The Ice is Nice

If you live in a northern climate you should find something you like to do in the snow and ice. The lakes are freezing and I got out with John and Andy in my first session with the traction kite and skis. It went well and although the wind was light we were able to make the best of it for a couple hours. Thanks Andy for taking the pics.

Last minute bow buck

At 3:45 this guy walked into my stand with an hour and fifteen minutes left of the season. Here is a picture from the trail camera.

Trail Riding at Mendon Ponds

Now this is a slightly different view of Mendon Ponds Park than my usual cross country ski tours. I met Wendi and Steve and Sue Schoen to ride for a few hours on Sunday. The day was overcast and we had a few sprinkles but it didn't rain very hard till we were loading up. Taz was very good to me and continues to make me look like I know what I am doing. Thanks Wendi for letting me ride him.

Colors at the Cliffs

The drive down was spectacular. I bypassed Mossy Banks after talking to Linda and headed down to Indian Cliffs, one of my all time favorite sites and it was made even better with the show of color of the trees.
Lots of pilots there with Doug, Dan, Ron and Bob set up when I got there and Mark, Linda, Josh, Jim and Bill all showing up a little while later.
The air was textured, a bit too much for the PG's who flew then bailed for the LZ. Lots of air traffic with some bumps but nothing to unbearable.

Flight time: 52 min
Max altitude: 759' ato
Max Lift: 927fpm
Max Sink: 654fpm
Fun Factor: 6

Hport on Friday what a day!

I hustled through the must do items at work and blew out early to head for Hammondsport. The predictions were light but the direction was good. The forecast was different depending on what model you were using, GFS was the best with 7mph NW, NAM was 3mph NNW and RUC was 0mph L&V. It was some where in between them all. I picked up Eammon and gear and headed down anyway figuring "a bad on the hill is still better than a good day at work" and set up, changed a windsock, cut some brush and hung around. Cycles were straight in but light and nothing in between. Finally it started picking up and people started arriving. Bob tried it and scratched hard for a few minutes before bailing straight out to the road. Then the game was try to sucker someone else off to see if it was soarable yet. Finally Doug launched from the lower launch and stuck. Chris was next, Chuck, LInda and Oded. I helped Eammon and Matt get set up for a tandem and off they went for his first ever taste of the air. You could see his grin from the ground as they climbed to a couple hundred over. I ran back up to launch so I could join my son in the air and piled off into smooth but light wonder wind conditions. never got more than a hundred feet over and 15 min later was headed for the church LZ.
I had better luck with the Hero cam and here are a few of the better pics of 184 shot during my flight. Could never get up to the other gliders so never got a good shot of Eammon and Matt but they shot video and Matt will post it to you tube.
Here is the youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr8T1c-WbYc

All in all a very good day on the hill. Good flying good friends new and old. Nice to meet you Elly(Ellie?) sorry you couldn't stick around to meet everyone else and go to BinBin's with us for dinner, hope you decide to get current and come out and fly with us soon.

Flight time: 15min
max altitude +100'
fun factor: 1-10 its a 12 due to watching Eammon get his first flight

Indian Cliffs

I was on my way to Binghamton to pick up Mandi and Alyss and saw the posts for IC. Seeing I had to drive right by figured I would load the glider and check it out. When I arrived no one was flying, Doug was down near the theater and Skyqueeen announced it was crossed and light up top but Bill and Mark were getting ready to try it. I hung out in the LZ till they both launched and started climbing so I headed up. When I got up top they were slowly sinking and it had picked up in velocity and was crossing more, eventually they all sank out. figured it was going to turned on eventually so I set up and waited with Linda, Chuck, Oded, Doug, Matt, Karl and eventually the first group came back up. It got lighter and less crossed and Doug launched and slowly benched up, I had waited long enough. Unfortunatly I went a little early and ended up with a sledder in smooth air. A few blips on the vario but could not bench up with the PG's and get above the ridge. After a few passes I flew out front hoping to blunder into something to climb in but never found it. Sweet smooth conditions good launch and landing kept me smiling. 20 min later they were soaring at will. Still struggling with the Go Pro but got a little video in the LZ hope this loads right.

Traction kiting with Go Pro Hero Cam

Testing my new camera for in air shots while hang gliding to get used to functions and settings, the wind was to strong for flying so I got out the kite buggy and stuck it to my helmet. Here are the results.

Alyss Rose Brown

Alyss Rose Brown
Born: 8/7/10
Weight: 8lbs 2oz
Length: 20 1/4"

The cutest baby in the world.

National Hang Glide and Para Gl;ide Day

Lots of pilots flew with some big gains. Bob, Todd, Alex, Florian, Jorge, Israel, Oded, Ron and myself flew and the conditions were awesome. I never quite got to cloudbase but maxed out at 2500' over launch. Thermals were booming and you had to hold on tight when you found a core and took it on up. Lots of smiles in the LZ and I am sure a buch of stories to tell. Ron went XC and made it about eight miles flying my Eagle.

Flight Time: 1:14:00
Max Altitude: 2548'
Max lift: 1289fpm
Max Sink: -929fpm
Funfactor: 7.5

Harris Hill

It was textured but lots-o-fun. Jamie, Dan and Bill launched early as we were getting there got real high right off and we thought they were all headed for Blue Swan but they all came back and got up again and Dan and Jamie left, don't know how far they got. Bill stayed local. Mark, Ed, Ron and myself went next, never got as high as they did. I got 1500' above launch, 2hrs and change. Could have flown for longer but it was enough work that I was fatigued enough after 2hrs to bail for the LZ. Strong lift, 1148ft/min and gusty ridge lift, I saw 19mph sustained, made for an active ride. yeeha Bummer Mark sunk out everyone else who flew got as much as they wanted. The PGers never flew.
Airtime: 2:05:01
Max gain: 1548'
max climb: 1148ft/min
Fun factor:7

Hammondsport Tandem

If Matt Calladine ever asks you if you want to go for a ride take him up on it. Here is a link to a u-tube video from a couple weeks ago. SWEEEEEET!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuXy2PNhqM0

Hammondsport Sled Fest

The weather reports lured 10 pilots out to the hill and things never got as good as they were predicted. Lots of sled rides Dan and I broke down and packed up, Ron got a short soaring flight, Mukrum managed to get up and stay up twice and even took a short XC. Here are a few pictures of Mukrum's launch and Doug launching.