Page 26 April 2015 PHOTO BY MALLORY GLEICH Fly and dine: Not your average balloon ride By Mallory Gleich Olivia Laux never dreamed that she would one day co-own an air balloon touring company. A graduate of Arizona State University, Laux was working as a metallurgical engineer in Globe when her growing relationship with Matt Cooley blossomed into something bigger. Much, much bigger. Cooley was born in Lincoln, Nebraska and knew from the get-go that he was destined for something amazing. Laux, a local, grew up in Apache Junction and was studying chemical engineering when the two met in 2006. “I moved to Tempe on a whim and met Olivia through a couch surfing website,” said Cooley. “I typed ‘outer space’ into the search bar and her name came up.” Laux was a member of a star gazing group, and the two hit it off right away. “Her entire profile was hilarious. She had turned six or so really generic required questions into an opportunity to express her big personal whimsy,” said Cooley. Within days, Laux and Cooley realized they lived just blocks from each other. They soon started hanging out, attending barbecues and going on hikes together. Cooley was on the road again a few months later, this time ending up in Oregon, where he stayed for three years. Laux and Cooley The dining portion of the ride includes food and drinks from local purveyors. kept in touch and got together when Cooley was in town to visit. He ended up working for an ice cream shop, which he says gave him inspiration for what he does now. The idea for Laux and Cooley’s company, Float Balloon Tours, started with a balloon ride in 2008. “I couldn’t take my eyes off of the pilot’s hands, counting the seconds between burns and what the balloon did,” said Cooley. “I was totally taken by the experience, and I knew ballooning would surface in my life again, I just didn’t know when or how.” After living in Portland for a few years, Cooley ended up in Fairbanks, Alaska. He and Laux continued their courtship over the phone, which was when the concept for the balloon company started to take shape. “The idea of starting a balloon ride company had been presented, but we just couldn’t figure out how to bring creativity and innovation to something that has been done in the same way for centuries,” said Laux. The two spent days and nights figuring out how each element of the balloon ride experience could be improved. They wanted everything to be perfect. Cooley and Laux said they worked with professionals in other fields – such as chefs, florists and cocktail makers – to “explore ways that we could do their craft justice in our field.” From those explorations came L

Page 27 April 2015 Float Balloon Tours. “We’re sharing a part of Arizona that many, including locals, never get to see, so we wanted to bring a small part of everything we love about Phoenix into it,” said Laux and Cooley. Float Balloon Tours provides sunrise and sunset rides. After the ride, travelers enjoy a gourmet meal from local chefs: Pizzeria Bianco, Cartel Coffee Lab, and Arizona Hops and Vines, to name a few. Watching the balloon set-up is an experience in itself, but views of the Bradshaw Mountains, Lake Pleasant and the Sonoran Desert make Float Balloon Tours something guests will never forget, which is exactly what Cooley and Laux wanted. “We’re having so much fun,” said Laux. — For more information about Float Balloon Tours, visit floatballontours.com Laux and Cooley came up with their business idea after a balloon ride together. PHOTO BY TYLER MEESTER BILTMORE FASHION PARK | 602.774.3488 SCOTTSDALE QUARTER | 480.265.4500 TRUEFOODKITCHEN.COM CRAVE IN GOOD CONSCIENCE TFK_PHX_Arcadia News_LettuceWraps_10.25x6.indd 1 3/11/15 2:07 PM