Dockweiler RHG Diary

[JoeF]

Thanks Bob and Frank!
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1. I'm aiming to hang glide nearly every day somewhere, somehow.
2. It is a joy being a member of the open-and-free recreational hang gliding community.
3. It would not be simple pain to join the repugnant u$hPa, but a spiritual suicide; I cannot have integrity and support an org that is staying blind unabashedly to the ravages of the PDMC while sucking life out of their hang gliding faction (in part by an abuse of expelling one of their finest members Bob Kuczewski). That org would surely expel me if I joined them!
4. Ask the logical question: "Does one find WS closed on Wednesday? " Go there at 7 a.m. in the morning of a Wednesday and observe that WS is closed; that means that on that Wednesday it is true that one can find WS closed. WS is both open and closed on Wednesdays.
5. Safe-Splat for downslope-street braking is yet challenging, but a creative joyful challenge.

[wingspan33]

. . . Also depends on the hospital release date for my wife and how well she is doing. Frank

Hi Frank,

I'm hoping you remember me. We met in person at the Otto meet in 2016 (and maybe 2015?) and I remember telling you that my first vario was a Colver. Well, I wanted to wish your wife the best toward a speedy recovery. My, now 87 year old, mother had a mild stroke back in 2000. It occurred during a "routine" operation to remove a small benign brain tumor. Well, she's still plugging away but I've witnessed the troubles involved in recovery, as well as the long term effects. From that perspective I wish the best for you too because I'm sure your wife will need some help and support from you.

PS - If you don't remember me, just ask Bob who I am.

[Frank Colver]

Yes I do remember you and I remember being surprised that you had come a long way to arrive at the Otto meet. I hope you can attend our 47th anniversary on May 27.

Thank you very much for your best wishes for my wife. We are fortunate that she was not severely impacted and she is gaining better mobility with physical therapy.

Frank

[JoeF]

Monday, April 9, 2018
The forecasts I read for Dockweiler were overshooting the actual.
Actual at the site wdsssssssas about 2 to 5 mph.
Today's flight time was a late start for me: 3 p.m. to 6:30. A nap under the wing was taken. Pleasant temperature.
Total flights: 18.
All the flights were with severe wing runs. Flight ground distances was good and fun. This invited longer carrybacks.
Pleasant seeing the bees pollinate the slope's flowers.

Five distinct photographing instances.
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[Bob Kuczewski]

Joe, you've mastered the secret of life ... enjoying the passage of time (great J.T. song for those who know it).

My glider transport machine is almost repaired, and I hope to be sharing the air with you soon.

Thanks for the reports ... they always make me smile.

[JoeF]

Good news about your HG-carrying vehicle! Thanks for all the rides you gave me in it! And the Falcon tips along the way.
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Tuesday, April 11, 2018
An exploratory adventure set the scene. Tire from yesterday, I aimed to arrive at Dockweiler early. Had breakfast at Fantastic Cafe in El Segundo.
The 9:30 first flight was in 1 mph NW (cross for the slope). Good ground distance. But the wing run on the sandy top launch got the heart going. I was going to attack the world record for flight count, but the low wind, heat, and effects of yesterday's flight were going to have they nay say about the record. But many things were noted that will affect future efforts. Sharpening the mechanics and preparations will making breaking the record more feasible. Today I had the saltines, water, food to guard against cramps; but as the day went on, the way-below-forecasted wind had its special effects.

First 14 flight to noon: Wind under 2 and NW. Then wind W to flight #21. Then wind SW at 4 and 5 mph through flight 33. Then NW wind for four more flights. Done.

Effects of flying in 0-4 mph winds at Dockweiler on record efforts:
1. The launch calories are high.
2. The ground-distance effected is large. This means that the non-assistive wind (no help in carrying the wing's weight) has pilot carry full weight of wing a longer distance; such takes up more calories and muscle wear.
3. The carrying of the wing up the slope has no assist from the wind.

The carefully logged (time of day, wind estimate, and comment) 37 flights of the day maxed my body. The right hamstring was threatening full awful pulling, so I stopped even with time left in the daylight.

Ed Vasquez (1974 HG; later some PG; has flown Dockweiler in recent times) stopped his bicycling to chat some; good to see him again. PG-HG shoulder tendon injury gives him some pause of late; but he gets in about 25 miles cycling each day. He ask about Bob and all.

Jon Plank, 80, of class 1955 Culver High (my high school, but for me: 1959) has been RC gliding and e-flight operating at Dockweiler. We talked; I showed him the details of what was puzzling to him: a rotating kite that I had going in a pause of my hang gliding session.

HG flight session: 9:30 a.m. to 4:32 pm. In the session were pauses for water, food, sitting rest. The seven hour run for 37 flights: a bit more than 5 flights per hour; the record was not going to be broken as leg cramp came and I did not want to risk a full muscle pull-tearing.

Miscellaneous notes:
[ ] Napper in truck needed.
[ ] For record, have two days rest prior to the big effort.
[ ] Sharpen effort by going for "it" when the wind is assistive.
[ ] Cooler days with assistive wind will be helpful. Hot days sap energy.
[ ] Keep the water intake robust.
[ ] Best effort will possible when sand does not built up inside shoes. Get non-sand-intake shoes.
[ ] Design cushioning on harness so there is no irritant from the harness. Such irritants sap calories needed for the record effort.
[ ] Get a helmet that ventilate better than the one I've been using.
[ ] Configure a quick tie-down that avoids the knot-tying session; perhaps have a loop in the tie down rope and a tie on the basebar with a loop and carabiner.
[ ] Aching to fly a better L/D wing at Dockweiler. I ache to fly to the wet sand!
[ ] The bluff's moguls: How might we smooth the whole slope? Infill, sculpt, and set plants everywhere. ????
[ ] Incline running board at the top launch might be something to try.
[ ] Hospitality station: water, sunscreen, goggles, tools, wind indicators, toys, information,
[ ] Landing area wind-direction tells.
[ ]

Special: Woman with three young sons ages 3 to 5. She delighted in seeing the HG; several questions answered. She and sons were at water's edge playing; then they took special moment to direct the attention of a flight. I landed; they all ran to the wing in landing area. I field the questions from the three sons. It was their first real-life connection with a hang glider. The three year old insisted many times: "Why do you fly????????" Good question; honest was challenged; but a partial answer: it is really fun. I thanked the mom for sharing her sons; she replied with an invite for me to babysit them anytime.

Day after note: Quadriceps are very sore.

[wingspan33]

. . . she replied with an invite for me to babysit them anytime. . .

Joe, here's an idea for a new record to be set -

Head Line Reads -

"Joe Faust takes 3 year old boy on first hang
gliding tandem flight at Dockweiler Beach!"

.
.
.

[Frank Colver]

My heart aches to get back out there with you again, Joe!

Frank

[Bob Kuczewski]

My heart aches to get back out there with you again, Joe!

Me too Joe!!!

Thanks for the very detailed reports. Your words paint a picture of your activities, and it's fun to watch in my mind's eye.

I can't wait until I can join you again.   

[JoeF]

Thanks Scott, Frank, and BobK !
Scott, it does appear that one may grow a family via HG

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Next Monday and Tuesday: I must be absent for other matters.
Even if wind is great. April 16 and 17.
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