Back-to-Back Chelan Weekends

23-25 October
Halloween/Women's Fly-in

Although we missed it last year, this was the 18th annual Halloween/Women's Fly-in. We resurrected costumes last worn when the fly-in was at Saddle Mountain and the party was held around a camp fire. I didn't have a fellow teacher to lend me the knight's regalia this time so C.J. whipped up a tabard and swordbelt in an evening. Her dinosaur costume was still stored in the closet so we became...

St. George and the Dragon.

C.J.'s spider bread is always a big hit at the Saturday night party

Amy Heim received the feather boa of distinction this year as NWPC Woman of the Year (an honor that C.J. has received twice before)

On Friday we got a late start so it was dark when we arrived to set up the Aliner in Beebe Campground. Bob Hannah showed up later with his little Mity Lite trailer. In the morning C.J. and I had a leisurely breakfast of pancakes and bacon before heading over to the soccer field LZ where C.J. had volunteered to help with registration. Reports from the top said it was windy and cold and no one was flying. Later, however, Ralph Boirum flew and even got some Lakeside soaring. We got a ride up with the event organizer, Kevin, and his friend (and driver) Jennifer. It was still windy and cold so we waited until after 3 pm before launching from near Green Monster and surviving the near-butte turbulence. Out away from the hill there was light thermal lift and I worked it enough to extend my flight beyond sledder-time. The treeline of the LZ was turbulent as I returned to the LZ from a jaunt across the Columbia, and I missed the spot by a mile (not literally). C.J. and I were happy to see Jack Leiman and Dalene show up for the Fly-in, and later we gave them a tour of the Aliner.

Sunday was warmer and much less windy and C.J. volunteered to drive for Patricia, Chris A. and me. But I ended up as the driver to avoid a quick sledder to the LZ. We had already packed up and moved the trailer to the LZ so all we had to do was hop in the Trooper and head back over the passes. It was cloudy as we drove up Blewett Pass but the larch were still bright. However, as we approached Snoqualmie Pass, it began to rain and that lasted all the way home. Oh well, better than two years ago when it was frozen rain and snow and a long, slow crawl over the pass.

17-18 October
Jazzy's Wedding

Larry and Tina's older daughter, Jasmine, was getting married and we were invited to join the Dog Mtn hang gliding family at the Grandview in Chelan. It was a major party!

Jasmine and Larry walk to the dock where the groom, Justin Himes, waits.

Surprise! It's Tryg Hoff officiating at the ceremony.

Larry and Jazzy must have been practicing their dance moves before the wedding!

SmallWorld department: Therea Agoo, a St. George student from 1988 or so, was at the wedding. How she recognized me, I have no idea.

We drove over Saturday with the Aliner and parked it in the Beebe Bridge campground which would be closing for the season at the end of next weekend. On Sunday Lori Lawson offered us a ride up to the Butte launch and we found Larry, Justin, Tina and Jazzy there already. Larry and Justin took off shortly after C.J. and I flew, and we all had flydowns, maybe slightly extended. Since the conditions did not seem to be improving, we headed for home through the passes where the larch were providing most of the color.

Newhall Weekend 2009

Columbus Day Weekend

C.J. and I missed the gathering last year, and this year's promised to be bigger and better than ever, so we drove to the Newhall Ranch on Saturday morning. C.J. reports on the flying and eating in an email, below:

We did the annual party weekend at Greg and Laurie Newhalls, and flew Saddle on both Saturday and Sunday. We drove to Kiona first on Saturday (on Dave Norwood's recommendation), but it was blowing 20-25 on launch so we wimped out. Turns out we should've gone to Saddle right off, as Lawrence, Pam and James had been soaring there until just before we all arrived. By then it was just blowing in lightly, and we all had pleasant sledders (except for those noble folks who drove down, like Chris A. for our vehicle). (George says, "Actually there were a few weak thermals out beyond the Crab Creek Road that Mike Green and I worked. Mike gained 1000 ft while I, arriving late and low, only got another 100 ft and a few minutes out of the lift".)

Sunday we went straight to Saddle, with cell phone contact with Bob B. and Doc Shallman at Kiona. They reported a pleasant 8-10 in the LZ, but they called us from the saddle on the road below launch to say it was blowing 25 there and they were coming to join us at Saddle.

Meanwhile, it was barely trickling in from the ENE at Saddle, and we were not feeling very optimistic. Jeff Kohler was there with his new topless hang glider, and a flight plan to launch and fly straight N, beyond the road, where a thermal often lurks near the lake in light conditions. Dave "Preacher" Norwood and Doc arrived, and Dave set up and launched right after Jeff. Neither hit a bleep of lift until they got beyond the road, and then both began climbing. George was off next, then I went, and we glided and glided and glided... By the time I got out there George was well up, and as soon as I hit the thermal I was up there with all of them. What an unexpected treat! We were topping out at about 3100' for a while, but I eventually got up to 4100' (BRRRR), but even from that altitude I couldn't make the crossing back to the hill to consider toplanding (but Sinead had driven our truck down, so we weren't concerned about getting back to launch). It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, and the lift for the most part was pretty smooth. Doc and I hit a nasty parcel of air that gave him a 50%er, and convinced me that an hour was long enough. I pulled ears and landed – in a SE wind – along with a bunch of others who somehow ended up coming down right then as well. Luckily that's a huge area to land in, so there was no problem with 5 of us landing in quick succession.

I don't think anyone went back up to fly again. There was way too much good food still in need of being eaten at Newhalls, so we happily headed back to the trough. Tom's salmon, Jaye's Calgary Stampede beans, more desserts than can decently be displayed at the same time outside a pastry shop. It was a great weekend!

Alaska Trip Scrapbook

C.J.'s Virtual Scrapbook of our trip to Alaska.

Be sure to click on the image of each page to expand it to full-screen.
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