So somebody talked you into it. Good. Every balloon in the sky has three to six people on the ground who made it possible, and most of them started exactly where you are: somebody's friend, standing in a field in the dark, holding a cup of coffee and wondering what they're supposed to do with their hands.

Here's what you need to know before your first morning. Read it the night before. Then forget half of it, because the crew chief will tell you again at the field. That's what crew chiefs are for.

1. The Night Before

2. Your First Morning: Five Jobs

At the launch site the crew chief will put you somewhere. Here's what each job is, so you know what you're being handed.

Unloading. The basket, burner, fuel tanks, fan and the envelope in its bag all come off the trailer. The basket is heavy and awkward. Two people at least, lift with your legs, and say "ready, lift" out loud so nobody's surprised.

Layout. The envelope comes out of its bag and gets pulled out long across the ground, downwind of the basket, and then spread so the fabric isn't twisted. Walk around it, never across it. That fabric is the most expensive thing on the field and it doesn't like shoes.

The mouth. During cold inflation, the fan blows outside air into the envelope. Two people stand on either side of the mouth, the opening at the bottom, and hold it up and open so the air goes in. You'll feel the whole envelope pull and breathe. Stay to the side, away from the fan blades, and when the pilot is about to light the burner, he'll tell you. Listen for it.

The crown line. A long rope tied to the very top of the envelope. One person (two, if it's windy) holds it out at the far end while the envelope fills, so the top doesn't roll around. When the pilot fires the burner and the balloon starts to stand up, you lean back and let the line slide through your gloves, slow and steady, so the top comes up gently instead of all at once. This is the best job on the crew, and the one I give to people I trust.

Hands on. Once the balloon is upright, everybody who isn't busy puts their hands on the edge of the basket and keeps it on the ground while the pilot gets ready. When the pilot says "hands off," you let go and step back. Not before, and not after.

3. The Rules I Will Not Bend

4. Riding in the Chase Truck

Once the balloon is up, we pack the fan and the bag fast and pile into the chase truck. If you're in the truck, you have one job unless I give you another: watch the balloon. Point and say where it is when it goes behind something. Call out power lines you see ahead of it. Keep your hands off the radio unless you're the one I've handed it to; one voice from the truck is plenty.

And be patient. Sometimes we sit by the side of the road for twenty minutes while the balloon hangs in the air, deciding. Sometimes we drive the long way around a ditch three times. That's the chase. Bring a snack.

5. Landing and Packing Up

• When we get to the landing site, wait for instructions. Don't run under the balloon.
• When the pilot asks for hands, take hold of the basket edge and help keep it from dragging. Don't grab the envelope or the cables above the basket.
• When the pilot opens the top, the envelope lies down on its side. Then we all walk along it from the top, pressing the air out toward the mouth, gently. It's a lot like getting the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube.
• We fold it long and skinny and feed it into its bag. Your crew chief will show you how. Ours goes in a certain way and comes out the same way next time.
• Pick up everything. Walk the field before you leave. Footprints only.
• Close the gate if it was closed. Leave it open if it was open.

6. Five Words to Know by Saturday

7. How to Get Invited Back

Show up on time. Wear your gloves. Do what you're asked the first time. Help pack, every time, even the morning you're tired. Thank the landowner. Ask your questions on the drive to breakfast, when everybody has time to answer. And come back next weekend.

Do that for a season and you're crew. Do it for six years and you're me, with a clipboard and no sleep in October, and glad of it.