Started ballooning in 1993. Obtained my commercial license in 1997. I was laid off my

“real job” and created Up & Away Ballooning, Inc. in 1999 from scratch. This was/is a commercial ballooning operation providing site seeing tours in the Sonoma County, CA area. We started with two balloons, one that could carry two riders and a six passenger. Added another six-person balloon, then an eight passenger and finally a balloon that could carry 14.

 In 2010, we swapped one of the six person baskets, to a wheelchair accessible basket, the only one of its kind in the country.

 In 2015, I sold the business to Calistoga Balloon Adventures, but the operation remained Up & Away. My wife and I moved to OR, but returned to Sonoma County in 2019.

2019-2024 flew for Up & Away Ballooning.

As of this date, I have 3125 hours in hot air balloons with a perfect safety record. I have flown in all the western U.S. states and New Zealand.