Who would have thought that a little ad in the Thrifty Nickel offering balloon rides in exchange for crew help in 1989 would lead to 15 consecutive years of ballooning for Anthony Sandlin?

Over the years, Tony has crewed for several different balloon pilots.  He bought a balloon from the first pilot he crewed for, but sold it a year later.  With two small children, time was a scarce commodity. 

As toddlers, Tony's two boys "played balloon" by holding a sheet in front of a fan as if to inflate a balloon.  The boys (now 17 and 14) are active in ballooning and join their father at the many balloon festivals held throughout the year.