GAS BALLOON PILOT TROY BRADLEY AND HIS RUSSIAN CO-PILOT ARE ON COURSE TO REACH THE U-S FROM JAPAN BY THE END OF THIS WEEK. IN FACT, SPOKESPERSON KIM VESELY SAYS THAT AT 10:15 MONDAY NIGHT … THE TWO EAGLES BALLOON HAD CROSSED THE ANTI-MERIDIAN … ALSO KNOWN AS THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE. SHE SAYS THAT MEANS IT'S NOW TUESDAY AGAIN FOR THEM.
THEY'RE TRYING TO SET A NEW DISTANCE AND DURATION RECORD FOR A GAS BALLOON. VESELY TELLS US THE DISTANCE RECORD COULD BE SET SIMPLY BY CROSSING THE COASTLINE.
IF THEY TRACK NORTH INTO THE WASHINGTON-OREGON AREA THEY'LL NEED TO FLY INLAND IN ORDER TO BREAK THE CURRENT DISTANCE RECORD. THE MISSION LAUNCHED FROM JAPAN OVER THE WEEKEND.
