On the Road to... "Where are the balloons?" Back then things were more informal and it was one big party with the crew and spectators in the field (no balloonists were camping--as a pilot, of course, it's a totally different scenario). They made announcements over the loudspeaker that such and such a person was looking for crew members. So, I crewed on Monday for a gentleman from Kansas. Crewing is unloading the truck, getting the balloon laid out per the pilot's instructions, inflating it, putting ancillary equipment in the truck, and then tracking the balloon/pilot--back then with a two-way radio--on the chase. Then you fold it up, put it away, and prep for the next voyage. On Tuesday I took my first flight. I was over the moon for the whimsy of it (it's whimsical to begin with--just think about it) but I wasn't hooked.
QSB: Then how did you get started? Greg: Because I hitchhiked to Albuquerque, I went around and introduced myself to anyone with California plates trying to get a ride home. None of which worked. The next morning I was hitchhiking home. I was on the curb in Kingman on Monday, middle of the day and one of those people from California pulled over. He needed sleep and he picked me up so I could drive. He was headed to Carmichael. I began crewing for the locals here. He paid me 10 bucks to come out in the morning. His son was in high school and he was a flake. So I just rolled over to him and started crewing for him. Every second ride was turning into informal training. I could share with my friends. I still didn't have any money and couldn't buy a balloon but learning and earning a pilot's license began to have appeal. I think I got my license in 1982. The pilot's license if just for ballooning and you have to pass a written exam. When you have all the proper endorsements you then have an exam with an FAA-designated person. But I had to give up balloon photography when I became a pilot. It was just snapshots and I felt that I was a better photographer than that. QSB: Tell me about your balloon, What other equipment you use, and what would you recommend to a beginner? Greg: I'm on my fourth balloon. Her name is Jackie-OH! She was made by a company called Cameron Balloons. The size designation is known as an "8"--90,000 cubic feet in volume, 90 feet tall when stood up. She's got big hearts all the way around the envelope in multi-colors. The basket is wicker that absorbs shock when I have a bumpy landing (very rare!). And I use my SUV and pull a trailer for the balloon. To buy a balloon there are dealers and some have repair shops. I bought one new balloon out of the four. If I replaced everything it would run about $30,00-$35,000. I'm on a one-year mission to replace Jackie. She's becoming porous. She's sound and safe to fly but just QuarterlySpeedBump.com 7