Photograph courtesy of Jacob Blickenstaff
It’s a surefire bet one balloon will stand ears above the rest at the annual Great Forest Park Balloon Race, September 19. At a whopping 166 feet—taller than the Statue of Liberty—the hot-pink Energizer Bunny Hot “Hare” Balloon, celebrating its 20th birthday this year, rises to the occasion with size 98 EEEEE flip-flops, 32-foot sunglasses, and a drum as big as most other balloons. Flying the contraption is 59-year-old Glo Kehoe, who leads the only all-female corporate balloon team in the country. Since 1978, she’s clocked more than 2,300 flight hours in vessels shaped like a beer bottle, watch, piggy bank, popcorn bag… Naturally, though, the Energizer Bunny stands out in her mind.
In Her Words…
- When I first saw the balloon, I thought, “Oh my goodness. Where am I going to land this?”
- Because it’s so tall, with different wind directions at various altitudes, the wind can be blowing a different direction at the ears than at the basket.
- You’re going the same speed as the wind, so you don’t feel a breeze.
- It’s about as close as you can come to flying like a bird. You’re hanging there, and the world is just revolving below you. It’s so peaceful.
- If it’s hotter outside, then you’ll have to burn more often than if it’s colder. You have to overcome the outside temperature by about 100 degrees.
- We truly have to watch Mother Nature. She kind of controls our flight.
- I’ve flown all over the world. While in Australia recently, the balloon got speared by an aborigine. I think he was disappointed because he thought it was just going to pop.
- It’s a pretty tough lifestyle. We’re on the road April through October… In a way, I’m a truck driver who gets to fly balloons on the weekend.
- I’ve had some incredible experiences. In France, I flew the author of Cheaper by the Dozen. While piloting the Shamu balloon, I flew a little boy who loved whales for Give Kids the World, a program like Make-A-Wish. That one I’ll never forget.
- Sometimes I feel like the Pied Piper. I’ll be flying along and look down, and there will be this trail of cars following me.
- It’s amazing how many people are nicknamed after the Energizer Bunny.
180,000
Cubic feet of the balloon’s volume. That’s enough room to house 550 million AA Energizer batteries—and power a TV remote for everyone in the United States.
