snowfalls
sendmostballoonistsintohi-
bernation,manyMinnesotapilotsthink
winter flyingisbest.Ofthe fiveannual
balloon festivals held in Minnesota, three
are heldin the winter.
“Winterisawonderfultimeof the
year to go flying in Minnesota,” said Matt
Wiederkehr,of Lakeland,near St. Paul.
He admits not many commercialpassen-
gersopttoflythen,but“forthereal
enthusiast, it’s nice, relaxedflying. This
isanextremely active time for us.”
Stephen Johnson, of Duluth, agrees.
“You don’t have bugs. You can fly longer.
Andthe champagneisalwayscool,” he
said.
He recalledarecentmorningflight
when ice fog had just dissipated, allowing
him to see timber wolves runningbelow.
“Ice crystals were just on the tops of
all the trees, just like feathers. It was just
gorgeous.”
It’s hard to findballoonists in north-
ernMinnesota,whereheavywoodsare
mixed with lakes, providing few landing
spotsinthe summer.
But in the winter, “All of those lakes
become frozen fields,” Johnsonsaid. “A
lot of guys in Minnesota take up a bowling
ball and throw it over a frozen lake. One
time the ice didn’tbreak for one guy and
it came flying back up at him like a cannon
ball.”
A winter rally on Lake Chisago, near
CenterCity,featuressnowmobiledrag
raceswiththe balloons.
Thesolidice—sometimestwofeet
thick—enables chase vehicles to drive to
the middle of a frozenlake for inflation.
“Itcangetprettychilly,”said orga-
nizerPeterRiehle.“Typicallywehave
about a footof snow on the ground. And
the temperature can vary. Last year it was
inthe20s.But we’ve hadtocancelif it
gets below 20below.”
Itis fittingthatsomanyMinnesota
balloonists enjoy flying in the winter. The
firstmodernhot-air balloonrace wasin
February1962aspartoftheSt.Paul
Winter Carnival.
“Everyhot-airballooninthe world
wasthere, all four of them,” Wiederkehr
said.
While balloons had been a part of the
festival for many years, the balloon event
hasmovedacrosstheSt.Croixriverto
Hudson, Wisconsin.
Thestate’scoldweatherhasalso
meant Minnesota has been a prime spot to
setb allo o ni ngrec ord s.Twoof
Wied erkehr’sd au ghters,Donn aan d
Denise, broke numerous hot-air balloon-
ingdistance and duration recordsinbal-
loons as teens in the 1970s. Some of their
recordsstillstandinthewomen’scat-
egory.
EdChapman,ofPriorLake,also
broke more than 20 ballooning records in
distance,durationandaltitude,although
those world records have since been bro-
ken.
Wilma Piccard, of Minneapolis,holds
currentfemininerecordsfordistancein
smallgasballoons.Her husbandisbal-
looninglegendDon Piccard.
Hisparen ts,JeanandJeannette
Piccard,alsocalledMinneapolistheir
home. Some of theirold ballooning books
andasmalldisplaycanbe foundatthe
aeronauticalengineeringdepartmentat
the Universityof Minnesota there.
Most of the state’s several dozen ac-
tiveballoonistslive inornear theTwin
Cities,but balloonists rarely fly overthem.
Instead, most flying is done along the St.
CroixRiverValleyneartheWisconsin
border, as well as about 30 miles north of
the cities,pilots say.
Passengerridesusuallyrun$150to
$175 per person. On a nice afternoon, you
might see a dozen or more balloons in the
although manywouldbe flying just
for fun.
Asinmanyareasofthecountry,
balloonists are feeling the needto retreat
further awayfrom the cities.
Martin Coddington used to like to fly
fromhis home in Prior Lake, whichwas
15milessouthwestofMinneapolisair-
port.
“It used to be we could take off out of
PriorLake withanywindanddirection
and find a place toland,” he said. “Now,
it’s so built up, we just have to head out to
the boondocks to fly.”
Even the country’s largest mall plans
todouble in size. Bloomington, south of
theTwinCities,ishome totheMallof
Americaandits520stores.Beingjust
overamileawayfromtheairport,so
balloonists tend tostay awayfromit.
Instead,informalballoon events are
heldinthe southernhalfof the state. In
October, whentheleaves are ablaze, six
balloonists take upasmany skydivers as
possibleduringtheSkydiveBoogiein
Hutchinson.AndinPreston,about10
balloons flyon their ownjustfor fun.
“It’scalledBlackie’sComeFull,
LeaveEmp ty,”saido rg anizerSam
Blackburn.“It’slow-key,aftermostof
the racingseasonends. It’s veryagricul-
tural, withlots of bluffs, hills and valleys
and lots of woods. That area of the state is
just spectacular.”
Mostpilots there landin pastures or
on gravelroads.
“The one nice thing about this part of
the state, in a lot of areas it’s sectioned off
withgravelroadsabou teverymile,”
Blackburnsaid.
PigfarmingkeepsballoonistDan
Reuter, of Mapleton, busy in the summer,
but even if he wasn’t fattening up his pigs,
he still prefers flyingin the winter.
“Thefieldsaresoproductivehere,
therearehardlyanyhayfields,” hesaid.
Mid-Februaryiswhenhe hostsasmall
gathering aballoonists nearhis home.
The Sweethearts’ BalloonRally isnamed
thatnotonlyforitsproxim ityto
Valentine’s Day,but to honorhis two
children who live with cystinosis, a con-
dition which prevents the breakdown of
amino acid which can harm kidneys. The
disease is treatable, but not curable.
At the rally, balloonists stay in pri-
vate housing and take paying passengers
for rides. All of the money collected is
given to the CystinosisFoundation.
Athree-year-oldballoonclubishelp-
ing balloonists socializeinMinnesota.
About 60 members, about 75 percent of
them pilots, belong to theMinnesota Bal-
looningAssociation.Memberscomefrom
surrounding states as well.
Otherballoon clubs existed in the
’70s and ’80s, but eventually folded.
“There were some of uswho felt that
there hasn’t been a good representation
fora lot of years,” said club president
David Johnson, of Minneapolis.
Members meet the third Monday of
each month at a library in Minneapolis.
They hold a summer picnic, Christmas
Party, safetyseminar anda fishfry, where
pilots attempt to catchtheirdinnerby
flying over the St. Croix River.
“Pilotstheoretically come back with
whatever they can catch,” David Johnson
said. “Only onefish was ever brought
backand we weren’t sureit waseven
caught that day.”
Perhaps they could aim better with
bowling lessons.
MinnesotaBallooningAssociation, about60members,about45of thempilots
from Minnesota and surrounding states. Monthly meetings on the third Monday of
each month at a Minneapolis library with guest speakers; summer picnic, Christmas
Party, October fishing contest andfish fry; winter safetyseminar. Dues are $36 a
year, but are expected to be lowered soon; periodic newsletter. Contact: P.O. Box
582305, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Internet: www.mnballooning.com
Winter Fest, atChisagoLake, near Lindstrom, Center CityandChisago,the last
weekendinJanuary, 20balloons flythree fun flights, Saturdaymorning through
Sunday morning, Saturday Moon Glow; balloons inflate on frozen Lake Chisago;
car races, snowmobile drag races, craft fair, helicopter rides. Contact: Peter Riehle,
22560 JaneroAve. North, Forest Lake, MN 55025. 651-982-0623.
Sweethearts’ BalloonRally,Minnesota Lake,mid-February, 10-15 balloonsfly
three flights Saturday morning and afternoon, and Sunday morning; all money paid
for rides goes to the Cystinosis Foundation; private housing. Contact: Dan Reuter,
16661 594 Ave., Mapleton, MN 56065. 507-245-3844.
Mayor’s Cup Invitational Hot-Air BalloonRace, inRochester, third weekend in
June, 25 balloons fly as part of Rochester Fest, a week-long festival; media flight
Friday morning, Fridayafternoonflight over a parade, funcompetitionSaturday
morning, eveningandSundaymorning.Contact:George Ibach,187thSt.NE,
Rochester, MN 55906. 507-280-0480.
Faribault Area Airfest& Balloon Rally, mid-September, 25-30balloons flyfour
flights,FridayafternoonthroughSundaymorninginfuncompetition;vintage
aircraft, helicopters, gliders,ultralights. Contact:Contact:FaribaultChamber of
Co mmerce,P.O.Bo x434,Faribault,MN5 5021.800-6 58-23 54.Internet:
www.faribaultmn.org
BluffandValleyBalloonRally,inCaledonia,firstweekendinDecember,20
balloonsflythreeflights,SaturdaymorningthroughSundaymorninginfun
competition; Christmas paradeheld Friday evening, with balloon vehicles bringing
up the endwithlightedburners. Contact: RandyWeibel, CaledoniaChamber of
Commerce,P.O. Box24, Caledonia,MN 55921. 507-894-0465.
Caledonia •
