NationStates Jolt Archive


Man floats 193 miles using chair, balloons

Demented Hamsters
11-07-2007, 05:15
very very cool. Been done before I know, but still cool. especially the pic:

Oregon resident fulfills childhood dream with 105 helium balloons
BEND, Ore. - Last weekend, Kent Couch settled down in his lawn chair with some snacks — and a parachute. Attached to his lawn chair were 105 large helium balloons.

Destination: Idaho.

With instruments to measure his altitude and speed, a global positioning system device in his pocket, and about four plastic bags holding five gallons of water each to act as ballast — he could turn a spigot, release water and rise — Couch headed into the Oregon sky.
Nearly nine hours later, the 47-year-old gas station owner came back to earth in a farmer’s field near Union, short of Idaho but about 193 miles from home.

“When you’re a little kid and you’re holding a helium balloon, it has to cross your mind,” Couch told the Bend Bulletin.

“When you’re laying in the grass on a summer day, and you see the clouds, you wish you could jump on them,” he said. “This is as close as you can come to jumping on them. It’s just like that.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19694083/?gt1=10150

http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070710/070710_balloonchair_hlrg_12p.hlarge.jpg
NERVUN
11-07-2007, 05:26
Mankind has an adventuring spirit... it just leads people to do somewhat silly things at times though.
Thumbless Pete Crabbe
11-07-2007, 05:27
Everyone I've ever met from Bend, Oregon has been nuttier than a fruitcake - no joke. :p Why, I'll never know.
Demented Hamsters
11-07-2007, 05:29
Everyone I've ever met from Bend, Oregon has been nuttier than a fruitcake - no joke. :p Why, I'll never know.
Maybe because they've all gone round the Bend.
Barringtonia
11-07-2007, 05:29
Everyone I've ever met from Bend, Oregon has been nuttier than a fruitcake - no joke. :p Why, I'll never know.

...because they've gone round the Bend?

Oh deary, deary me.
Demented Hamsters
11-07-2007, 05:29
Hah! Beat you to it.
nyah nyah nyah
Barringtonia
11-07-2007, 05:32
Hah! Beat you to it.
nyah nyah nyah

Dammit, I knew I shouldn't have added the 'deary, deary me'

Day ruined :mad:

For a really bad pun we could have put 'because they've Ore-gon round the Bend'

...typical, coming up with the better quip long after it was needed
Jeruselem
11-07-2007, 05:51
Reminds me of that Mythbusters episode ...
Bolol
11-07-2007, 05:52
It's the little things like this that help restore my faith in humanity.

*nods*
Minaris
11-07-2007, 05:56
It's the little things like this that help restore my faith in humanity.

*nods*

Agreed.

Faith +1

(Cookie for reference)
Lunatic Goofballs
11-07-2007, 09:42
I highly approve of this. :)
Hamberry
11-07-2007, 09:43
Sounds like fun.
Thumbless Pete Crabbe
11-07-2007, 09:49
Maybe because they've all gone round the Bend.

Could be. :p

*Shame* for not thinking of it, as well. :p
The Brevious
11-07-2007, 09:52
I highly approve of this. :)

Seconded!

Anyone seen the movie?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337960/
Thumbless Pete Crabbe
11-07-2007, 09:56
Seconded!

Anyone seen the movie?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337960/

They made a romantic comedy out of a really neat real-life story. :(

But I guess it's still cool that the whole balloon-chair deal made it to the silver screen, and all that. :)
Rhursbourg
11-07-2007, 11:51
didn't they do this in second episode of the A-team
Thumbless Pete Crabbe
11-07-2007, 12:01
didn't they do this in second episode of the A-team

Could be. I think the first balloon pilot took off in the late 70s, so it'd work out timewise. :p
Troglobites
11-07-2007, 12:09
Could be. I think the first balloon pilot took off in the late 70s, so it'd work out timewise. :p

Mr. T wants down, fool.