Traction Kiting on Honeoye Lake

The lake finally had enough ice to get the ice buggys out for a ride. John is making a couple passes with the Para ski flex kite in this video. The ice was short lived tho and became unsafe a couple days after this video was taken on Jan. 22nd. Back to the parking lots I guess. I will put up another video soon.

I want to flap when I fly

I hope they refine this because I would love to fly this thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0tKFOcHyrI&feature=player_embedded

New Years Fireworks at Bristol Mountain

I got the chance to go help set up the fireworks display at the mountain and shot some video from my very close perspective. Happy New Year and enjoy!!!

Hemlock Colors

Cody and I decided that we had better make use of the gorgeous day we had and get the kayaks out. We headed to Hemlock Lake and met Ron at the north end and were rewarded with absolutely perfect conditions. You be the judge, the pictures say it all.

Bristol Grad Party

Katrin did a great job organizing the graduation party for this years students and there was a good turnout and a few sled rides were taken. I jumped in for a ride up and a tandem with Matt, then hung out for some dogs on the grill, good conversation and a beer. Here are a few pics from our flight.

Team Challenge

The final day of the TTTTC was canceled, so I decided to pack up and hit the road on Saturday so I did not have to drive the whole 14 hrs on Sunday.
Even though I only flew three times and two of them were sledders, I enjoyed the week camping and hanging out with new and old friends, attending seminars with a bunch of top notch speakers, and exploring the Sequatchie Valley. I see the huge potential for cross country flying there and will go back and hopefully the weather will cooperate next time.
Here are a couple pics of window rock, right down the road from launch and name sake of the road it is on, a few pilots watching the brave souls flying in strong conditions on Saturday and the rock at the entrance.

Team Challenge Day 5

We finally have a task, C pilots were sent south across two gaps to Dr. Dales, B pilots were sent to the first water tower past Dr. Dales, then back to Henson's LZ, A pilots were sent south down the ridge to the first water tower south of Dr. Dales, then to Henson's ramp, then to Buck's Knob, then back south to Dr. Dales.
Our team, the Scatter Birds, launched about 3pm into 8-10 mph slightly crossed, gusty conditions. It was an elevator ride to a few hundred over on the ridge with very textured air. We worked our way south as a team, crossed the first gap, then broke up. The ham radio people are doing an exercise in the valley so there is a ham guy right on site each day monitoring communications and we have strict instruction not to talk if you don't have a call sign. Megan(from New England), one of our C pilots got flushed at the second gap by the power lines and headed out to land, I saw her setting up to land then she hit a climb and got back up over the ridge. Twice that happened and she could not find a climb high enough to cross the gap. Keith(St. Louis) , our A pilot saw her go out to land the first time and wrote her off and never saw her again. Unfortunately I couldn't tell him she got back up, or talk her to a thermal, and eventually she went out to land. It was her first XC flight. Rick Maddy(Colorado), our other C pilot burned to goal in 35min.
I found my first thermal at the first gap, took it up to 4700' then headed down the ridge listening to Keith and Cliff(our other B pilot from St. Petersburg Fla. ) talking behind me. I knew I had options down wind so I pushed south pretty hard and got to the second gap where there were gliders marking lift. It would turn out to be my best climb to 5700', and a good thing, as I crossed the gap, flew to the turn point at the water tower and never found a bit of lift. A little zero sink, but no lift, and by the time I got back over the gap and found lift again I was down to 600' over and searching hard. It was right where I left it and in know time I was back up and headed north. I was watching a topless, Barry cruising north back behind the ridge and sinking fast so I adjusted out front a little and found zero sink or lift most of the way back to Henson's. About a mile out I knew I had the LZ and headed out into the valley and found nothing but lift the whole way to goal. It was everywhere in the valley and I reached goal with 3000', I was first to goal in 1hr, 28min. I let off the VG and boated around the valley taking in the sights and eventually landed with Barry.
Let the celebrations begin!!!! Lots of smiles as pilots came in to goal, lots at goal, lots of first goals, first XC flight and personal bests. After the long wait to get to fly there were a bunch of happy pilots at dinner last night.

Flights: 1
Air time: 1:28:01
Max alt: 5740' MSL
Fun Factor: 8