As the early morning sun started to rise above the multistory brick mills, Kathleen Metayer from Auburn methodically straightened the envelope of the hot air balloon Amazing Grace.

Her deft moves hinted at the years of experience with the fragile fabric.

Pilot Honi Glover needed to give only short directions, and soon the white dove on a blue background was taking flight toward the morning air.

With a couple of quick whooshes from the burner, the hot air balloon was lifting silently, with pilot and passengers on board.

One part of Metayer’s job was finished, while another more urgent task began.

“I love the thrill of the chase,” said Metayer, 43. “And only once have I lost a balloon, and it was for 45 minutes this year. I was starting to get worried, when I finally found her!”

Twenty-one years ago, Metayer was pregnant with her first son. The Great Falls Balloon Festival was in its first year, and she decided to see what it was all about.

That’s all it took.

“I used to play a game with my sons where we would try to guess where the balloons were going to land before they did,” Metayer said. “I love the family atmosphere and the looks on people’s faces when they land. That’s what its all about.” 

The first five years, she chased balloons, helped them deflate and packed them up. Then Steve Goodyear, a pilot, asked her why she wasn’t helping out in an official capacity.

She thought, “Why not?” and signed up to be a volunteer for the entire weekend.

That was 16 years ago.

Every Great Falls Balloon Festival, Metayer has patiently waited to see if her pilot would launch. It didn’t matter if the balloons went up or not. Metayer was there.

She has crewed a variety of balloons, from the large specialty balloons like Bud E. Beaver, to Captain Don Palen’s Sky Drifter.

“If I won the lottery tomorrow, first thing I would do is buy a balloon. No doubt about it,” Metayer said after a successful launch and chase of Glover’s balloon on Friday.

Along with the hard work has come some perks; Metayer has had the chance to fly in the crafts at least five times in the past 21 years. She has also been able to send her sons, Nelson and Aaron, up as well.

Along with memories of flying, Metayer also has memories of strange landing places.

There was the year Glover almost landed on Route 4 in Auburn.

And then there was the year Goodyear almost landed his balloon, Sky Dancer, on the turnpike.

“He landed it between the Sabattus rest stop and the turnpike,” Metayer said. “I had to hop a fence and wade through a marsh to retrieve him!”

Metayer has kept most of her crew shirts and will add another to the pile next year as well.

“I love seeing the same people year after year,” she said. “There is a camaraderie with the others in the love of the same sport.”

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