FREMONT — Matthew Grote’s enthusiasm for flying hot air balloons doesn’t go unnoticed.

You can sense the excitement in his voice when he talks about ballooning and Jester Unwindz, the hot air balloon he took delivery of in March.

“I love it. It’s a passion,’’ said Grote, of Omaha.

You can spot Grote’s balloon by its distinctive purple, black, yellow and white color blocks.

Designing Jester Unwindz was no easy task.

“The main concept was designing something not like anything anyone had ever seen. I wanted it to light up really awesome for a glow,’’ Grote said. “It took six months for the pattern to twist like I would want it to and three years to save (to buy the balloon).’’

The finished product turned out to Grote’s liking. He took up Jester Unwindz for its inaugural flight on March 15, just three days after its delivery.

“It was exactly what I wanted it to look like,’’ he said. “My face hurt from smiling so much.’’

Grote just wishes he could stand back and admire his creation more.

“One of the downfalls is you’re flying your piece of art. You don’t get to look it.’’

The name Jester Unwindz stems from Grote’s view of flying.

“When I go ballooning it’s all about having fun and relaxing,’’ he said. Jester represents having fun and Unwindz signifies relaxing.

Grote’s first passengers were his parents, Ray and Ruthe Grote of Fremont.

His parents helped spark his interest in ballooning. They were spectators at a John C. Fremont Days balloon rally in the early 1990s and were approached by a pilot to help out as crew members.

Grote, who was about 10 or 11 years old, wasn’t at that early morning rally. He was at home sleeping. Grote would later join his parents as crew members other balloonists.

In 2001, he was introduced to Rich Jaworski of Blair. Jaworski has flown more than 2,100 hours in his 36 years as an active hot air balloon pilot. Grote then began working on Jaworski’s crew and eventually bought a used balloon system in July 2005.

He earned his private pilot’s license in November 2005 and became a certified commercial pilot on June 30, 2007.

“I was just looking at being in the crew. I never thought I’d be a pilot,’’ Grote said.

Both Grote and Jaworski are members of the Nebraska Balloon Club.

Twenty-two club members are pilots. Jaworski estimates that about 50 club members don’t own balloons.

“You don’t have to own a balloon to be in ballooning,’’ said Jaworski.

“You find out who your friends are at 6 o’clock on a Saturday morning when it’s 10 (degrees) below zero.’’

Taking flight in a balloon is something that continues to amaze Jaworski.

“It’s like being on a parade float. You are certainly drifting and flowing by beautiful things, and people are watching you,’’ Jaworski said. “You see different things, different events and different seasons. Each flight is different.

“The beauty of flight is the reason most of us do it, and to spread the joy.’’