Bike and Fly - Chelan

20-21 September 2014

The bike and fly is traditionally run by the hang gliding USHPA chapter, Cloudbase Country Club. This year Lori Lawson, who has unselfishly done all the organizing for the past many years, could not be there so her husband, Tom Johns, stepped up to the plate and kept it in the family.

C.J. and I were stretched a bit thin with a busy week preceding the fly-in. On Wednesday night we attended the preview night for "In the Heights" at the Issaquah Village theater. The next day Ginny arrived to visit Uncle Harry at his assisted living home down in Puyallup. [And, looking further ahead, we booked our flights and rental car for our trip to New Zealand in February through Cheapoair.] Friday we joined Ginny for a visit to Uncle Harry, then she treated us to dinner at the North Bend Bar and Grill. The weather on Friday had not looked promising for flying at Chelan Butte.

20 Sep, Sat - We waved goodbye to Ginny around 0900 just before we pulled the Aliner out of the driveway. We were surprised to arrive at Beebe Bridge Campground and find a "Camp Area Full" sign at noon. Fortunately there were still three sites that must have just opened up and we settled into site a big enough that Chris and Patricia would have room to pitch a tent if they joined us. Over at the Chelan Falls soccer field park/LZ we signed up and then drove to the top with Derek,  his friend TJ, and Susan Brockway. Conditions were light but the best bet seemed to be Morningside on the ridge below the towers. C.J. flew in the light conditions while I drove down. We hung out in the LZ. Later Susan invited us to pool our food with theirs and eat at her house just S of Orondo. Great meal, even though it was a potluck. We didn't get back before 2200. Chris and Patricia showed up later  - they had been having a good flying day at Saddle and had eaten in E-burg with Meredyth.

21 Sep, Sun - We had Overnight Oatmeal with Chris and Patricia at the camp picnic table before going over to the LZ. We drove up with C and P and Steve Thibault. Conditions were light again but it was coming up Ants and I launched and searched for lift out to 3-Tree Point and on down to the soccer field. Only a few folks found any soarable air. Patricia, whose turn it was to watch the dog, drove our car down. We left in mid-afternoon and stopped for gas in Cle Elum where the price for some reason was $3.299 cash, a few cents more expensive at Safeway where we filled up.