“...and the worst of days,” one flier said as he left the field to wash off the poison ivy.

But it was a day of flying, and that beats a day at work any day, to paraphrase another flier.

We set-up by the pond, first launch off the winch, the air seemed so nice.  Lots of small bubbles of lift seemingly everywhere.  The birds were out and the winds were light.  Setting my timer to 10 minutes seemed kind of pointless so I started thinking of a better challenge.  Hmm... what’s left on my LSF sheet?  There were only four of us, Robert, Mark Gauding, Matt Fitzgerald and me, so getting a 15-man contest together would be tricky.  How about... a 2km goal-and-return?  No pick-up truck, no planning, but what the heck, how far could it be, anyway?

So Mark and I set-off down the road, flying a SuperStar and a Supra, respectively, just cruising about at launch height, with Robert tagging along.  We got to the edge of the bean field, still playing around and feeling good.  If the lift kept up, we could make the whole distance whizzing around at 300-500 feet.  But it didn’t keep up, at least not where we were.  I kept trying to push ahead with the plane, leaving bits of lift in an effort to advance forward on the distance part of the task.  It was a losing combination and we both eventually landed at the northern edge of the sod farm.

On the walk back to the winch, I decided to give it a more focused effort and actually try to formulate a plan before heading off.  Robert said “launch to 2000ft then shoot for the target.”  That sounded like a plan. 

Unfortunately, my launch only got me to 600ft so I had to find a thermal to make up the difference, then I started walking again.  After I got to Peruque Creek Rd, on the eastern side of the sod farm, Robert and Mark pulled up and I hopped onto the tailgate of Robert’s car (he wouldn’t let me ride on the hood where I had a more unobstructed view (and he would have had a more obstructed view.))  I had to fly off to the side and behind the car to see it around open rear door, but we made it okay to the first big 90 deg bend.  I walked the next bit eastward because I couldn’t see the plane when it was in front of the car and Robert drove on ahead to where I thought the 2km marker should be.  As this was an impromptu attempt, I didn’t have a clear memory of what the distance was, so I wanted to make sure to go a little bit past the point. 

Robert drove down the straightaway section of Peruque Creek Rd, past the farm buildings to where the road starts snaking around again and confirmed my plane passed him.  I flew from the side of the road, near the line of trees just north of the second 90 deg turn.

The lowest I got on the outbound leg was around launch height, 700ft, and with Mark’s help I found some good lift coming off the bean field in front of us.  Climbed to 1650ft during the initial part of the return, the plane getting ever smaller as Robert drove us back towards the edge of the sod farm by the big tree.  Mark and I hopped out there and the plane made a bee-line back to the field (the long steady drop on the altimeter plot.)  Just to make sure I had covered enough distance, I flew down Peruque Creek Rd to 79 where Robert again confirmed I crossed the plane.  Landed after about 50 minutes of flying, hoping that I had remembered the distance markers correctly.

It turns out, I hadn’t.  Looking at the map, it seems I actually travelled 2.9km.  Oh well, I guess it still counts for a 2km goal-and-return.

Thusly inspired, Robert and Mark both started working in earnest on their LSF1 landings and 5-minute thermal flights.  That’s when things started getting dicey.  Or should I say, that’s when Mr. Excitement showed up.  Brendan stopped by too, (thanks for bringing the mallet!) coincidentally.

I’ll let others pick up the story, suffice to say, Brendan is an able replacement for Gordy as a tree-climber, if anyone comes across the need for such services.  And his rates are reasonable. 

Chris

Robert Samuels: Hi Flyers: It was another "interesting" day.  Dang!! 

After Chris made his loooog flight Mark G and I decided to make a start on our LSF tasks.   They ended in disaster for both of us.   I was flying my Graphite2.    Wait... you say.  Didn't you have a midair with Brendan on Saturday?

Yes I did.  But you forget.... I have a new wing for this beauty.  Which I wanted to try out. 

But I continued with my plan to make the 5 spot landings.  A few landings more and I was setting up for the 4th landing and guess what happened.  What do new Graphite2s do best?  Land in the trees?   How... did... you... guess?  I decline to offer the details but suffice it to say that it ended up about 35 feet up in a poison ivy covered tree near the pond located in the center of the world's greatest infestation of that evil plant. 

So what did that angel, Brendan Miller, do?   Without saying a word he walked around the pond, walked through the poison ivy, climbed the poison ivy covered tree and handed my plane down to me piece by piece.  And then thanked me for letting him help.   I don't know what Mark M. did in raising that boy but I wish I had done half the job with my kids.  Brendan is my hero.  I only hope I can be as nice a person as he has been.  Not just today.  He has been a real "stand up" kind of guy on many occasions. 

At this point in the day I thought it might be time to quit.  I had not yet done any damage to my Taboo nor to my electric foamie.  

I went home.

El Roberto

Brendan Miller: It was an interesting day even though I didn't fly anything, I really just showed up to give chris his hammer back. As I was talking to Mark G I heard a noise, I thought it was the sod farm workers homing stuff. I looked at Robert and noticed he didn't have his plane near him, I thought "where is Robert’s plane?" then I saw him walking towards the trees and said "Robert is in the trees." I saw where is was and said I had pants on and just went up the tree. Man there is just a sea of poison ivy there, don't think there is a market for it but maybe Keevan knows something we don't, but I am happy to say at this point there is no signs of the poison ivy on me.  It was an interesting day of flying for not even flying.

Brendan