I enjoy checking the air traffic over our area using a site called ADS-B Exchange. Their zoomable map shows all the flights anywhere in the world. We live under the flight paths of many planes crossing the country. That is why we are sometimes called a flyover state. Their map includes the smallest one-runway airstrips scattered around the country which support a lot of single engine planes. We also can watch the helicopter traffic over us carrying patients to the University of Iowa Hospital for care. By clicking on an aircraft symbol, it brings up windows with flight details about the aircraft, how high, direction, speed, etc.

Today, I noticed something unusual on the map. It was not a symbol showing an airplane or helicopter. It was a symbol shaped like a hot air balloon. I’ve seen that symbol only one time before on the map. The info window in the next image says the altitude was 64,700 ft and a speed of 28 knots. Most commercial planes are at altitudes between 30,000-40,000 ft. This balloon was twice as high as those planes and moving very slowly.
