CHASE CREWS AID TO BALLOON PILOTS

Mike Webb warmed up to the task of chasing a hot-air balloon as soon as he witnessed the first blast of propane gas.

"I got a kick out of watching the pilot turn on the propane jets," Webb said. "Once I stuck my nose into what he was doing, I was glad I decided to volunteer for this."

Asked what prompted him to volunteer for the chase crew, Webb replied, "I like trying out something that is different from what I'm used to. This is it."

Webb of Jackson was one of 130 chase crew volunteers working the Balloons and Arts Festival hot-air balloon race. Arts Festival Chairman Don Strohmeyer said this year's chase crew became the biggest in the four-year history of the event.

"We made more of an effort to get volunteers out this year and it paid off," Strohmeyer said. "Last year the turnout was so low we had to hire people to chase the balloons. When I saw that we had more than 75 show up at the first meeting, I knew we were in good shape."

With plenty of chase crew volunteers, Strohmeyer said the Balloons and Arts Festival committee hoped to break even this year. "They will make a big difference," he said.

It didn't take much to persuade Skip and Jean Harris of Cape Girardeau to return as chase crew volunteers. "We did this a couple of years ago and liked it so we decided to come back this year," Skip said. "I didn't even think we were going to get started until the weekend, but they said they needed us on Thursday and we were happy to step in and help out."

Strohmeyer said chase crews play a vital role in the balloon race. "Many of the pilots come from out of town, so they need someone who is familiar with the territory to track their balloon," he said. "What usually happens is the chase crew has such a good time with the pilot, they ask to work with the same person the next year."

Mike McGrath, a hot-air balloon pilot from Atlanta, said the chase crew enables him to enjoy one of his favorite pastimes. "You need to stay in contact with them in case anything goes wrong, and also to get back to the airport," McGrath said.