Wendell Purvis' balloon, Tracer, rises gracefully above the interstate and the treetops as passers-by honk their horns and stop alongside the road to wave. Hovering above the earth in a hot air balloon is a peaceful experience, with only the occasional hiss of the burner and chatter of the pilot and crew breaking the silence. Minutes before launch, several residents of the rural Tallahassee location stopped to watch the two multi-colored balloons lift off from the field of grass still wet with morning dew. His words ring true as the balloon slowly drifts through the wind currents with another balloonist, Wendell Purvis, who was flying Tracer, over Interstate 10 March 30. Purvis also will participate in the balloon rally.
Drivers honk their horns and some wave as they watch the balloons drift above the highway.
Getting the balloon up in the air takes a lot of work on the ground. The pilot and crew first have to determine a launch point and then put the equipment together. Because the balloon is steered by wind currents, the first point of business is finding a suitable landing and launch site. Purvis and Armstrong first send up small helium filled balloon and track its path with a small compass. Then out comes the topographical map, which is studied for suitable sites.