Friends

Photos of a gaggle of gliders waiting for conditions to improve to launch at Bauer.

Sunday afternoon July 29, Shadd, John Russell, Crazee Mike, Sam Cox, Liz Holt, Berg, myself, and David, a friend of Shadds who drove for us, went to Commodore to fly. Most of us set up, and felt the wind at our backs for an hour or so. We had a discussion, and decided to move to Bauer for the evening glass off. We all set up, and watched Crazee Mike do a nice sledder in the Swift. Mike got the longest flight of the day. After Mike packed his glider up, we stood around some more, waiting for it to get better, and I decided it was soarable. I launched, and went nearly to the train tracks at about 20 ft above the ridge. When I turned to head back, I got below the ridge, and never got back up. I kept trying to milk it for all I could, and ended up with not enough altitude to make any of the more desirable lower LZ's, landing in the sagebrush about halfway between the mowed "landing strip" and the clear area to the east where Shadd landed a few minutes later. Shadd launched next, and got a slightly shorter flight than I did, but he did make it to a desirable LZ. Liz launched next, and conditions were even worse for her. She got one little pop that extended her glide enough to make it into her regular LZ. Berg arrived shortly to pick her up. David had arrived to pick Shadd up shortly after he had landed. I had left all my bags, velcro ties, etc at the top, so I wasn't able to start bagging my stuff until David arrived (graciously with my bags). Shad and he had things to do, so they asked if I would be able to ride back up with Liz and Berg, who were around a berm from us.

I said "Sure, no problem" without checking to make sure they were still there. My mistake # 1.

After getting my stuff bagged, and gathered together, I went to ask Liz and Berg to swing back by and pick my stuff and me up. They were gone. I went back to my stuff, watching for any sign of activity at the top. Forgetting I am with a group of friends who have the same attitudes as I do and you make sure everyone is accounted for with their rides, I get ready to start hiking for the top. I like to blame thoughts like this on my high percentage of gray hair in addition to the lack of Newcastle I had with me at the time. My mistake # 2.


I get the only Newcastle I had brought on the expedition (My mistake # 3), which I had placed in Shadd's cooler earlier in the day, and finished it about the time I was at the halfway point.
Looking at the empty bottle, I try to decide to continue to be a tree hugger and pack it out, set it down, or see how far I can toss it. The tree hugger won, so I carried the bottle with me. When I finally top the ridge, I see the Hajjimobile at the other end of the ridge starting down the hill to come and get me. It is at least a half mile away from me. I had started waving my empty Newcastle bottle when I topped the ridge, hoping it would catch a glint of sunlight (I was still in the sun at this point) so whoever was driving the Hajjimobile would see me before they started down the hill. When I get within 300 yards of the 3 people next to the cars, I realize through a process of elimination, it is Liz who is driving down. When Berg, John, and Sam see me, they all start laughing, with Berg laughing so hard he is rolling on the ground. Having had one Newcastle during my hike up the hill, I can see SOME humor in the situation. I would have been able to see a lot more humor, had I had two Newcastles. I also know that Liz (one of the most congenial people I know), not having had a Newcastle, (even though she does bring some very fine brew) will probably see no humor at all in the situation when she arrives at my stuff and I am not there. By the time I get to the guys, they have settled down, Berg is no longer rolling on the ground from laughing so hard, and John is not bending over from laughing so hard. We discuss whether Liz will be able to load my stuff or not, with mention made of her comments earlier in the day that she can load her own glider by herself. I then remind the guys that my glider weighs nearly twice what her glider weighs, so we decide John should call her. Liz did QUITE an ADMIRABLE job, and IN SPITE OF NOT HAVING a Newcastle or three, she is able to laugh about it all. I felt bad about her packing everything up for me, but not bad enough to go back down there to help her!

When she got to the top, she asked why I didn't call anyone. I said I had left the phone in the Hajjimobile, at which time she mentioned she had tried to call me when she arrived at my stuff, and my harness started ringing. OOPS!!! I think I owe Liz quite a few Newcastles!!!

Even with everyone who flew getting only sledders, Liz making the decision she REALLY likes the light weight of her new Falcon 3 (she knew this already, but loading my Northwing T2 reinforced it), and me hiking up the hill, we all decided we had a good time, and it was definitely better than a good day at work.

I have some of the best friends in the world in the hang gliding community.