Sticks on a wing

August 12, 2006

Two flights off the top at Ed Levin today, from the 2300 ft MSL (1750 ft above landing zone), for a total flight time of 90 minutes! To get an hour at Ed Levin is rare indeed, and I just had an hour long flight here, on my second one! Actually, I could have stayed up longer; lots of lift everywhere to be had. But everyone else was down, even the advanced guys who were playing with me above launch, so I got concerned and landed. Tim later said that everyone landed probably because they couldn't stay up! Gotta get that damn radio; this is the second time I am hurting because I have been unable to communicate to the others. Anyway, there was an inversion layer around 2800 ft I think, that I could never break through it. But I circled and rose in so many thermals that I lost track. The best part was flying the same thermals with a hang-glider and another paraglider piloted by Tim K. Tim was literally running circles around me up there, and only now do I realize that being light on a DHV-1 wing makes it so sloooow. It seems that many people on the ground continue to wonder if I am even penetrating! It was great to see Calaveras reservoir from up there, and soar the ridge to the left of launch, and see all of the open space that could be used to top land.

Had the damn camera set to overexpose; hence this lousy shot.

On my first flight, I launched just as I heard Tim, who was observing, yell "abort!". I wasn't sure what happened but the glider did seem to be pulling to the right. After I settled down, and steered it back left, I looked up and saw what appeared to be a large stick wedged between the lines on the right, causing the tips to be pinched in the middle. I tried pulling it several times to no avail. What a pity too, since the vario was going off, and I could see another PG rising off the 600. There's thermals in them thar hills today, but I reluctantly decided to head to the LZ rather than try thermaling with a slightly disabled wing. But before I gave up, I imagined what Samuel Jackson would do in this situation. I clenched my fists, yelled out

"I HAVE JUST ABOUT HAD IT WITH THIS MOTHERF***ING STICK ON THIS MOTHERF***ING WING",

and yanked it real hard one last time. Whoosh-whump came the sound as I saw the stick fly forward, and the tip unfolded properly! I was BACK baby! Headed over to the house thermals by the 600 and got a half-an-hour flight out of this one too! What a day!!