Snow, cold, birds, trucks, airplanes oh my!

Had to talk myself into going. Forecast looked very light & unmotivating. Couple inches of snow & ice on top but when I got there it was cycling! Had a long launch run. Some light thermals to work (In Dec? wow!), some hawks came out, & Cessna 9:40 did a fly by. Very light winds on top when I landed. Hell of a great day! http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/704024

Tokio to Chewelah (on the flex wing) 7-22-12

Made this same flight 2 months ago on the Atos
Pulled off the same with the Litespeed.

The local para guys came out to see the tow site we had been talking about. Few of them took some tows & learned to run their winch.
Need I say more?

Really tough day for me the first half. Jorge left like he was on an Atos. I had a low(ish) tow then struggled with broken ratty thermals to Davenport. Getting frustrated I started to push on low then hit a good one. (Guess I suffered enough) Then things took a change and got better.
Around the same time things changed for the worse for Jorge. Caught up with him near Cayuse (NE of Davenport) near the edge. He was low & struggling. I was a bit higher but getting low when I found one. He eventually starting getting up but it puttered out on him around 6000’ leaving him landing near 231 & Little Falls rd.
I was able to push on to Chewelah then to the Parker LZ  for a nice no wind landing. Michele had retrieved Jorge & was arriving not long after I landed
It doesn't get much better!

Mansfield encampment part…..

Way behind on posting. No one reads it so …. no one knows.

Broke most of my personal bests so far. Longest flight. Broke my 100 mile barrier… twice! (#1 & #2  )FAI triangles to boot!

Lots a great flying with Martin, Mia, Randy & Jorge, Michele & cant forget Nick!. The lake is always a great place to cool off & the Becks never tastes so good after a flight breaking down on the lawn.

Life is good. Cant wait to get back over. (so long as Martin doesn’t decide to move…. & not tell me :-)

A day in the life

 

 

 

Man is the VR ever sleek!

 

Yeah these guys are in the sky on any given day!

July 5th–Mansfield encampment

Mia was back & it was Martins turn to fly. Jorge & Michele came out also (I forgot the mem card for my camera :- ( of all the flights to do so….)

Heading S to the Beasley hills then to Waterville. Martin drove deep to the S for the turn point but I was leery after yesterdays struggle there. He made the TP but it was tough getting back up & out. (There air was funky down there again)

Eventually he dug it out & got past me as I floundered it whatever I could find on the way to Waterville. It got much better & we continued past Waterville to the edge. Lift was good & the mts were calling. (Looked very good over there)

Neither of us had crossed over there to play in the mtns but getting close to 12,000’ before crossing gave us some room to play. We had a good crossing not loosing much as I started to see we were pushing into 15-19 mph winds. Martin said he was leaving when he got to 10,000’. Not finding much of anything (as good as it looked) 10 became 9 and then 8 was it. Time to get out of there. (No LZ’s in sight)

Arriving back on the flats we found her to be quit upset that we left & flew another area. (Never cheat!) After begging & pleading she finally forgave us & we were able to get a climb out to 11’000 (that’s better)

On towards Leahy. I called it quits a few miles short & headed back. My neck was killing me. I “arrived” back in Mansfield. Less than perfect landing but after my personal best for duration 5:45 & distance 114.2 mile FAI Triangle I was on cloud nine!   http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/636769

It was great to fly with Martin awhile. He had a 122 mile FAI Triangle & almost 7 hrs in the air. http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/632219

Jorge had a great flight as well. 75 mile free triangle & 4;40 airtime!http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/633657

Thanks Mia & Michele for crewing!

July 4th - Mansfield encampment

I’m a bad blogger, its been so long…. anyway…..

After a few days of bad weather made my way over to Mansfield to bother Martin & Mia.
A quick tow up (Mia had gone home) and I was on my heading S toward the Beasley hills. Had some great cues on the way down and tried to push out into a blue hole.

Having good lift & climbs to 8-9000' seemed doable. (So I thought. Respect the blue hole!)
Scratching down to around 1200'agl before finding lift. There was a bit of wind there and I gave up on pushing further S.
On to Waterville then back to the tow site to close, then Mansfield to break down on the lawn.

It was a really good day! Love the Atos!

Thanks for the tow & ground support Martin!

4:25 min, 84 mile (134K) FAI Triangle

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/636767

 

4-13-12 Tekoa

Light & switchy winds. Filtered sun most of the day. Long intervals between cycles, more sink then lift. 1st flight got 1 climb to 5100' then sink. 2nd flight Morgan  & John  got some climbs. (extended scratch fest for me) Morgan broke 5000' & got a top landing in.

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/590590

Flight #1  -- (This maybe 17 minutes of your life you cant get back.......)

Flight #2

3-10-12 Tekoa

High pressure was softening a bit. Winds were forecast to switch ESE to SW. In the LZ winds were 13 S, on top 23mph SSW and coming around. Again under called the winds…… its spring so what can you expect?

Started setting up & the winds got even stronger (but straight in)…… 30-37 mph, lulling occasionally to 23 ish.
Watched it for an hour or so & thought the lulls would be enough to launch in.
Myself & Mike Swift were able to get that window. Others on top reported gusting to 45 mph not long after.
We had about hour 30 min flights. I was showing 19-24 mph in flight.

I went to the airport after hearing that wind speed. (Its normally smoother there) A bit rough coming down but had a pretty smooth 19 to land in.
Mike landed in the normal LZ. He said it was a bit rough & almost went too long.

By sunset the wind was down to 18ish.

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/562169

3-7-12 Tekoa

The canadians (Mike & Simon) came down for a few days to escape their winter blues. Forecast looked promising so 1/2 day off from work & I’ll join them.

A few para pilots showed up as well. Launch conditions were stronger then forecast but doable for the hangs. 20-25 mph. I was first off shortly followed by Simon & Mike. We had full cloud cover that started to break. That brought some decent thermals to work with some good sink in between. Couple of climbs to 5500’  (1700’ over) Later, it lightened up & the paras got to fly also.

2:20 later after the batteries died in the gloves my hands were frozen & I headed to the airport for a dry no mud area to break down. Pretty damn nice WED afternoon! (We only had a high of 37°, camel back froze in flight)

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/561448

 

 

Saddle mtn party 2-4-12

Following the days forecast it called for similar conditions as the prior day. Arriving on launch to find a few pars lightly scratching.

There was 20 people there. More hangs then I’ve seen in a long time not to mention at Saddle. Setting up conditions seem to improve. A good launch & light ridge & thermal mix to play in. Jorge launched & we went down the ridge to the E.

As soon as we hit the lower potions it got ugly. We were not very high to begin with & we tried to turn around. Sink city……

Followed Jorge to a nice spot to land. He had a good landing. I set up to come in to his left. On final he walked to where I intended to land thinking I was not landing yet. It worked out & I landed 15’ short of him. I managed to get it going just a bit right to miss the sage brush if I went long.

The others flying had multiple top landings & all the air time they wanted. We were the only ones to due a bit of XC.

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/551470

 

Better then expected Saddle day 2-3-12

Somehow wrangled 5 pilots (para, from Spokane if you can believe that) for a Saddle trip. Forecast was light so I to thought the paraglider would be the best choice……..

Got on top to find stellar conditions for both hang & para. (Almost to strong for para) The military was running some training flights though the area about 6 total this day. (scary to hear them coming while in the air)

My first launch was good….for about 2 sec, I had pulled up  into a slight lull only to quickly find a thermal behind it. Up 15’ then backwards. A was too rusty to adapt quick  enough, really should have got to the speed bar. Flew it backwards for about 20’  then came down. A reverse somersault was to follow. I & the gear were unscathed.

Next launch was better, I was less complacent & ready. 5-600’ over & top landings galore for everyone. A total of 8 para & 4 hangs flew this day. (Really missed my hang glider)
My second launch (flight) almost was identical to the first, up 15’ but then a hover. Slowly creeping forward.

Lots of firsts & bests for most of the guys!

It was a damn nice day.

Steptoe 1/8/12 ……. paragliding?

4/20/09 was my last flight on a paraglider. With no snow & light winds it was hard to get motivated to take a hang out. The day was to nice not to try to commit some sort of aviation. Borrowed my old gear from my brother & off I went.

6 other para pilots were there! Crazy for Jan & for the Spokane area. This many pilots constitutes a fly in! It was light with little bits of lift to to slow down in. Managed 5 flights. Forgot how easy it was to throw it out, not to mention landing. Glad it all came back, almost like I never left. (Not nearly the confidence to really snug up to the hill though.)

Everyone had a great time. Amazing we still have no snow in the mtns……..

 

Early Christmas present 11/23/11

With no snow this season & a system moving through the stale air finally got moving & in the right direction. Off to Tekoa for a try. With temps in the teens this week, a high of 30°  was going to feel warm.

4 paras & I got on top around 12:30 to find the XC skies forecast to be correct, 13-16 SSW. Robert was off while I was futzing with a new headset & helmet combo (ahhhh) Not realizing during this I did not buckle me helmet. Nothing came of it as I figured half way through the flight. (Wondered what that noise was….buckle hitting the helmet)

Got an hour & 40 minute flight out of it & managed to stay warm the whole time. Wind switched to a SSE & got sinky. The LZ had an E 3-5,  odd it was 90° off from aloft. Pulled off a nice drogue chute landing.

Everyone had a really good time.

11-25-11 fine Nov flight

Leaving town with SW winds gusting over 30 mph to what's forecast to be lighter to the north of town again. (Worked last time) Arrived in the LZ to find NNW 3-5…… well… lets go up and take a look.

Steve, Jimmy, Clint were at Parker (NE of where we were going) since 8 am looking for soaring conditions. Having a mixture of light & cross they managed 2 sled rides. Rick & I were able to make it to the top (12” of snow a week earlier, not much snow left ) to find 15+ straight in. Called to boys to let them know it was on here. They were headed over, but upon retrieving the last rig from the top they said it was starting to come in and would stay. With another sled ride they should have came over.

We set up & I was 1st off. (This was my 2nd flight from this new site we just opened. 2nd time being flown as well) Lightly soarable but soarable. Rick was not impressed with conditions & the fact he had to pull my left wing down on launch.(We are learning that you need to move to the right as this tends to happen) Add the fact we had no driver he opted to watch & ultimately break down.
Was able to squeeze an  hour flight out of it. This was for better then the first time Jorge & I flew it with a 4 min flight. Really nice Nov flight.

Nice Nov flight

What the site looked like during clearing. Its come a long way.

11-13-11 lite thermal flight

Left Spokane with 20-30 mph winds. Forecast called for lighter to the north so I headed to Inklers for a try. After a Tekoa run the day before to find 35-40 mph winds and 30° I was mildly optimistic.

 

Couldn’t muster anyone else to go as the wind was blowing & forecast to blow. The LZ had 10-12, launch was showing 12-15 cycling in. Set up & off I went. Light ridge with light cycles mixed in. Worked an hour and 15 min flight out of it.  2 bald eagles joined me for a few minutes.

Towards the end of the flight reaching my highest altitude, I ran into what I think was shear. Forecast called for upper level winds to be strong and 90° to surface. I got tossed around pretty good. checked the reserve handle a couple of times. Few hundred feet lower it was better. Was not a pleasant felling. But a good flight for sure.

Sure did not look or feel like mid November……..

 

Late Oct day

Forecast did not call for what was to be a very special day to me. Light winds, late Oct….expected a extended sled ride at best. The day was so much more then that.

In the LZ is was ESE, (wrong direction for launch.) I was here might as well go up.  On top it was coming in fairly straight. Clint (para pilot) was off first. Light cycles coming in. Gave it a few, he got low then found some stuff to work. Looking promising now. Took the next cycle & off I went.

Epic cloud play

For the next 1:45 I was playing with the clouds.

The wind picked up to strong for the newer paras that were waiting to get some. Joaquin showed up and launched his Falcon He had his longest flight to date 2:15. He only landed because he was frozen.

Been a very long time since I have updated this. So hard to keep on it. What prompted me to give it a go again now…. not sure.

The summer was spectacular. The Atos really help rack up the X-C miles. Broke a lot of personal bests thanks to Martin &  Mia, & Michele & Jorge.

Canadian invasion! Day 2

Late start after messing with gear. Checked Tekoa... too SE on to Steptoe.
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/309060


Conditions were perfect. Good SE cycles. Set up fast & launch. There were 5 hangs there.... and all flew.
Couldn't tell you the last time there were that many there or in the air.

Conditions were not that great & we had close to the hill and each other scratching. Lift was light and broken. Got a few that were enough to turn in and got 1000' over. 328 fpm was my max climb for the day.

Simon, Denise & rick were already down, after an hour it was time to come in. (Shoulders were sore, and I had my fill.)

Canadian invasion! Day 1

The Canadians are here...... now what....lets go flying!
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/308825


Haul ass out of work and get to the hill. It was blowing all day, but we hoped it would settle for the classic
Tekoa glass off.... oh yeah it did!

20-30 mph as we set up, but during that time it backed down to a manageable 20+ ish. Jorge was off first, and then I followed shortly. 700' over launch almost that fast. then an easy 1000' over. Mike one of the visitors gave it awhile then launched. Vince launched almost at sunset.

I was 1000' when I headed to the north spine.... bad idea. No lift to be found, as I headed back the was the sink. Floored it headed to the lowest spot I could hope to get over. Track log showed my fastest airspeed was 62 mph. I was coming in low & wasn't sure if I was going to make it over. If i turned away now I thought the rotor could get ugly & a retrieve tough.

I pushed on as I was 40-60' from the tress the rotor started in. Maintained just trying to make it over..... which I barely managed to do. That's when it really went to hell. The rotor got worse, throwing me at one point 90° zooming towards the hill. Started to PIO and knew I had to slow it down. Throw the VG full off then she zoomed nose up. A few more times of the nose facing the ground at 30' I got it pulled together. Back towards launch for some peace. That was dumb.

The lift was everywhere. 1430' over is what I got with only ridge lift. Jorge circumnavigated the globe flying out to the west past the road and back, then over Tekoa and back. It was a struggle now to get low enough to top land.


Mike got in a top landing in. I came in and gave it 4 attempts. It had gotten a bit chunky and turbulent and after earlier I wasn’t going to push my luck. Jorge gave it try and said screw it. It was too ugly.

Headed to the main lz climbing the whole time. The sun was down and it was getting dark. Even over the lz there was lift. Finally worked it down to find some chunky nasty turbulants. Lovely wind gradient.
We all got through it and landed safe.

What to do tomorrow.....?

Not bad for the last day of winter. ~ Spangle towing 3-19-2010

Played hooky & took a half day. X-C skies said it should be a good day...... it was!


Jorge towed Vince (pg) he got a climb right off tow. Then I towed next. Great tow to almost 1400' agl when I pulled all the line off the drum! Michele just showed up in time to help get the line straightened out.

I was scratching back to launch @ 6-900' agl until I got a good climb. Climbed to 7858' asl. Vince landed due to the cold. (I showed 38°!!) I flew around 45 min until  Jorge towed up.

I miss understood that we were going to try for Tekoa airport. I was almost 3 miles the wrong direction when I heard Michele say she was packing it up to head to Tekoa. There was a lot of sink between thermals & once we left spangle, the climbs were weaker and the altitude was less.

Thermals were rough & rowdy in spots. Broken at times & tough to track. Got low & was considering landing, and drove it towards a small knoll hoping it would produce something.... it worked!! She got rowdy on that one for a bit & the vario spiked ove 1000 fpm on the 3 sec average. 20 sec showed around 4-500fpm. A red tail hawk joined me for the rest of the climb. So cool when that happens. That was enough to get me to the NW shoulder of Tekoa just over the power lines where I found a bit of something to get my over, then another for the last thermal of the day.

The whole time I thought I was well behind Jorge, but at some point I had slipped past him to the NW. (I had no idea where he was.) He had his radio & vario died, but still had is GPS. It was the last climb at Tekoa when Michele announced she had a visual where he was. He was low but got up & over Tekoa & floored it to the airport.

It was mostly NW all day & I missed Jorge’s landing. I thought it was Nish & light and tossed the drogue. Got rolled right, turned it around & was set to land N. I didn’t notice Jorge was motioning to land SW. Came in fast & was going long & end up on the runway (or bldgs). Let the nose up & tried to mush it in. (That didn’t work so well) WACK! Better in the soft dirt the pavement. Nothing bent or broke.

My Flight
2:33 min flight, 7858 asl, 19.3 miles straight line distance.
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/306707

Jorge's flight
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/307294#



Matrix was much better for head down with spacer removed. Much warmer harness then the Rotor. (Possibly because there are not large air gaps?) Still a bit rough on getting upright.

Not bad for the last day of winter!!

Spangle towing 3-14-2010

Late day start to what on paper looked to be good..... but it wasn't going to be that good. Very cold air, light switching conditions.
Finally made a decision on which road to tow from. Michele & I set up gliders while Jorge towed Vince on his paraglider. Took a long time to get the tow. Light & switchy don't work with a pg.

I towed next, pinned mid tow in a good one. Got high-stayed high. Jorge towed twice but conditions were changing. Vince landed N, Jorge landed E, I landed S, No wind. Got a little trashed when I was low coming in. Decent landing! Hands were absolutly frozen.... 38° at altitude.

Matrix is very comfy in flight, but still challenging to get upright. Its getting better. more flights should help this was # 3.
Removed the slider block to allow more head down. Well see if that helps the head down at high speed.
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/305384

Eagle Butte 3-13-10

The wind blew every direction.... and not for that long before switching. Doc was on Red mtn & other various  locations with the same results. End of day brought it in 5-25 by then we were frozen & only watched and waited for it to quit and switch, like it had all day. ( it only got better) Doc showed up, watched & waited for a few then launched.