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It's the kind of thing you figure is a prank, but then you see it on CNN. Adventurer Kent Couch attached 105 helium balloons to his lawn chair, then cut the tether; he then spent the next nine hours airborne, traveling a distance of 193 miles through Oregon.
His equipment? Four plastic bags filled with water, for ballast (released via a spigot); a handheld GPS device; a parachute; and some snacks.
This is 47-year-old gas-station attendant Couch's second balloon ride; for the first he carried a BB gun, which he used to shoot out some of his balloons as a reverse ballast. However, that made the descent too rapid, necessitating a parachute bail-out. This time Couch configured the balloons closer to him, so he could release their helium by hand.
But instead of releasing the helium into the air, Couch inhaled it so he could make pipsqueak voices on the way down.
Actually we're kidding about that last part. Because that would be crazy.
Comments
Amazing! There's just no one in America like Kent Couch, and we're better for his zaniness. Thanks Kent!
Wow........This is something I always wanted to do..... Somebody needs to start marketing something like this. Kent Couch is a real adventurer...lawn chair and all.