Thanks Lizardgirl.
The latest pics are UP from the Minneapolis event:
[url]http://www.clusterballoon.com/UP/East_Coast_Tour/Minneapolis[/url]
AND a really great video clip: (please excuse the short advertisement at the beginining).
[url]http://tinyurl.com/cceyjl[/url] Make sure you click on the Full Screen button for total viewing pleasure.
I’m in that video a couple times. I am one of the people helping bring T.C. up in the air and am also found on the ground as the camera goes up. Oh, and the ‘Pixarians-To-Be’ mentioned on top of the Minneapolis page there is me and my friends. 
The Pixar/Disney UP Cluster Balloon is scheduled to be on Regis and Kelly Live today. Check your local listings set your recorder.
[url]http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/regisandkelly/local_listings.html[/url]
EDIT: Kelly was scheduled to go UP but the winds were too high for safety so the event was cancelled. I do know if they will try again tomorrow.
Oh, it looks fun! Although, for some reason, I feel like the kids who went “Up” wasn’t as amused as the adults. Heh. 
Would like to go up… is it exclusively pre-release, or is it going around after the movie release for promotion?
Right now the tour schedule ends in NY and LA on release day. There are no other appearances advertised after that.
I needed to go to a news site for something totally not Pixar-related, and check out what was on the front page of news.com (which redirects to news.cnet.com), probably one of the biggest news websites on the 'net. Here’s a screenshot just in case you missed it…
Which then links to this page. Pretty good exposure! And it seems as if the team made its way to Pixar Animation Studios at the outside atrium, too! Were you at either of those events, AirRageous?
rachelcakes, you beat me to the Cnet story. I just signed on to post it but you already had it UP on the forum. This is the best story yet on the tour. Great pics and captions. It is very informative.
No, I was not there. I will only be with the tour at Phoenix and San Diego. I do have a “real job” as the Safety Director for a trucking company and my boss will only let me escape and go “UP!” for one week. For some strange reason only understood by the upper crust of corporate America, he thinks I have to actually show up at work to earn my salary. Some managers just don’t understand the need of people like us to cut the ties to their mundane lives and have an adventure once in awhile. Hmmmm? Sounds like a good movie idea … “Hey, wait up Karl … I’m coming with you!!!”
Well darmit, back to the salt mines, Don
Hey AirRageous,
Okay, one, I would like to get this off my chest… I feel that in my first few posts to this board I was a snobbish about this event… Like I wanted to be “Hey! Look at me!” And which I didn’t mean it to be that way, but the more I think of it, the more I feel it does. D: So, yeah… 
And dos: I was looking on the Cluster site and noticed that the places that have dates for the West Coast tour seem to have not been hit yet. When I click on the places many of them say “We are finalizing…” but nothing about the Go/No Go status. This only worries me because I’m in one of the towns they are supposed to be coming too…
Do you know of any delays or such that would cause a lack of updates?
And rachelcakes, nice find. 
thewisecookiesheet,
I’m not quite sure I understand your last post. Do you mean that you came off with a snobbish attitude or me? I have re-read your posts and I don’t see where you were snobbish at all. So…??? I’ll send you a PM and let’s visit privately. I’m sure there is a misunderstanding here somewhere.
I am thrilled that I have been able to be involved in this project in at least a small way. I am also thrilled about my hobby of ballooning and very thankful that I have been able to do it. And if you ever have the chance to meet me, you will quickly learn that one of my greatest joys is sharing ballooning with others. I first got involved when someone gave me my first balloon ride for free back in 1985. Since I got my own balloon in 1989, I have taken over 3000 people up in balloons and a vast majority of them flew for nothing except for some help on the crew and a thank you.
I found this forum while searching coverage of the UP Cluster tour. And then I was surprized that it was not already being discussed here. There seems to be a lot of folks who would be interested in the tour here so I joined and posted the info.
( And dos) The West Coast Tour is alive and well. They have made each of their scheduled stops to date and, in fact, are making an unscheduled appearance at Disney’s Burbank studios tomorrow morning (Wed, May 13) to fly the Cluster. Unfortunately, they have not been updating the site as the East Coast Tour have been. It has been very frustraiting for me as I am would like to vicariously keep up with what is happening. A crew member has posted a video of their latest appearance in Sacremento:
[url]UP Cluster Balloon in Sacramento - YouTube
I have been in email contact with the west tour and they apologize about the lack of updates but claim that the east tour guys must not be working as hard as they are and have more free time on their hands. Some professional rivalry there maybe?
Hey Air (do you mind that?),
No, I felt like I came off snobbish. Oh no, not you at all! You seem really cool, and you are.
Oh, and thank you soo much about the information on the West Coast tour, I was getting really worried there.
Competition, between the two groups? How strange…
Thanks mucha for the information though!
You can call me Air or Rageous or Don or anything you want except late for lunch … (old joke, sorry).
I have emailed the west coast tour operators and asked them to contact you. I hope they get back to you and you can come out and crew for them. Good Luck, Don
thewisecookiesheet: I got to help out the East Coast tour group in Minneapolis. Great bunch of people. Jonathan is one of the coolest guys I’ve met. I hope you get to help out!
Hannah: Thanks! Hey, did you know where to meet, or did you just meet downtown in Minneapolis? I’m trying to guess where to go. x)
Air: Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you
thewisecookiesheet: I was told where to go via an email from the cluster crew. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known where they were at. You can read my report on it so you can see what all goes into the event: pixarplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4782
Hannah: Thanks so much for your help. I’m searching for possible indoor and outdoor places that the cluster could possibly be held. x)
It seems like an amazing experience… your article makes me want to go even more than before!
That is pretty awesome that you were able to get to go up in the chair.
No problem. Although I just realized that I said I helped with the West coast tour when I meant East coast tour, so I don’t know how the West coast crew is like. I’d definitely try contacting them again though so you can get all the information you’ll need.
It’s fine. I’d figure the East Coast is doing about the same thing the West Coast is, so crosses fingers
I’m going to wait another hour for an email, and if they haven’t replied yet, Don emailed them earlier today and copied me on it, so I’ll just personally email them.
crosses fingers
Yay! I finally got my email.
Friday morning.
Thanks Don and Hannah
Edited. I combined both of your posts. – Mitch
Awesome! Have fun! And just keep in mind that it is a lot of work so be prepared!
That’s cool! I will be meeting them at the next stop in Phoenix and will ask for a full report on you… so have fun!!!
Wear comfortable but sturdy shoes and take gloves. You will be walking a lot and handling ropes and thin cords. Also the helium is cold as it comes out of the tank and you could freeze your hands.
And one more thing. Never, ever breathe in the helium and talk like Mickey Mouse. Nooooo … I would never do that myself … 
I like to sing “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” from Wizard of Oz instead. That’s lots more funner 
(edit) I just found out that the Lead Pilot for the Dallas event will be Beth Wright-Smith. You will really enjoy working with her. She is a distant relative of the Wright Brothers and one of the world’s more accomplished balloonists. Besides owning a pilot training school, she is the lead pilot for Wells Fargo Bank and flys their Stagecoach special shape balloon [url]http://www.newmexicophotos.com/galleries/wells-fargo-balloon.htm[/url]
I hope you get some time to visit with Beth. She is a great role model for young women. Tell her Don says Hi.
Gloves? Check. Band is good for somethin’
Shoes? Going tonight to get some… I only own flip-flops x)
Invitation? Check.
Breathe in Helium and sing ‘Ding Dong the Witch is Dead’? Will do. I’ve also have to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ for one of my friends. She won’t be there, but I’ll tape it for her.
makin’ mental notes here