GAZETTE & HERALD: Explorer David Hempleman-Adams will fly to New York tomorrow to prepare for his latest world record attempt.
The balloon enthusiast, aged 46, will be trying to break the world altitude record in a traditional open wicker basket, set by Swede Per Axel Lindstrand in November 1996.
He will be flying from New York to Denver on Monday to prepare for take off in Greeley on Wednesday.
Mr Hempleman-Adams will be travelling in the Roziere balloon, which took him across the Atlantic last September.
The challenge will see him attempting to reach 36,000 feet, which is 7,000 feet higher than Everest. "It is the height airliners fly at. I will be breathing oxygen so I just hope that does not play up and hope the jet airliners miss me," Mr Hempleman-Adams joked.
The balloon's burners are also being specially adapted to deal with the sub-zero temperatures.
The challenge will take around four hours to complete and a team of experts will be keeping in contact with Mr Hempleman-Adams while he is in the balloon.
The beer-loving explorer has been trying to lose weight to allow the balloon to fly higher but he has found it one of his toughest challenges yet.
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