Flights of Fancy

Lawn Chair Balloonist, originally uploaded by Raford2.

I have always been fascinated by Larry Walters. Perhaps someday, I too will strap some balloons to a lawn chair.

BEND -- It's hard to keep Kent Couch down, especially when he's sitting in a recliner tethered to 160 helium balloons.

On Saturday, Couch will try again to fly about 300 miles from Bend to Boise in a lawn chair held aloft by a 6-foot wide bouquet of balloons.

On his second attempt a year ago, Couch, 48, made it as far as Union County in northeastern Oregon, about 193 miles from Bend, before bringing an end to his flight.