This man has now gained my ultimate and unending respect. These are the kind of things you see in Saturday morning cartoons and never expect anyone to actually try.
It seems like a great story idea if you’re reaching for one. A man ties a bunch of balloons to his lawnchair. He’s got a water ballast system, and a BB gun to shoot the balloons down and descend. Start with that. Now expand.
Where does he end up?
What if he drops the gun and can’t land?
What if the water bags burst and he goes too high? Modern-day Icarus?
What if he landed in some Lost World scenario, or hit a wormhole at 5,000 feet and ended up descending into a parallel Earth where balloon travel is the norm?
And people ask where speculative writers get their ideas. (By the way, if anyone reads this, tries it, and gets hurt, I hereby absolve myself of all liability.)
I see that smile.
I say we do it! It can’t be that difficult to set up, right?
Wouldn’t this be a great trip for Outdoor Bound? I think people would sign up for it in droves.