Time Warner news report from rr.com reprinted in its entirety:
Man flying lawn chair lifted by helium balloons
Published - Jul 05 2008 11:57AM EDT | AP
A man has taken flight in a lawn chair hoisted by more than 150 large helium-filled party balloons in a bid to ride the wind from the central Oregon town of Bend all the way to Idaho.
Kent Couch was wearing a parachute Saturday morning as he kissed his wife and kids goodbye, patted his dog and took off at sunrise from his gas station.
This is Couch's third lawn chair flight in as many years.
He hopes to do better than last year, when he flew 193 miles before running low on helium and had to land in the sagebrush of northeastern Oregon.
Marianne's News report:
One day while sitting upon his lawn chair
Kent Couch though to himself, "I think I'll take to the air!"
Although I'm not sure where I'll go,
I think I'll head straight for Idaho.
SO he got him some balloons and a tank full of helium gas,
as he thought to himself "No need to get off my ass,
I'll sit in this chair for my entire flight
and hope that my landing occurs before night."
SO he got him some rope and he got him some twine.
Mr. Couch's plan was coming along just fine.
So he loaded the cooler with a case of "Bud Lite,
and made sure his lawn chair was balanced just right.
The balloons he inflated, were 150 strong
and he knew as he tied them is wouldn't be long.
before he'd be flying without a single care...
Up in the sky with nothing but a cooler and his favorite lawn chair.
Then Kent quickly strapped on a parachute
and patted the family dog on the snoot...
Kissed his kids and his wife for one last time
Saying "Don't worry Hon, I'll be just fine."
Slowly Kent and his chair lifted off from the gas station
The neighbors were astonished by his increasing elevation.
You could hear them exclaim, "He's crazy!" " He's lost it" and "He's just plain nuts!"
And of course, "You wouldn't catch us risking OUR BUTTS!"
Then as Kent Couch and his lawn chair floated away...
His overly accommodating wife was reported to say,
"Darling, I'll miss you until you get home
but from now on I insist you leave the patio furniture alone!"