Robert Shallow, one of about 20
active balloonists in Alabama, says he's able to nibble on fresh pecans,
pick a handful of cotton or watch dolphins swim on his balloon flights.
"Baldwin County is the best place in the world to fly," says Shallow, a commercial pilot who lives on the Gulf of Mexico. "You've got tremendous agriculture throughout the year, so landing is not a problem."
Shallow, of Gulf Shores, likes to take advantage of the sea breezes to carry his balloon out to sea and back.
"I go fly out over the Gulf, three or four miles out in the morning, then go up 6,000 or 7,000 feet and go back on shore," he says. "The pucker factor is high sometimes, but it's a great flight."
And he swears the alligators are friendly, too.
When he's not over salt water, land flights offer plenty of variety, too, with occasional box winds. The pecans and cotton samples are free, "as long as you know the farmer."
Shallow also flies over 22,000 acres of sod farms, major red zones to balloonists in other parts of the country.
"They have to ride over it 26 times to harvest it, so as long as you don't turn your wheels sharp on it, don't go on when it's wet and give the kids some rides, we've never had any problem," Shallow says. "Everybody is pretty laid back down here anyway, as long as you're good to them."
Birmingham, Alabama's largest city and about a three-hour drive to the north, is a hard place to fly due to woods and its large population, says Mike Wahl, who began ballooning 13 years ago.
"It's mountainous, so you have to pick and choose where you fly there," he said.
Two rallies have been held in Birmingham with limited success. Flying is so tricky there, organizers required participants have 500 hours of balloon pilot time to register.
Other touchy spots in the state include the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant and the Red Stone Arsenal - where Patriot Missiles are reportedly tested.
"Landing on a mine is always good for you," Wahl said.
But other than those areas, balloonists are treated to great flying terrain in Alabama.
"It's flat, with green fields and friendly landowners," says Cathy Wahl, Mike's wife and a balloon pilot herself.
She said a balloon flying in many parts of Alabama is still a novelty. The Wahls estimate there may be up to a couple dozen active pilots now in the state. Other pilots have moved away or discontinued the sport.
Students wanting to get their balloon rating need to go to Mississippi or Atlanta to find the nearest designated examiner for balloons.
Finding a repair station can also be a struggle. But the Wahls and other balloonists pool their resources and hire a traveling repair station to visit once a year.
"We turn it into a weekend party and get 12 to 15 annuals done at once," Cathy Wahl said.
The highlight of the ballooning year there is the annual Alabama Jubilee, held every Memorial Day weekend since 1978.
"It's a beautiful area for flying and people are very excited to see us coming," said Phillip Gentry, the rally's president.
About 55 balloons from Alabama and surrounding states are expected this year.
There's no flying Friday night, but a chance for pilots and crew to socialize. A hare and hound, a judge declared goal, a glow and a key grab are scheduled for the weekend, with Monday morning - Memorial Day - an optional flight if the key grab flight needs to be rescheduled. The keys to a new Chevrolet have been won three times.
A unique feature about their festival is that there is no cost for the public to attend or park at the event, which is held in Point Mallard Park, on the banks of the Tennessee River in Decatur. About 40,000 people come to watch the balloons throughout the weekend.
"There's no high pressure flying, no big money prizes, so if the conditions are marginal, why would we fly?" Gentry said.
The event is paid by local merchants, who buy sponsorships for each balloon.
Other attractions with the event include an antique classic car show - which actually predates the Jubilee - and the world's first wave pool.
Gentry said the Jubilee began when a local newspaper reporter heard Roy Clark singing a song about a fictitious festival called the Alabama Jubilee.
"He said it was a shame we don't have one, and thought about what we could do on Memorial Day to celebrate the opening of the tourism season."
An out-of-state balloonist had given tethered rides at a park which was a big hit, so five balloonists were invited to come to the first Jubilee.
Today, the Alabama Jubilee is run by a committee of volunteers, with assistance from the Decatur Convention and Visitor's Bureau. The bureau owns the Decatur balloon, which has given an introduction to ballooning to several pilots and crew members. A second Decatur balloon has replaced the original one, Gentry said.
"The ballooning community started in Decatur because of the Decatur balloon," Gentry said.
About two dozen people are members of the Heart of Dixie Balloon Club, based in Madison. The club was started around 1985, with quarterly meetings at a restaurant. Topics included how to talk to control tower personnel on the radio, knot tying and weather.
"We try to have an activity every month, whether its a meeting or a club flight," said President Jeff Maddox.
Dues are $12 a year and include a newsletter, which Maddox hopes to bring out of hiatus soon.
The club also sponsors a "semi-annual" safety seminar, this year on Feb. 12-13 in Huntsville. Nearly 100 pilots and crew members were expected.
Balloon Clubs:
Heart of Dixie Balloon Club, P.O. Box 288, Madison, AL 35758. (256) 461-9553.
Balloon Events:
Alabama Jubilee, Memorial Day Weekend. Contact: Decatur Convention and Visitor's Bureau, P.O. Box 2601, Decatur, AL 35602. (256) 350-2028.
