Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on this weekend's "Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic," which is filling the skies over Idaho's capital city each morning with colorful hot-air balloons. The allure of hot-air ballooning: “It's calm and exhilarating and serene, all at the same time,” says hot-air balloon pilot Val Favicchio of Coeur d'Alene.