The back of the truck was a fart contest to the top on Tuesday morning. It was awful, and very funny. I was second to launch and my attitude was top shape. I was determined to overcome my fears of thermals by focusing on all Gabe had said: Get out over the foothills and keep steady even 360s.
Be thankful you can't smell this.
I found nothing at the top and aimed immediately for the foothills on the other side of the canyon. Here I found pay dirt. I climbed nearly 2000 feet in 3 sets of 360s. I didn’t realize until I looked at my GPS that all 3 thermals were coming from the same source. At the end of the 3rd I was empowered. I had felt the edges of the thermals and managed to stay inside.
There’s no way anyone can explain what that feels like. It is something you have to experience. I was focusing on the lift. I was focused on the positive and that’s what I was receiving. It felt great. I moved on to other ridges expecting to find more lift, but it wasn’t there. I ended up landing just in front of the 2nd step of foothills. The landing was dicey, really rough.
I’ve had thermals explained as bubbles coming up from a pot of boiling water. They rotate at the source which causes dust devils. I aimed for a dirt road on my 1st approach and 20 feet from landing got a huge pop that rotated me to the right and off the road. I landed in the brush. At least it was a safe landing.
I felt great. I had the feeling. That was my goal. I wanted to get out there again and get more. I’ll get my chance.
One more thing. I focused on lift, on the positive. I felt my body tense in the beginning, my legs rising in tension. I breathed and let them relax. I relaxed my posture in the harness, deeply, perhaps for the very first time. I pulled the breaks with my lats, not my biceps. It was a calm deliberate confident feeling. I was going up. I didn’t need to worry about the little strings holding me to the wing or the tiny seat I was sitting in.
My hand naturally came back a bit nearer to my shoulders. It was very comfortable. I was in the moment purely.
It’s a learning experience. None of it is wasted. It’s building. With the other folks on the clinic you learn not only your lesson but theirs. It’s a great way to learn in a sport where some lessons could be your last.
Ryan is 13 years old. He hit 12K on this launch.
That evening the wind was averaging 12 MPH with gusts to 18 at Flynn’s. Robin got knocked over trying to launch. It was blowing 12-18MPH where we were standing. 20 feet up it was 18-21. This was a questionable time to launch.
Robin got off okay, as well as Ryan. When Tom set up he had 2 aborted attempts. We were trying to time the launch between sets, but the lowest the air got was 8. Tom got off well. When it was my turn the wind picked up again and made a launch impossible.
The wind was compressed on the ridge, but down below it was calm. At the LZ it was quiescent. 10 minutes later the wind shifted nearly completely south. Katabatic conditions were moments away.
I thought to myself, “this is a lot of effort for a sled ride. There’s some value in learning a high wind launch. Screw it. I’m gearing up.”
The wind died down for a moment and I looked at Gabe. “Should I launch?” He made a ‘cut’ sign across his throat. I thought to myself “I know I can launch now, but why should I go against what Gabe is saying? When has that ever worked for me?” I bundled up my wing and threw my gear in the truck.
When I was done no one was coming to the truck. Everyone was sitting by the launch talking. The sun was setting. Gabe radioed down to the guys at the LZ to go home, we were going to watch the sun set.
Do you know how long it’s been since I just plain watched the sun set? The valley was beautiful and rays of the sun were beaming out.
It was the magic hour.
I love my family and I embrace the demands of work and parenthood, but they do take these times away from you. There was nothing to do and nowhere to go. It was a perfect time to relax and be.
A half hour passed with great beauty. There was no alcohol, but to me this time was better than the finest French bottle. Gorgeous.
On the ride down I learned a bit more about Kari. She teached in Owens for a living. She competes and has Red Bull as a sponsor but teaching pays the bills.
We headed back down to Bishop and had sushi for dinner.
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