Dog Mountain Anniversary

Tina and Larry's 30th!

24-25 Aug 2013

After a Tiger flydown (!) on Wednesday, C.J. was ready to give her hang glider a try. She hadn't flown since before her bunion surgery in early February. Besides, there would be a big gathering at Dog to celebrate Tina and Larry's anniversary. C.J. constructed a cool card: "Hot in the 80's" and baked up a batch of rhubarb crisp for the potluck. We also brought a big bunch of greens for a salad. 

24 Aug, Sat - Thinking the weather didn't look all that warm and clear, we hooked up the trailer and dragged it down and set it up on the recently dried-out lake bottom at Dogpatch around 1230 or so. The wind was strong enough to be making whitecaps on the lake but we drove up to launch anyway. By the time C.J. was ready to launch conditions had mellowed and after her good takeoff and short flight with a perfect landing, I got my wing out. Luckily after several hangs took off, there was a big gap before the next ones got ready to go. I had a terrible time on launch: first I was too close to the edge so I couldn't back up far enough to get the wing over my head, then there were a couple of attempts when the wing went off to the side, and one where I got dragged to the north. Finally, after switching to a forward inflation launch I was able to get in the air. Conditions were really light and I found only one thermal that got me up over launch level for a short time, then it was back to scratching my way down the face, out to the point and into the LZ (newly mowed thanks to Kenny, I assume). C.J. had gotten a ride to the top and drove the car down meeting me in the LZ. Once we got packed up (1700 or so) we folded the Aliner up and moved it to the Jorgensen's property where most people were camping. There was plenty of room next to the retaining wall near Eric and Paige O's trailer and across from Jasmine and Justin's trailer and T and L's motorhome. Paul and Val set up a tent below and there was another large tent behind the trailers. A bunch of people just slept in their vehicles. There was a big potluck dinner with roast turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a huge slow-cooker full of pulled pork served on ciabatta with BBQ sauce. A big container of margaritas and some shots of coconut rum got the party going and it went on into the wee, wee hours. We crashed long before that, missing some drumming, and some guitar picking by Val and Sierra. Some of the other folks who showed up were Chuck and Richard Williams, Marty, Ron Barbera, Glen Duval (with Carol), Kenny, Stas, Cody, and Brian Scott. There were a number of others at Dogpatch that may not have heard about the celebration or thought that they needed an invitation - Steve Kincaid,  for example.

25 Aug, Sun - The day dawned with sunshine and scattered clouds but the clouds continued to build and by noon it was overcast and looking like it might rain. We decided to drive over to Area 151, Dave and Diane Auman's property, to look at the newly constructed training hill. On the way we ran into the first of the light rain that would persist the rest of the day, and put the rain cover back on C.J.'s glider. Neither Dave nor Diane seemed to be around so we made a quick return to the Jorgensen's and hitched up the trailer and said goodbye. On the way out with the car wipers working intermittently we were surprised to see a glider in the air and above the launch. The drive home was uneventful and we left the trailer outside in preparation for our next adventure - Labor Day fly-in at Sand Turn, Wyoming.