balloon down periodically to keep him from going too high - for this he carries a Red Ryder BB gun and a blow gun equipped with steel darts. He also had a pole with a hook for pulling in balloons, Global Positioning System tracking devices, an altimeter and a satellite phone.
This is his third attempt. In 2006, he had to parachute out after popping too many balloons. And last year he flew 193 miles to the sagebrush of northeastern Oregon, short of his goal.
"I've not stopping 'till I get out of state," he said. The cost? $6,000, mostly for helium but most costs were defrayed by corporate sponsors. Off he goes.........
2 comments:
That's a great story! And what wonderful images it evokes. I love the dream behind his balloons and the idea of sailing off into the wild blue yonder is abundantly appealing as I stare at the chores waiting to be done, littering this kitchen and weighing down my mind. Bring on the helium.
Wendy
Wendy - are you sure you don't mean "bring on the valium"?
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