After the famine of spring, early summer provides a feast, with yet another high pressure day to keep the marine layer at bay. Off the Tower Launch atop Diablo, the typical mid-day, high pressure bullet thermals with occasional wire twang provide necessary lift for some local, summer soaring. After playing on the North side I eventually venture over the Summit.
As the afternoon wares on, the lift gets better and I approach that famous XC decision point.
With Teri on a timeline and my altidute borderline, I decide to keep the best driver/wife in the history of hang gliding happy and not let my retrieve vehicle turn into a pumpkin. The next best thing, and only a few miles less, is the retrieve friendly hop towards the NW LZ's. I meander in that direction and enjoy a relaxing glide over Juniper Launch.
Because I'm not racing, I stop at everything, top out with good altitude, yank on the VG and continue on.
I arrive at Blakes LZ with plenty of altitude and decide it's safe to continue over the area of no mans land, towards Lime Ridge.
Over the lowlands I stop for a couple of thermals but the sea breeze has started to fill in and I can't make it work. Oh well, I've still got enough altitude to clear Ygnacio Valley Road and make Lime.
The arborist and avian groups apparently don't think landing a hang glider in barren foothills is challenging enough so they have been put in an obstacle course at Lime Ridge. With "Bruno's Slot" now more of a "Serpentine" I decide to go for the clear area on "Robert's Hill." After a nice landing I sure hope they keep this piece of the LZ clear.
As the afternoon wares on, the lift gets better and I approach that famous XC decision point.
With Teri on a timeline and my altidute borderline, I decide to keep the best driver/wife in the history of hang gliding happy and not let my retrieve vehicle turn into a pumpkin. The next best thing, and only a few miles less, is the retrieve friendly hop towards the NW LZ's. I meander in that direction and enjoy a relaxing glide over Juniper Launch.
Because I'm not racing, I stop at everything, top out with good altitude, yank on the VG and continue on.
I arrive at Blakes LZ with plenty of altitude and decide it's safe to continue over the area of no mans land, towards Lime Ridge.
Over the lowlands I stop for a couple of thermals but the sea breeze has started to fill in and I can't make it work. Oh well, I've still got enough altitude to clear Ygnacio Valley Road and make Lime.
The arborist and avian groups apparently don't think landing a hang glider in barren foothills is challenging enough so they have been put in an obstacle course at Lime Ridge. With "Bruno's Slot" now more of a "Serpentine" I decide to go for the clear area on "Robert's Hill." After a nice landing I sure hope they keep this piece of the LZ clear.
9 comments:
Nice flight, but I'm calling you on the best driver / wife comment!
; > )
CRV,
I dunno - if yours is so good, why do we never see you two at Diablo? Huh, Mr. ACP? My votes for Teri! RM ;)
I stand firm. D-5 with stick shift, off road and old beat up need to pull the clutch out with your toes hang glide rig sign offs. HAM license, GPS retrieve capable. ITS CLEAR the official A.C.D. Teri Epperson
OK...it's on...Wendy is also a D-5 (I have the paper work to prove it) but has graduated to a 4-door Tacoma with an automatic tranny. This was her request so she could haul more pilots after they've flown XC...I had no option but to oblige, otherwise she'd still be driving my old Tacoma. She also has her ham license and is Garmin 76 CSX and Garmin NUVI trained. We will have a A.C.D. drive-off at Diablo soon...like I said, it's on!
ACP CRV
ACD WMV
Oh Yes. It's most certainly ON!
Matt,
I just realized that Wendy and Teri don't know that "it is on", so maybe we should announce to them that "it is on" then make sure they are cool with "it being on" and move on from there...just a thought...full Yosemite blog report forthcoming...fly safe brother!
~Aerochris
I thought it was on, but now, I just don't know. Alright, I'll I ask Teri if she knows anything about this and if it is really on or not really on. She is filling the truck with gas and stocking the cooler with micro brews and mainstream beer so each pilot can have their favorite when they land. I'll ask her when she gets back. Enjoy the grander of Yosemite.
It is NOT on. I repeat NOT ON! I checked with Teri, she wasn't filling the gas tank or cooler and from now on this blog is suppose to be for sharing the wonders of soaring and not ranting or bantering about wife/drivers on the internet.
Oh my friends, it was ON long before this post. Dana won. "What", you say, "Dana has never actually driven, how can that be!? Have we even seen her?" Of course not - apparently she only drives for 1000 mile triangles where you make it back (so no "actual" driving) - top level stuff I'm told.
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