Fess up! Who was it? :biglaugh:
[excerpted from LA Times......]
More than 100,000 people have ascended skyward in Irvine's balloon ride to get expansive views of Orange County, take panoramic photographs and even make the occasional marriage proposal.
But imagine the shock the pilot of the Great Park balloon must have felt just before 9 p.m. Sunday when, while high above the ground, the gondola shook and a young man parachuted out.
The orange-hued helium balloon had ascended to a height of 330 feet when one of the 12 passengers climbed up and out of the netting enclosing the gondola, unfurled a hidden parachute, threw it in front of him and jumped out, said Irvine city spokesman Craig Reem.
After landing on the tarmac about 100 feet away from the tethered craft, the unidentified man picked up his parachute and ran off, jumping over a fence to where a driver in a white Toyota Supra waited with the engine running. The two sped off before authorities could catch them.
[excerpted from LA Times......]
More than 100,000 people have ascended skyward in Irvine's balloon ride to get expansive views of Orange County, take panoramic photographs and even make the occasional marriage proposal.
But imagine the shock the pilot of the Great Park balloon must have felt just before 9 p.m. Sunday when, while high above the ground, the gondola shook and a young man parachuted out.
The orange-hued helium balloon had ascended to a height of 330 feet when one of the 12 passengers climbed up and out of the netting enclosing the gondola, unfurled a hidden parachute, threw it in front of him and jumped out, said Irvine city spokesman Craig Reem.
After landing on the tarmac about 100 feet away from the tethered craft, the unidentified man picked up his parachute and ran off, jumping over a fence to where a driver in a white Toyota Supra waited with the engine running. The two sped off before authorities could catch them.
