Two people have been there since day-one of my hang gliding lifetime -
Mom & Dad!...I always knew that someday I would fly. When I was about 6 years old my dad took me to the WSU campus one Saturday for a campus club open house. The one that caught my eye, was the hang gliding club. I remember the static hang glider display they had set up - and I also remember how disappointed I was, because they said I had to weigh at least 100 lbs!
Fast forward to high school about ten years later...I kept the dream tucked away in my head, and read every book I could find on the subject, until in 1982 I saw a Thrifty Nickel add for a hang glider in Toppenish, WA for $300!
Of course I went and bought it, figured out how to set it up, began flying it, and the rest - as they say, is history!...The early days were not without some scary moments, but I made it through with nothing worse than a few scraped knees and broken downtubes. Mom & Dad were there from the start to watch, drive, take pictures, and occasionally cringe at some rough landings!
A few high school buddies were also there to hang drive and throw me off the mountain - including Brent & Ted!
The day before I left for Hong Kong the first week of November, I had the opportunity to "give back" to Mom & Dad when we traveled to Randolph in hopes of airtime. I have always been open to the idea of taking Mom flying with me, but everything would have to come together on the perfect day when my skills, experience, equipment, and the weather all combined to allow this to safely happen. Of course a willing passenger was also a pre-requisite ;-}
We arrived on launch (Clover is an Excellent driver) at about 1 pm under sunny 50 degree skies on a crisp Fall day, with limited available daylight hours, as the sun now set at around 6 pm. The wind was light out of the West at 0-5 mph, but I set up and pre-flighted anyway to be ready if conditions improved.
We relaxed and enjoyed the view, while Clover and Kaz played and explored. Patches of snow remained from last weeks storm, and it wouldn't be long until the next storm came and closed the road to launch. With my business trip out of the country the next day, I knew this could be the last chance for a "fair weather flight".
Santacroce's self-dubbed "boneless chicken" paraglider pilots jumped off the South launch all afternoon, apparently making some kind of a thrill-seeking movie. One with a motor buzzed launch for a while as other hangies began showing up.
Finally at about 3 pm the wind began to pick up to about 10, so Mom and I began to suit up in hopes of at least a sled ride!
After a hang check and co-pilot briefing from Clover the launch monitor, we walked out to launch, where conditions had now improved to 12-14 out of the Northwest! A local raptor showed us the underside of his wings without having to flap, so I knew we would have at least an extended sled ride, and perhaps even be able to soar!
With Dan on the front wires, I yelled "Clear" and said out loud, "Walk, jog, RUN!"...by the time we got to "jog", Mom's feet were off the ground as we seamlessly took to the sky! With the NW component, I made a right turn immediately after flying away from launch, and found just enough lift to maintain around the little spine to the North. We worked the little bowl there, followed the range as it descended, and soon bobbed over the top of the ridge, finding even better lift there! At this point I knew we would have more than just a sled ride!
We made gentle 190's back and forth in front of launch, and then along the NW facing bowl, each time gaining 20 or 30 feet in altitude. As much fun as it is to "sky out", I really enjoy flying up close and personal along a ridgetop when conditions are smooth, working every little spine, bump and bowl to stay up.
Showing other Hang-waiters that it was indeed soarable, we were soon joined by 5 or 6 other pilots, including Bruce, Dan, Shadd, Ryan and a couple others. I made all my turns in lift, as gently as I could, explaining to Mom the right of way "rules of the ridge" which allow us all to share the air. About a half hour into the flight, the Randolph Magic-Glass-Off began, and we all were able to climb to about 200 feet over the top in the expanding lift band.
At first, Mom was unable to get proned out in her harness, so she just crossed her ankles, relaxed and enjoyed the flight. After a while her legs began to get cold, so I helped her get her legs into the cocoon, after which she was much more comfortable. For a first-timer, she did great - with no complaint of vertigo or queasiness!
We soaked in the surreal surroundings, waving to Dad on launch, and chasing our own shadow along the mountainside.
After an hour in the air Mom started hinting that she was getting a bit chilled, so we headed out over the meandering ox-bowed Bear River and began our gentle descent. I reminded her that things would start to seem "really fast" as we returned to two-dimensions. We came in with plenty of speed through the gradient, leveled out in ground effect, and settled down on the stubble field for a nice wheel-in landing.
As we rolled to a stop, we both let out expressions of excitement, wonder and relief. Glad to be safely back on terra-firma, but already missing the sensation of flight. Dad was there waiting for us after driving the pick-up down, relaxing and reading his latest novel. We packed up and headed back to Logan, with sun-kissed, and wind-burned faces. That night, we all slept well - with plenty of very real flying dreams! Thanks Mom & Dad - I Have been Blessed!
Airtime: 1 hour & 10 minutes!
