My chance to jump from a balloon came this August (2006) when I was given the opportunity by jumper-turned-balloonist, Russ Lucas. Riding aboard his Cloud Dancers of Claremont balloon we climbed
to 5,000 feet. Where I not so smoothly climbed out of the basket, sat on the edge, and leaned forward. From there gravity does the rest.

I will say this. For someone who has flown plenty and by this time had almost 4,000 skydives, I was pretty nervous in that balloon. Something about not having an
engine, total silence. Then sitting on the edge of that basket is like sitting on a cliff. That 'worldly' view one gets with unimpeded vision of the sky and ground.

I know, all this sounds like what flight should be like. You would be right. But when you're used to noisy aircraft, this makes your heart beat a little faster than normal.