Editor,
An Insulted Balloon Guy (now eerily close to middle-aged man) wants to inform you, that he takes offense at you calling his hand-made and carefully planned balloon design—”patchwork.” Also hoping you’ll give me the opportunity to get the record straight on a few things misrepresented in the “Valley People” Section on November 9:
BALLOONIST Kevin Herschman, who spent a few weeks in Anderson Valley recently taking locals up, up and away, moved his balloon barnstorming tour to Willits, announcing upon his arrival a promise to “stay awhile.” But he might not be all that welcome because on November 6th the Willits-Little Lake fire department received “a frantic call” that a hot air balloon had crashed near the end of Muir Mill Road outside of Willits. CDF and Little Lake fire crews mounted an all-out emergency response, replete with multiple fire engines and a fleet of emergency services vehicles. An ambulance from Ukiah was also dispatched. When the responders arrived on scene, they found Mr. Herschman calmly packing up his balloon. “What’s the problem?” Herschman asked. All he’d done was land in an empty field.
THE BALLOON GUY is back, and there are more than a few people in the Navarro area not particularly happy to see him. Last Thursday, Balloon Guy apparently launched himself aloft in his battered basket and patchwork balloon from somewhere on Gschwend Road, drifting up The Valley toward Philo while his rasta dude assistant followed along on 128 in a full-size pick-up truck. As Balloon Guy flew heedlessly low and slow at elevations estimated by witnesses “as tree top level,” pregnant ewes in two pastures were startled into full gallops, and pregnant ewes are not supposed to run, and boy o boy were some ranchers hot, with one threatening to “crank off a couple of rounds at that nut’s balloon if he comes over us again.”
- Balloons are required to maintain minimum altitudes “except when necessary for take off or landing.” Although it may seem that I am just flying along without a care in the world, if you see me at “treetop level,” it is because I am using a ground wind to try slipping into or out of a nearby parcel. The rest of the time, you will see me well over 500 feet.
- I do not fly heedlessly over sheep. I pay very close attention to how they respond to the noise and overhead menace and try to maintain ascents over them so that the noise and fear will be minimal. I have erred in this as I do not have every holding of sheep in the valley accounted for. Once I have encountered an angry rancher or a scared flock I make sincere and successful attempts to avoid future proximity.
- I don’t have an assistant, but happily allow anyone who is competent and willing to drive my old pickup truck on balloon chases. I should know better than to let a guy with dreadlocks drive my truck, but I thought the people of the valley could handle it. He claims he is not a rasta — too demanding of a religious observance for the faint of heart (or lungs).
- I haven’t taken off on Gschwend road ever. Though now, thanks to the article last week I may have an invitation to.
- The only things written on my truck are “F250,” “Louisiana,” and “www.Pro-Creation.US.” The writing, “The Sky Isn’t the Limit” was on a trailer that I have pulled with me in previous years.
- At the Mendo-A-Go-Go festival, people clustered around to donate $5-10 to go up in the air for 2-4 minutes.
- And finally to the angry rancher(s): Shooting at an aircraft is a federal crime, and more importantly its really rude and unsportsmanlike to shoot at unarmed people in a giant colorful object. All you have to do is yell unpleasantries and I’ll avoid you in the future. Please don’t try killing me or going to prison over a running sheep.
Thanks for giving me a chance to correct some of your inaccuracies. Love,
Kevin Herschman, Balloon Guy
Louisiana/Anderson Valley
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