Bubbles Beard is afraid of heights. But she conquered that fear to learn to fly balloons 15 years ago, and now the Baton Rouge resident is retiring from the sport that’s taken her to competitions across the country.

Her ballooning career has come full circle. Her first competition was in Natchez, and she’s making her last here, as well.

&uot;You just have to know when to say when,&uot; Beard said.

&uot;My husband and I think it’s time to find other interests.&uot;

Bob and Bubbles &045;&045; her nickname since she was a baby &045;&045; will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next month. They plan to spend time with their children, grandchildren and yes, even great-grandchildren.

Beard, whose given name is Rose &045;&045; an emblem now on the very top of her balloon &045;&045; started piloting when she was 55, an age when some people are looking to slow down.

&uot;My mom has the mindset that you only live once,&uot; daughter Renee Beard said.

But it’s a mindset Bubbles Beard learned through some painful experiences.

Outfield Angel

Beard enjoyed watching balloon competitions with her youngest sister, Juanita, when the U.S. Nationals were held in Baton Rouge.

&uot;She loved the balloons,&uot; Beard said of her sister.

But in 1990, Juanita was murdered and Beard, devastated, was hit with this thought: &uot;If you want to do something, do it now &045;&045; you don’t know if you’ll be here tomorrow.&uot;

That’s when she decided to become a balloon pilot.

Now every flight is in her sister’s memory, and Beard knows she is flying with &uot;angels&uot; each time she lifts off. Ballooning helped get her through another tough time when her oldest son died.

&uot;I still fly with all of my angels,&uot; she said.

The name of Beard’s current balloon, Outfield Angel, is a tribute to those angels &045;&045; and to her love for baseball, specifically LSU baseball.

Ballooning is a family affair for Beard. Her &uot;crew chief for life&uot; is husband Bob, who bought her first balloon for her as a surprise.

She’s flown all of her grandchildren, and family members often help crew with her. But the &uot;family&uot; also extends to friends who crew both in Baton Rouge and at festivals around the country as well as to fellow pilots. The Beards have attended about 15 festivals per year.

&uot;Everybody watches out for me,&uot; she said.

Willie and Linda Loyed of Ferriday, La., have been helping Beard at the Natchez race for the past eight years.

&uot;We just won’t crew for anybody else,&uot; Willie said.

So the Loyeds are retiring from ballooning this year, too.

&uot;She’s just a beautiful lady,&uot; Linda said.

In flight

From liftoff to landing, Beard is in control of her craft. With an often large and experienced crew led by Bob, she doesn’t have to do much of the preparation it takes to get the balloon ready for takeoff.

But Beard does mentally prepare herself for the flight, walking all the way around the envelope &045;&045; by then cold-inflated with a fan &045;&045; as she gathers her thoughts and decides who will fly with her that day.

And a flight with Beard &045;&045; &uot;Miss Bubbles&uot; as some crewmembers call her &045;&045; is both a privilege and a treat.

After a quick admonition to look out for power lines, she tells passengers to enjoy the flight &045;&045; not a hard task. On Saturday morning, Beard lifted off from behind Copiah-Lincoln Community College into a clear blue sky and calm winds.

She dipped close to the ground to toss her beanbag at a target behind Margaret Martin School for the competition, then set off for the airport, flying over downtown Natchez and beside the river.

Calm and in control, Beard rotates passengers in the basket so that she’s always in front.

&uot;I enjoy the flight, too,&uot; she said. &uot;I have the best seat.&uot;

But piloting takes great concentration &045;&045; knowing which way and how fast the wind blows at which altitude and just where to touch down for a safe landing.

That’s part of why Beard lets her crew do the work before and after the flight.

&uot;I tell them it’s hard work flying a balloon,&uot; she said. &uot;You have to concentrate while you’re up there.&uot;

Conquering fear

The highest Beard has flown is 17,126 feet. How can she stand that if she’s afraid of heights?

&uot;It’s peaceful for me,&uot; she said.

The first time Beard got into a balloon, she was 25 feet off the ground before she realized it was moving.

&uot;I’m going with the wind, so I feel no motion,&uot; she said.

And along with that wind, it’s a deep faith that sustains her.

&uot;I’m in control,&uot; she said of ballooning. &uot;But I know God’s going to look over me.&uot;