This RE/MAX balloon is based in St. Louis, Missouri and has flown over the city of St. Louis and even inside Busch stadium where the Cardinals play.

Safety is the number one priority at our balloon events and every precaution is taken to make that no one gets hurt while having fun.

Four brave companions prepare to lift off. This is so much more fun than taking tests !

A steady stream of riders kept the balloon going up and down for over two hours.

These guys have worked hard and are ready to ride.

No ladders here, the kids have to climb up and into the basket while it is on the ground.

These teenagers won rides by helping the class raise money for Project Graduation.

The balloon rises to a height of about 100 feet before reaching the end of the ropes.

A hot air balloon is really c-o-o-l !

If the balloon were not secured by ropes at several points, it could easily lift a car off of the ground.

It takes a crew of four men about 30 minutes to inflate a balloon. They use a fan to fill it with cold air, then use the burners to set it upright.

Unlike an airplane, a hot air balloon has very limited steering ability. Pilots must go higher or lower to find winds that blow in a certain direction

The RE/MAX balloon last visited this area when it appeared in 2002 at the Hunting and Fishing days event held on the campus of John A Logan college.

At night, a hot air balloon actually glows when the flame shoots out of the burners. It is a very pretty sight indeed.

The Carterville Fire Department displayed some of its new high tech rescue equipment and showed the kids how to safely remove an injured person.

Hot air balloons can rise to heights of over 30,000 feet, but at that altitude you would need bottled oxygen and you would be very cold.

The back lot at the Tri C school was a perfect place to host the event. Plenty of space and solid concrete pillars to tie the balloon down.

We hope these guys are not acrophobic. Do you know what that means ?

The ropes that keep the balloon in place may look like cloth, but they aren't. They are made of a special material that is stronger than steel.

The balloon uses propane as fuel. It is very similar to the gas used in backyard BBQ grills or to heat your home

RE/MAX has balloons stationed all around the world. There are currently 92 balloons in the corporate fleet.

The pilot fires off a burst of flame from the burners and the balloon rises. Do you know why ?

The balloon basket is called a gondola and is made of wicker because it is very strong and lightweight.

A special thanks to Dr. Harris and Mr. Clark for helping to keep everything running smoothly.

At seven stories tall, the RE/MAX balloon can hold about 52,000 cubic feet of hot air.