Baxter Ridge Buzzing

Yesterday was a post-frontal day, so I decided to go check out a new north facing flying site Cody has suggested called Baxter's Ridge. It is a wide open, short, 200' high ridge with a number of bumps, bowls and gullies. The landowner has provided walk-in only "sportsman" access. On this brisk, blue-sky spring day the wind was about 13-15 out of the north, with 10-15 red-tail hawks cruising the ridge overhead. I set up and had an uneventful launch, immediately getting about 100' over. The air was smooth, with a few small thermals releasing from the newly plowed fields below. The lift band was narrow, requiring me to get up close and personal with the ridge contours in an aerial ballet with all of the hawks! I topped out about 250' over as the lift lightened enough to flush me out to the bailout LZ. It is a nice little site, but I will probably only fly it on a slightly stronger north wind day.

I managed to take some in-flight video, which I edited into a mini-movie. The .flv resolution quality is a bit dissappointing - it looks much better playing on my home computer in the .wmv format. I'll work on figuring out a better format for 'bloggin' (any suggestions or ideas out there?) In the meantime, you get the idea!

Airtime: 15 minutes!

Soccer Dog!

Landon had his second soccer game of the season today! His first game was Tuesday, in which the team struggled a bit after only one practice session. Landon did score the first goal, bending one just over the goalies' head! The other team pulled ahead, and our team lost that one 4-8.

Today the team played better, winning a hard fought 4-3 battle! Although he didn't score any goals, Landon played some tough defense.

Clover provided the highly entertaining half-time show!

Air Over Cedar!

After nearly 5 air-time-less months for me, the drought was finally broken today! The forecast called for strong southerly pre-frontal winds statewide today - and they were definitely red-flag honkin! This resulted in the warmest day of the year, with temps in the upper 70's. After such a long, hard, snowy cold winter (and spring), it was long overdue.

Cody & I figured that Short Divide was probably blown-out, so we decided to check out "Three Hill". I had one great flight from there last November:(http://mattsbigadventure.blogspot.com/2007/11/three-hill-high.html) I was anxious to try this launch out again, and with the higher winds aloft and in the valleys, it was our best bet because it is a low, 350' launch on a small southwest facing ridge.

Conditions on launch at about 3:30 pm were a steady 25 mph, with gusts building up to 38 mph! Since we would have to carry the gliders up the hill, and conditions were still too strong to launch, Cody opted to not risk his newly repaired trick-knee on the short, steep climb. I decided to haul my glider up to launch, with the hope that conditions would mellow after a couple of hours.

I set up behind a lone juniper tree, and Cody and I then talked HG while hang-waiting on the wind. Finally by about 5:40 conditions had improved to a steady 23 mph, with gusts only up to 28. I called Keri & the boys, who were able to watch me launch and fly from our backyard with binoculars! Cody assisted as I walked out to launch, where I paused only long enough to get wings neutral and level. Cody later told me that my launch looked great - it was immediately after launch that I gave him cause for concern.

Because my bulky glider bag stuffed into my harness had shifted all the way down to the "boot", I couldn't get a foot-hold to prone out in my cocoon harness. Although I knew that I was in control, the moderately banked oscillations probably did not look too good from the ground. On the third attempt I managed to prone out, and then continued the flight without incident. In retrospect, I probably should have just flown a bit further away from the hill on the uprights before re-attempting to prone out.

By now the sky was a bit overcast, so any thermal activity was almost imperceptible. The air was smooth and not too strong as I soared the small bowl near launch. I crossed a small canyon to a lower ridge in front of launch where I was able to climb to 300' over launch, so I pointed downwind, soon arriving on the face of Cedar Mountain. I climbed over the top of Cedar (about 500' above launch) and eventually topped out about 900' over launch (6,500'),

which was about 2,000' above the valley floor.

From here the view of the snow covered mountains was breathtaking.

I attempted to drift back and climb the higher mountain range beyond, but the lack of thermal activity did not allow it. So I relaxed, took some pictures,

waved at the dirt-bikers...

and dog-walkers on Cedar Mountain, and just enjoyed the long-overdue airtime.

I played follow the leader with a red-tailed hawk, and soon found the lift to become a bit sketchy and elusive. So I pointed south, and came in a couple hundred over the LZ as Cody kicked up a little dust to give me a wind indicator.

I turned onto final with plenty of speed as I descended through a pronounced wind gradient. I sort-of flared a bit too early, but a slight breeze allowed me to make a respectable, no-whack landing - almost making up for my less-than-stellar launch ;-) *(Thanks for the video, Cody!)

Airtime: 1 hour 15 minutes!

A Night of Jazz!

Josh had the opportunity to perform three numbers with the All Northern Jazz Band in a combined evening of Jazz at the local performing arts theater! The show also included five pieces by the local University Jazz Ensemble, concluded with six movements by the University Jazz Orchestra.

Each of the three "big bands" were terrific themselves - but when combined with one of the country's foremost woodwind Grammy Award winning recording artist, author, professor, composer and performer Chris Vadala, it made for a magical evening of horn-wailing, toe-tapping music!

Chris accompanied and performed solos in many of the songs performed by each of the three bands. Many of the young musicians had the opportunity for individual "solo expression" - and some had the rare treat of playing side by side the virtuoso himself! Performances included arrangements from renowned jazz musicians such as Chuck Mangione, Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Strayhorn, and others.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to not only meet, but get to perform and rub shoulders with such a talented artist.

"When do we play next!!"

Although this video does not nearly do the performance justice, it will give you a taste of what it was like! (From "Children of the Sanchez" by Chuck Mangione.) *For additional video clips from the performance at Keri's 'blog just click on: http://simplykeri.blogspot.com/2008/04/my-jazz-boy.html

Josh goes Solo

Well, I suppose that 16 is a good age to get acquainted with motorcycle operation - since I started a bit younger than that!

So I took Josh out to the foothills not too far from home to do some "training" ("sure Dad, whatever you say, yeah right...") After sort of listening to my "words of wisdom" gleaned from personal experience, I let him drive with me as a passenger.

The toughest part for him was figuring out how to shift with a clutch. After a while he sort of got the hang of it, so I let him go "solo" around a small, controlled course, keeping it between 1st and 2nd gears only.

After about a half hour, he was looking a bit too casual, and getting a bit braver, so I decided to called it a day. By now his hands and forearms were well-fatigued from "first-timers grip". He actually did fairly well, without accident or incident - and couldn't seem to stop smiling!

Sometimes, the Tooth Hurts...

...and occasionally, the Truth can be a bit painful too. In my case, the truth is I am (still) an addict - gratefully (still) recovering!

A week ago Friday, I went in to the dentist to get a couple of drillings and fillings. The one on my right rear lower molar was a bit deep, and the dentist was concerned that it might need a root canal. By the following evening it was obvious that it would, as the pressure began to build and the throbbing began. Over the weekend the pain radiated from my jaw and down the back of my neck. Of course I took some Excedrin and acetaminophen to take the edge off, hoping that it would all just go away, but by Monday night anything OTC was no good, and my sleep was nearly non-existent.

So Tuesday Keri convinced me to go to the Endodontist (root Dr.), but he could not get me in until Thursday! So I called Keri and told her that I would not make it 2 more days without something narcotic in nature to relieve the pain. I assured her that she would hold them, reminding her that as long as I took them "as prescribed," my "clean time" would remain intact (how's that for some great justification!). I could almost taste the pain-numbing opiate in my mouth, as my euphoric recall kicked into high gear.

Of course Keri calmly proceeded to freak-out over the phone, and said "NO-WAY-NOT-AGAIN" and abruptly ended the conversation. Apparently she worked her wifely-magic (cajoling/ranting/pleading?) and got me an appointment Tuesday afternoon. I soon found myself un-comfortably reclined in "the chair", the entire right side of my face numb, having that tooth's roots vigorously reamed-out (yee-haww). That night, the throbbing, general pain was obviously gone, leaving the more local discomfort from the tooth trauma. Ibuprofen 800 took care of that, and by Saturday night I could sleep through the night again. Now I just have to get through two more days of the nauseating antibiotics. (Wahh-wahh, poor ME;-)

So, my name is still Matt, and I am, still an addict. But that's not such a terrible thing - because it is not a secret, and I have the tools and support system that allows me to get through life clean - one day at a time. I have learned that if I do all that I can to stay in recovery mode, and I still fall short, God will make up the difference - often times in very unexpected ways! This tooth experience has reminded me that even though I have accumulated some recovery experience, that I am still human, and cannot do it all alone. The day may come when my health requires the use of stronger drugs. If that day comes, I will use all that I have learned up to that point to deal with it, not alone, and stay in recovery mode.

Recovery is so much more than just clean, dry, or sober time. A good friend recently reminded me that it is a 24-hour a day, new attitude, outlook, and perspective from which I cannot afford even a moment's vacation. For someone in recovery, it is a new way of life - in which I daily learn how to use a vast toolbox of new knowledge and resources to deal with life's inevitable challenges, struggles, and even pain - without the escape of drugs.

Occasionally I resent the fact that I am an addict, but I quickly let that go as soon as I realize that it is leading to self-pity. I then replace it with gratitude for all that I have learned in recovery, and for the opportunity to share and possibly help another person today.

This 'blog posting is probably mostly self-serving - pushing my recovery on for another day. That is one of the great paradoxes in recovery - that I keep what I have only by giving it away. That being the case, if you choose to comment or respond to this posting, that is fine - but I would prefer that you don't include any accolades. I don't talk much about the sordid details of my past addictions, because I prefer to stay in the now, and focus on the positive aspects of today! I am happy to share my past experiences on a more personal level - perhaps I will write a book some day. For now I will share at meetings or in an occasional less-graphic 'blog posting...Just for Today!

A Visit from Mill-Pups!

Milli (Klobber's friend) came to visit today!

It didn't take long for them to get re-acquainted...

...and before long they were racing all over the back yard,

and honing their battle skills!

What a fun way to spend a brisk Spring afternoon! Come back soon, Millburn!

Centesimal

Believe it, or Don't - This marks my 100th 'blog posting!

(Photo by Matt Harman)

I started 'blogging in July of 2007. Having fun, or not - time sure flies!

(Photo by Craig Jensen)