Newhall E-Burg Party Weekend - October 6-7, 2007

Thanks to Patti Fujii, we received an invitation to this fun event last year. It was a blast then, and this year made it two in a row.

Saturday - We arrived at the Newhall ranch shortly after the mystically significant time of 11:11 and almost immediately began lobbying for heading to Baldy. Finally the inertia was overcome and two vehicles made the trek into the Yakima Canyon. The sky was only partially obscured by high cloud and some lower cumulus so David Byrne launched into a cycle that collapsed first one tip and then the other. Nevertheless, he quickly climbed above launch and initiated a rush to set up and launch. The rest of us were not so lucky: having lost the moment of sunshine, we ridge soared and occasionally thermalled as we scratched our way down the ridge eventually landing in the Big Pine LZ (even Joe Sullivan and Meredyth). Ernie saved us a long walk by driving the truck down from the top. He picked us up and dropped us at the north LZ where we recovered Greg’s GMC while he started back to get Dave who had passed The Bowl and landed in the Umtanum CG parking lot. Just at that moment, Dave arrived having inveigled a ride with a flyfisher person. We got back to the ranch in time to start some serious snacking but interrupted it to think again of flying. While it was still light we walked west from the ranch along the bluff trying to find a place where the wind was “less crossed” and found a possible launch. Dave once again took off first for a quick sledder to a gravel bar in the Yakima River. Ernie quickly followed but misjudged the wind speed and landed with his feet in the water and his wing likewise. Fortunately, at that point the current was slow or nonexistent, so a case of wet feet was the worst he suffered. Soon however it was time for some serious eating, and then dinner. Food-getting was pretty continuous, not to mention the wine sampling! Dave had brought a bunch of salmon filets and the Newhalls provided some excellent steaks; there were salads and breads; and don’t get me started about the desserts (pumpkin cheesecake, pies – mostly eaten by Murdoch - and ice cream to name a few).

Sunday started with a big breakfast and, when we could move again, most of us ended up down at the lower pond fly fishing or learning to fly fish. By noon the pilots who wanted to go flying managed to drag most of the fisherfolk away from the pond except for newbies Murdoch and Jaye. Baldy was in the sun with scattered clouds but it was breezy at the bottom and too strong for fun at the top. We went back to Eburg and had lunch/dinner and then the wind switched from kind of east to SE or S and the ridge in front of the house began to look like a possibility. Ernie got his wing out to kite and then momentum grew and vehicles headed for the bump on the ridge east of the house where Ernie launched and scratched a bit before landing below. Dave Byrne was next and he got up and soared followed by 4 or 5 others. It felt too strong for me but Greg, Murdoch, Steve, Rob, and Chris all got into the air and soared in that bowl and back towards the house. The sky looked kind of threatening towards the west but the wind mellowed and I laid out and Beth was ready to get her gear on. As soon as I clipped in, a gust rolled my wing up from the leading edge and the guys in the air started doing scare-o-batics. It had completely switched and it felt like a mini gust front. Everyone landed safely in fields next to highway 10 - we packed up and said goodbye in the LZ. We weren't far up the road to Cle Elum before we ran into the rain and it continued almost all the way to North Bend. The Newhalls throw a great party weekend!