[Frank Colver]

I appreciate the article about George Worthington's death. I've known Mark Smith since he was a high school kid when he used to "clean our clocks" in RC glider contests. All of us older guys couldn't practice every afternoon like Mark, we had jobs. I never knew the details of the accident that took George's life but I did know the toll it would taker on the survivor, Mark.

In the 70's while I was still hang gliding some of my flying friends were flying the Owens and would try to talk me into joining them. I always said; "those are big conditions and these are light gliders" and I never took the opportunity. Probably a reasonable move on my part considering the state of the sport's equipment at that time.

Now, I find myself in the Owens several times each year paddling that beautiful little river and staying in Big Pine (this summer there may not be enough flow). Always thinking I might have flown from those majestic mountains but happy with what I'm doing.

fcolver

[Rick Masters]

I've canoed that river many times with my border collies. I've run the length from Laws to the Independence aqueduct intake. Shot the weirs - sometimes successfully. Met elk and owls. It's a two or three-day trip because of the meanders. It's a fabulous sky to camp under. At the halfway point, down below the abandoned narrow gauge trestle, is a field where some of my cowpoke friends camped out on a ride toward Westgard Pass, near an old cattle corrall. They made their dinner, bedded down, went to sleep. One guy woke up. Heard something. Like the swish of his horse's tail - and faint, little clicks - but close to his ear. Then he heard more of the same sound, all around him. He thought it might be a rattler, got all creeped out, and slowly brought out his flashlight.

Everywhere across the broad dirt of the corral, on all sides of the sleeping bags were black scorpions, hundreds, he said, one dancing with another, black shadows in the beam, absorbed in a mating ritual or some incomprehensible insect play. They were the big ones we have up there, in the remote parts, better than four inches long, some of them. Not the worst of the scorpions, mind you, but the worst-looking, by far. Black, with about the ugliest black/green color on the softer underbelly.



They rode the rest of the night, he said.

[Frank Colver]

We usually are a group of boaters of from 2 to 20 people. Over the years we have also run all of those sections you've run but as separate day runs, since LADWP frowns on campers and getting hassled spoils the fun. You should join us sometime, Rick.

A solo run I like to do is to park at the Big Pine gauging station and paddle my packraft down to Steward Rd then walk the old railroad bed, on the east side, back to my truck with my boating gear on my back. This gives me about 3-3/4 miles of river with a 2 mile walk back.

We also have the distinction of doing the first decent on the lower, after LA put the water back in 2006. That was fun but now the tules are to thick to run that.

I've also been after the county and LADWP to stop the spread of Russian olive in the valley.

Another Owens area activity of mine is riding either my electric motorcycle (Zero FX) or my electric trike (home-built) on the jeep trails in the Inyos and Sierra.

FC

[Rick Masters]

It's a long way up Mazourka Peak in the winter.

[Frank Colver]

I'll bet that one isn't electric powered like my trike.

BTW - A lot going on now days with electric propulsion for ultralights and sailplanes. I wish I was younger so I could see what the next 1/4 century brings. I absolutely love electric motorcycles and my e-trike. I'd also love to fly an electric glider. I get mine vicariously by flying RC electric gliders. Love those winch-less launches and the "relights" between thermals.

FC

[Rick Masters]

[Rick Masters]

[Rick Masters]

Mei-Dan says his research suggests that extreme sports athletes are not subject to the post-traumatic stress that might affect others who witness gruesome fatalities or undergo frequent near-death experiences like those facing BASE jumpers. "These types of people are wired completely differently," he said. "BASE jumpers are immune to PTSD."

What about hang glider pilots?

My personal experience has been to back off after a close call.

Me, too, Frank. But what about soaring parachutists?

I quit paragliding today! - It happened at about 5 grand over Baldy. - It has been fun but I'm done! I skied and found myself at 5200 in what felt to be the strongest Baldy Bullet I have ever encountered. The others, intrepid or dense, launched without event. As they were launching, I had determined that I was done.

The last quote was from David Norwood, co-chairman of the USHPA Paragliding Safety Committee, on July 26, 2012.

Paragliding fatality # 1260
David Norwood
July 16, 2014
Collapse.

It's too bad the preacher didn't listen to the angel on his shoulder.

But I wonder, sometimes, is there more to it? When you place yourself frequently in a situation where you are subject to RANDOM death or maiming from paraglider collapse - which I would argue involves less personal responsibility, a reduced awareness of danger and a higher level of physical and mental laziness than either BASE jumping or hang gliding - does that indicate that a greater level of PTSD immunity exists in paragliding? Is the soaring parachutist's level of PTSD immunity even greater than that involved in BASE-jumping? I mean, BASE-jumpers are hyper-aware when they go for it. So are hang glider pilots. It's a CONTROL thing. "I am in control and I can do this perfectly," is the survival mantra. But soaring parachutists don't exhibit that level of control. They can't - because of the sloppy and inadequate control response. BASE-jumpers know EXACTLY what they're going to do when they jump. Hang glider pilots know what they are going to do. But paraglider pilots look to me like they are hoping to deal with the situation as it develops. Sometimes it takes them several tries to get off the hill. Sometimes it doesn't look like they heading the way they intended. And in turbulence they sometimes experience a partial collapse and carry on as it it is a normal way to fly. It's way beyond anything I would accept, so I guess my PTSD tolerance isn't too good.