[Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island

[rhendy]

Mark,
  That is a great link!  I guess my memory was 'pretty' good in my previous
post.  Apparently he only flew the one time.  The activity is unbelievably
dangerous and our balloonists were tethered by no less than three different
means, and they had two separate riser knives (if you are familiar with
parachuting equipment), and the prevailing wind had to be just right so that
if one of them actually managed to get away, they could descend into the
water where a boat was standing by.  Safety briefings were conducted by none
other than the individual who was the crew chief for both the Brietling
Orbiter, and Steve Fossett's balloon: the only two manned balloons to
circumnavigate the earth.  He was a fascinating man to meet.  We sat around
a picnic table talking balloons for about two hours that day. What an
experience for me!
   Believe me, the BBC took no chances and spent and incredible amount of
money to shoot that sequence.

Fair Winds,

Bob Hendrickson
S/V Getaway

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Kaynor" <mark@kaynor.org>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 11:40 AM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island


> Ron,
>
> http://www.darwinawards.com/stupid/stupid1997-11.html
>
> Mark Kaynor
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ronald Lipton" <lipton@sprynet.com>
> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 10:23 AM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island
>
>
> > As for the US... I seem to remember a story about a man who
> > went up with a set of He balloons tied to his lawn chair.  I do not
> > remember the outcome.
> >
> > Ron
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "rhendy" <rhendy@earthlink.net>
> > To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> > Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 6:48 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island
> >
> >
> > > Cluster Ballooning has never been done (outside) in Europe before, and
> as
> > > far as we can determine, it has never, ever been done by a woman,
> > anywhere.
> > > (The science advisor for the show, Graham Hoyland, built all of the
> > > challenges before the shows were done.  He built his cluster balloon,
> and
> > > flew it in a hangar in Manchester, England.)  You would be surprised
how
> > > much that amount of helium costs in Europe!  For that reason, it may
be
> a
> > > long, long time before anyone over there ever repeats the feat.
> > >
> > > Fair Winds,
> > >
> > > Bob Hendrickson
> > > S/V Getaway
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Steve Alm" <salm@mn.rr.com>
> > > To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> > > Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 3:04 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island
> > >
> > >
> > > > Bob,
> > > > What was the "thing" you did that was never done before?
> > > > Slim
> > > >
> > > > On 1/16/03 8:25 AM, "rhendy" <rhendy@earthlink.net> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Doc was the pilot because he actually owns a hovercraft and is the
> > only
> > > one
> > > > > of us who had ever driven one before.  He drove through the wrong
> gate
> > > > > because it was downhill from the starting box as opposed to the
red
> > gate
> > > > > which was slightly uphill.  He was hoping that the blues would
fail
> to
> > > > > arrive at all which would throw the race to us if we were the only
> > craft
> > > to
> > > > > complete the course.  What you never saw in the episode is that
the
> > red
> > > > > machine was the only one to complete the course at all prior to
the
> > > race.
> > > > > We were running our machine at about 30mph all around the beach,
but
> > > > > somewhere between the tinkering time and the race (about four
> hours),
> > > our
> > > > > machine lost its ability to move.  It is just one of life's little
> > > > > mysteries.
> > > > >
> > > > > Fair Winds,
> > > > >
> > > > > Bob Hendrickson
> > > > > S/V Getaway
> > > > >
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: "Steve Alm" <salm@mn.rr.com>
> > > > > To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> > > > > Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 3:08 AM
> > > > > Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Escape From Experimental Island
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >> Bob,
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Let me be the first to congratulate you on a job well done!  The
> red
> > > team
> > > > >> made all the right moves.  Frankly, I was embarrassed for the
blue
> > team
> > > > > with
> > > > >> all that arguing alpha-male crap.  I thought you had it all the
> > > > > way--better
> > > > >> hull design, winning the challenges, etc.  But why did Doc get to
> > > drive?
> > > > >> YOU'RE the pilot.  He even drove it through the wrong damn
gate!!!
> I
> > > > > think
> > > > >> we'd stand a better chance with you at the controls.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> You looked great on camera, Bob.  I think you should look into a
> > > possible
> > > > >> career in Hollywood.  Start with commercials and work your way
up.
> > :-)
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Slim
> > > > >>
> > > > >> _________________________________________________
> > > > >> Use Rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > > > >>
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > _________________________________________________
> > > > > Use Rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > > >
> > > > _________________________________________________
> > > > Use Rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > >
> > >
> > > _________________________________________________
> > > Use Rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> >
> > _________________________________________________
> > Use Rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
> _________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>