Bright said she's begun to feel pretty comfortable in the lift bucket with Holden at the controls. Holden said he and Bright have had fun over…

Loni Bright waves as Mike Holden carefully guides the city's bucket lift toward Smokey Bear and the cubs early Wednesday morning.

Loni Bright uses a pole to zip Smokey's vest as Holden inches her closer to the huge statue.

With toothpick tucked into the corner of his mouth, Mike Holden looks up from running the levers that control the motion of the city's lift tr…