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The heartbeat of Minnesota comes from the passion of its citizens. For some, it's politics, or sports. Their passion often leads to fame. But each day, thousands of Minnesotans direct their passion -- their enthusiasm -- into everyday pursuits, far from the glare of the media. During the summer of 2003, Minnesota Public Radio producers and reporters are documenting these pursuits in a collage of stories that document the varied nature and interests of our neighbors. Stop by each week for the latest installment.

WHAT'S YOUR PASSION? Tell us about your enthusiasm. Whether it's soft ball playing, canoe building; surfing Lake Superior or home construction of aircraft. We're interested in activities that provide some healthy escape or maybe even helps you make sense of the world. (More ) CREDITS Broadcast editor: Mike Edgerly Online editor: Bob Collins Interactive editor: Julia Schrenkler Art director: Ben Tesch

The balloonist
by Dan Gunderson
Flying a hot air balloon can be a time consuming and expensive hobby. The colorful balloons cost tens of thousands of dollars. You can only fly when the weather is good, and you go where the wind takes you. But for a Fargo attorney it's an avocation that's allowed him to meet interesting people around the world. (09/10/2003)

The beetle man
by Chris Julin
Lots of people get excited about wolves and bald eagles, but who gets excited about tiger beetles? Ron Huber does. (09/03/2003)

The treasure hunters
by Mary Losure
The sport known as geocaching is catching on. The sport combines high-tech gadgetry with the ancient lure of treasure hunting. Pam Combs hunts for treasure this new-fashioned way. (08/27/2003)

The rodeo queen
by Nikki Tundel
When she was a little kid, Amber Hultman hated horses. Now, at age 16, she's the Minnesota High School Rodeo Queen. But she says being queen is much more than looking pretty while riding a horse. (08/13/2003)

The dog lover
by Stephanie Curtis
You may be a dog lover, but your passion can't compare to Karen Elvin's. Elvin's family has been raising one particular breed since 1943: the Norwegian Elkhound. (08/06/2003)

The phenologist mail carrier
by Chris Julin
John Latimer records the coming and going of nature. He drives a mail route in the north woods near Grand Rapids, and hosts a program about phenology on a local community radio station. (07/30/2003)

The sheep shearer
by Steve Nelson
Doug Rathke shears sheep for a living and competes in shearing competitions around the country and abroad. (07/23/2003)

The bicycle guy
by Dan Olson
Minneapolis resident Gary Hoover commutes on a bicycle -- actually a tricyle. The self-employed handyman is a common sight on south Minneapolis streets. He's the bearded fellow pedaling a bright red, custom-made cargo three-wheeler. (07/23/2003)

The guardian of the Air Guard museum
by Bill Catlin
Ray Peterson has devoted thousands of hours to the Air Guard museum over nearly 20 years. The museum's displays feature the Minnesota Air National Guard's history, aircraft, and a rare Blackbird spy plane. (07/15/2003)

The fisherman's fisherman
by Rob Schmitz
Lots of people have fishing lures. But Ken Bachman has hundreds, possibly thousands of lures collected over the past 25 years.
(07/09/2003)

The artcar lady
by Euan Kerr
Jan Elftman, known to many as The Cork Truck Lady. She covered the exterior of her Mazda truck with thousands of old wine corks. Now she's making her next art car. This time she's using ashtrays. (07/02/2003)

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