CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE

Check out this editorial about my uncle's recent Twente Balloon Festival in Hengelo, The Netherlands. Its all in dutch, but you'll be able to see some cool photos from the festival. GO TO www.hotair.nl also check out www.rienjurg.nl

Mexican Countryside

Flying across the Guanajuato countryside early in the morning. (November 2004 in Mexico) Guanajuato Mexico is one of my favorite cities in the world. Founded in the 1500's by the Spanish.

Lots and Lots and...

Lots of Tequila in New Mexico 1999!!!!

Uncle Rien in Flight

While flying over the Dutch countryside and looking below, my uncle Rien pilots his hot air balloon. www.rienjurg.nl

BEER BALLOON

In the summer of 1990 ... my old swimming friend Rodney Hackett and I travelled over to Holland with our bikes and shoes. We spent the summer hanging out with my Oma, cousins and family. We also helped my uncle as balloon crew. At the end of the trip..my uncle took my friend and I up for five flights in five days. Truely one of the best summers ever. This is picture taken by my Oma of me and Rodney up in the balloon.

Gorden Bennett Helium Balloon Race

My father and his younger brother Rien Jurg in Albquerque, New Mexico for the International Gorden Bennett Helium Balloon Race. This is moments before my uncle takes off in his FESTO Helium Balloon for next 5 plus days to hopefully win the competition with 20 plus other balloons from all over the world. I believe he and his co-pilot placed 2nd or 3rd in the 1999.

Up Up and Away

My brother taking off in 1995 from Hengelo, The Netherlands.

My Brother's First Flight - 1995

My brother's very first balloon flight with my uncle Rien as pilot in the Alfa Romeo Hot Air Balloon. (Summer 1995)

My Uncle's Yellow Pages Balloon

My uncle Rien's Yellow Pages Balloon. It was my uncle's very first corporately sponsored hot air balloon. Some of my earliest childhood drawings were of this balloon. It was also the balloon that I did my very first balloon flight in with my Opa, Father, Uncle and I.

FROM DOWN UNDER

A look at the upside down FESTO balloon from down under while we were at the Albuquerque Balloon Feista 1999. Look at all of the other hot air balloons in the sky. In 1999 they had 1000 balloon participating in the festival. Largest and most photographed event in the world.

RUSS on a BOAT

In Northern Quebec...the FESTO balloon team and I went on a 6 hour boat voyage in July 2004

My Last Night in Guanajuato 2003

The evening before David, Chuck and I headed back by truck to Austin Texas in 2003. Our Mexican friends had a lil get together. TOP ROW: Dante, Norma, ME, Javier, Joyce, David. BOTTOM ROW: Paloma, Patty and Chep. Without any of these people...things would have been alot tougher for me to get my pilots licience in 2003. THANK YOU !!!! We are all friends for life !!!

PACKING UP the BALLOON

After my solo flight in Mexico David, Dante and I began packing the basket and balloon into Javier's pickup truck. (December 2003)

The Children of Mexico

When we landed in the Mexican countryside...all of these kids came to help us pack the balloon. All of the children were amazed by the hot air nalloon landing in the field next to their country school. (December 2003)

My Fellow Balloonists in Mexico

After one of our many flights in 2003 down in Guanajuato, Mexico I took this picture of my ballooning friends. Without them it would have made it alot harder for me to get my pilots licience. Thank you!!! Top: Dante, David, Javier; Bottom: Patty and Chuck

My Examiner, Instructor and Fellow Pilot

After the Leon, Mexico balloon festival, every pilot travelled from Leon to Guanajuato to celebrate a successful balloon festival in 2003. This picture is of my FAA Pilot Examiner and President of the Balloon Federation of America Phip Bryant, my flight instructor and long time friend David Smuck and my fellow pilot and friend Chuck Berry.

REMAKE of the ORIGINAL

This is a picture I took while in New Mexico for the 1999 balloon fiesta. This is a replica of the first original hot air balloon that took off from Paris, France. Obviously this balloon has all of the modern equipement and material...but the colors and design is the same.

NORTHERN QUEBEC 2004

Inbetween balloon flights the Dutch FESTO balloon team and I went on a little adventure. (July 2004)

Tequila Anyone???

Took this at the Albuqerque, New Mexico Balloon Fiesta in 1999. 1000 awesome balloons in the sky. UNREAL !!!

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 1999

My father and I headed down to New Mexico to see my uncle's FESTO BALLOON TEAMS fly in the festival with 1000 other balloons. It was the same week that my uncle competed in the Helium Balloon Race called the Gorden Bennett Race with his FESTO Helium Balloon. (October 1999)

After My Solo Flight in Guanajuato 2003

After my first solo flight in Guanajuato Mexico. David, Dante and I are in the middle of loading the basket and balloon into Javier's pickup truck. (November 2003)

My Flight Instructor DAVID SMUCK

I took this picture of my flight instructor and very good friend David Smuck while we were in the air ballooning down in Guanajuato, Mexico. (November 2003) Without David's help I probably would still working on getting my pilots licience. David made my childhood dream come true. THANKS DAVE !!!!

BUDS 2004

While in Austin, Texas, my old Nashville roomate and friend Tanner M. Lawley came down from his home in Dallas, Texas to see me before David Smuck and I headed down to Guanajuato Mexico for our balloon adventure in November 2004.

Pena de Bernal Adventure Trip 2003

This picture of David and I was taking from other balloon. In the distance you'll be able to see the Coppel Balloon. This was one of my favorite flight ever. December 2003

Javier's Balloon Zorro - 2004

This is the balloon that I did my first solo flight in.

JURG BALLOON - 1985

MY FIRST HOT AIR BALLOON FLIGHT EVER !!! While in Holland in 1985....my Opa(Grandfather), my uncle Rien as the pilot, my father and I went up in my uncle's Yellow Pages Balloon. It was my very first hot air balloon flight ever. I can still remember everything as if it was yesterday.

Sunrise Flight

A morning balloon flight in Guanajuato, Mexico 2004

PILOT RUSSELL JURG

Canadian Pilot Russell Jurg in Guanajuato, Mexico. This picture was taken right after my very 1st solo flight. After my solo flight i had a huge smile on my face all day long. It had to be one of the most amazing experiences of my life. When i was up there by myself, everything was soooooooo surreal. I seriously thought i was dreaming. I will never forget that first time.

1st Inflation of Pilot Training 2003

Thanks to David Smuck and his company AUSTIN AERONAUTS I was able to achieve my childhood dream of becoming a hot air balloon pilot in 2003. Thank you Dave for everything. Go to www.austinaeronauts.com if you're in the Austin Texas area and would like to catch a flight or even become a pilot as well.

NEVER FORGET

Nation Remembers Victims of 9/11 Attacks
Sunday September 11, 2005 3:31 PM

I CAN'T BELIEVE ITS BEEN 4 YEARS ALREADY SINCE THAT HORRIBLE DAY. GOD BLESS EVERYONE WHO DIED 4 YEARS AGO TODAY.

Balloon Siloettes

Took this in Guanajuato, Mexico November 2004

INSIDE the UPSIDE DOWN BALLOON

This what it looks like inside of the upside down hot air balloon. You'll notice that you cant see anything all of the way around the basket.

Wave Good Bye

My good friend and flight instructor David Smuck waving a send off to the passengers in the British balloon during the balloon festival in Guanajuato last year.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but
I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination."

Jimmy Dean

SKY HIGH

With this shot you can get an idea of what its like to be up in the air with several other balloons. If you look closely you'll be able to see the McDonald's Balloon. 2nd one on the left. This picture was taken in Leon, Mexico.

Pre Flight Check 2

Before one of my morning flights in Mexico I had to untangle my redline. The redline control the parachute at the top of the balloon to release hot air from the balloon to make a desent and possible landing.

Getting Ready for Flight

This was me getting ready for one of my morning training flight down in Guanajuato, Mexico. I took two of my Mexican friends Javier and Paloma up with me and my flight instructor/friend David.

SKIMMING THE WATER

Its common during flights for a balloon pilot to skim across the water and hydroplane with the wind blowing the balloon basket softly across the water. This is a picture that I took while in Leon Mexico last year.

A PANDA BEAR IN MEXICO???

Believe it or not...there was a PANDA BEAR in Mexico last year!!! lol ... verrrry coool balloon !!!

Attack of the BIG BEE

LOOK AT ALL OF THE PEOPLE with a HUGE BEE FLYING OVERHEAD in LEON MEXICO 2004. HOPEFULLY NO ONE GETS STUNG!!!!

McDonald's President and Family

This is a picture of McDonald's Mexico Regional President and Owner Oscar Munoz Paz and his family getting ready to take off for their 1st flight in the McDonald's Hot Air Balloon during the Leon, Mexico Balloon Festival last year in 2004. Mr. and Mrs. Paz and their two boys had a perfect flight which lasted almost 2 hours, if not longer then 2 hours. It became a true Indiana Jones Adventure. One that Im sure they will remember for years to come.

Bubbles of Balloons

Several balloon preparing to take off during the Leon Mexico balloon festival in 2004. The orange balloon is the Home Depot Balloon. Over 20,000 people were there to see the balloons every morning. Not to mention all of the people in the streets throughout the city of Leon.