Thus was born Napa Valley Aloft. There were only about 500 or so balloons in the world at that time. Surplus, who spent years managing area hotels, also got into the business two decades ago, when he and four friends bought a balloon for fun. A business was born. Both companies fly small fleets of balloons, inflating them in the still morning air, loading in the passengers and then sending them aloft for an hour or two.
Air warmed by the rising sun creates currents that push the balloons gently across the sky.
Chase trucks follow the balloons and pick up the passengers at ride's end. The balloon is deflated, rolled into a ball and packed in a bag about the size of a steamer trunk. Finally, everybody piles into the van and heads for breakfast. That's not funny. Napa is one of six towns in the Napa Valley, population 15,000.