Our Web site has changed.
This page is no longer current.
 

Please go to our Home Page
and reset your bookmark there.
 

We're sorry for any inconvenience.
 

Wednesday August 2^nd, the hottest day of summer 2006 and where am I...the Warren County Farmer’s Fair getting ready to go in a hot air balloon! That’s right, a hot air balloon that looks like the head of an elephant. At first I thought it was one of those tethered rides but after chatting with the owner and his chase crew I realized I was heading over scenic Warren County.

After filling the elephant head with air blowing from a large fan it was time for Jon Feller to light the fire and heat ‘er up. In a matter of minutes it was up up and away for me and two other passengers, mother and daughter duo Beth and Sarah Miller.

Jon Feller is a quiet man that takes great pride in his balloons, he owns two. The chase team, Steve and Susan Albert, added my trusty sidekick for the evening, WNTI engineer, Nick Straka to their crew on the ground.

Back at WNTI home base was Bill Nutt manning the board and spinning the tunes. I called in to the station every 15-20 minutes to update Bill and the listeners about my journey in the basket.

Starting out over the fairgrounds in Harmony then drifting right over the middle of Merrill Creek Reservoir to the farms and homes of Broadway and touching down 40 minutes later in the backyard of the Melquist Family.

Turns out, Susan and Steve are avid listeners of WNTI and it was just dumb luck the balloon they chase for was the one I got to ride in. Thank you Warren County Fair organizers!

A great time was certainly had by all and next year it’s Nick’s turn for a sail and I’ll chase him down Route 57!

Melanie Thiel, WNTI