Up, up and away! One lawn-chair, 150 balloons.

[slodave]

I remember the guy in L.A. that tried and I know I had dreams about doing this as a kid as well. This looks like a lot of fun!

BEND, Oregon (AP) -- A man flying across Oregon in a lawn chair rigged with helium-filled balloons has reached his destination in Idaho.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/05/lawnchair.balloons.ap/index.html

Maybe Pelican Parts will sponsor me? I can carry a package for tabs and try and land in Las Vegas

[kstar]

Just be careful!

This guy wasn't so lucky:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=arRWnApqDoIg&refer=latin_america

Excerpt:

July 4 (Bloomberg) -- The body of a Brazilian priest who tried to break a record for flying suspended by helium balloons was found in the Atlantic Ocean near Rio de Janeiro more than two months after he disappeared.

The remains of Adelir Antonio de Capri were recovered by the Anna Gabriela, an ocean-going oil-rig tugboat operated by Petroleo Brasileiro SA, Brazil's state-controlled oil company, press officials at Petrobras, as the company is known, said in a statement read over the telephone. De Capri, 41, was found in seas near Marica, a city in the country's state of Rio de Janeiro.

He went missing on April 20 after taking off from Paranagua, a port city near Curitiba, the capital of Parana state in Brazil's south. His plan was to fly inland to Dourados, more than 450 miles northwest in Mato Grosso do Sul state. The motive for his trip was to raise money for spiritual rest stop for truckers in Paranagua and break a 19-hour record for flight using helium balloons.

After rising as high as 20,000 feet soon after takeoff, he was blown backward out to sea where pieces of some of the dozens of balloons he used to lift himself into the air were later found, police said at the time.

After he called for help from port authorities in Paranagua, a search was launched but he was never heard from again. His body was found about 700 kilometers (435 miles) northeast of where he went missing.

[slodave]

I'll make sure to hold up my finger and test to see which way the wind is blowing.

[kstar]

I'd imagine it was very cold at 20,000 feet! That and I don't think the priest was prepared for the low-oxygen content of the air.

Unfortunately, I don't think the poor guy knew what he was getting into.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

At 18,000' the air density is about half that at sea level. Most people can retain consciousness at that level, but depending on one's condition, age, etc. they might have issues with hypoxia and/or possibly even lose consciousness.

Geez, if I really want to go to 18,000' I'll go rent a plane. Or go climb the high Sierra (well, that'll get you only to about 12,000-14,000' but that's good enough for most thrills)

[slodave]

I've tested, I'm good to go at 18,000ft. I'll bring a jacket.

Where's your sense of adventure, Jeff?

My dad and I started to build a little sub I could cruise around our pool in, but he finally wised up and put an end to that project. He offered to build a diving bell, but that's not really the same.

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by slodave

I've tested, I'm good to go at 18,000ft. I'll bring a jacket.

Where's your sense of adventure, Jeff?

My dad and I started to build a little sub I could cruise around our pool in, but he finally wised up and put an end to that project. He offered to build a diving bell, but that's not really the same.

Did you order it out of a comic book????

[slodave]

No, our own design, even scrounged the garage sales for old bicycles. It was to be peddle powered. There is a picture, but I have no idea where it is anymore.

[on2wheels52]

Are you looking for corporate sponsorships like he did? I've given to worse causes.
Jim