Flying possibilities

[Bill Cummings]

RGSA/Hawks,
Robin will be at my house tomorrow (Friday 10/24/2014) to pick me up at eleven o’clock and then head to Mag., Rim.
Launch time should be about 1pm.
Call Robin or me if you need a ride to the Rim.

Robin may also be posting about work taking him to Alamogordo Saturday so he can take advantage of the SW wind forecast after work.

[Bill Cummings]

RGSA/hawks,
Friday 10/24/2014, Mike arrived at my door and rang the code that I instructed Robin to use so that I could choose to either answer the door or ignore the doorbell. This code was established to weed out the political hacks and the Later Day Saints along with the censuses takers. I was sure it was Robin Hastings but it was Mike Ellsworth. He just either stumbled onto the prearranged doorbell code that I had arranged with Robin or he had the powers of ESPN or what ever it’s called.
Anyway I opened the front door in my Hanes under shorts ready to say, “This is what you get for showing up thirty minutes early Robin.” Only it was Mike.
I had told Robin that I would drive for him at Mag., Rim since my doctor had grounded me due to the diagnosis of Proximal Positional Vertigo. (PPV)
I was instructed by my doctor to do, “Eppley Maneuvers.” This would, in lay mans terms, relocate my, “Ear Rocks,” back where they belonged and out of my semicircular canal. I was to throw myself onto my back on the bed and turn my head to the affected (right) side.
This would make the room spin wildly but was supposed to relocate my, “Ear Rocks.” to correct the vertigo problem. The best analogy would be a dieing fish flopping on a river bank. After two weeks it didn’t seem to be helping so I quit.
Time seemed to be the answer and I’m now recovered to about 95% and soon will be able to take flight.
A word of advice, don’t put off to tomorrow a flight that you can do today.
As you get older lots of things will get in your way.
Long story short: Mike and Robin had excellent launches, sled rides, and landings, (wink, wink.)

[Bill Cummings]

Hey Robin--I’m back.
Today Sunday 11/2/2014 looks to be blown out on the forecast.
I see already and for a few hours it has been blowing 10 to 12 mph out of the south.
I’m thinking it’s already blown out at Mag., Rim.
Deming isn’t looking blown out yet.

[Bill Cummings]

If you decide on the Little Floridas' give me a call to drive.
Afternoon the wind is supposed to swing out of the west 5-10mph.

[RobinHastings]

Well, we did get to fly, but not at the Little Floridas. Magdalena Rim is closer. Bill Cummings and I, with John Theoret (current Canadian National Champion) went out there today. The weather was beautiful and the winds were coming in at the launch, when we finally got there with my U2-160 and John's T2C-136. John launched at 1:00 pm MST, swooping a bit but getting away with it. He went left, went up, and spent an hour and 50 minutes soaring over the ridge to a height of about 6400 ft MSL (launch is at 5500). I followed John, 20 minutes later, but couldn't find the lift he did. (Maybe he brought it with him? We do get a lot of imports from Canada - why not thermals?) I had a 5-minute sled ride and a standup landing in the lower LZ. John explored up and down the ridge and much of the surrounding terrain, looking for more lift and scoping out cross country routes. He had a pretty good landing in the same LZ I used. All in all, we had a very nice day. And I'm glad to see a new visitor to our excellent site. It's great to have John back in town! Tomorrow Bill and John might head to the Portrillo Mountains to pioneer that place, and on Sunday John and I will meet Mike Ellsworth to fly Dry Canyon. Come join us, about 11:00 am in the Cox Field LZ. See you then!
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014
It's been an interesting week or so - especially for John Theoret. Did he get to fly out here? Oh, yes. A week ago, on Sunday, John and I and Mike Ellsworth soared at Dry Canyon. I had an extended sled ride, Mike did a little better, and John had almost two hours there. The following day John and Bill went to the Little Floridas, but the terrible road there delayed them and the launch was blown out when they finally made it up that far. John went to the El Paso area and flew at Anapra, and launched from Transmountain Highway to bench up and soar the Franklin Mountains for half an hour. He had another flight at Dry Canyon on Friday, along with Nate Wreyford of Austin, Texas. The previous day (Thursday) both Nate and John soared at Anapra, in east winds of 25 miles an hour. Nate departed for Austin on Friday night, and Saturday was a blowout. Sunday, a fast-moving rainstorm in Las Cruces finally confirmed John's idea that maybe it was time to move on, and he left for Austin. John plans to fly in the World Championships in early March in Valle de Bravo, Mexico. The man does get around. Meanwhile, on Saturday I mentored both Robert Rentschler and Dan Jerdan through some hang gliding basics with the club training glider. Robert has his own electical business in Alamogordo, and Dan is out TDY from his home in South Dakota, doing some work at Holloman AFB. John was able to make it out to Las Cruces today, as well, and did a fine job running down the training hill into a southeast wind. It's probably the only airtime adventure to be had, this Sunday. I'll keep mentoring Robert, too, and get him ready for lessons with Mel and Charlie up north in Albuquerque. Flying lives!
-Robin

[Bob Kuczewski]

Flying lives!

From your description of all the flying activities out there, I'd revise that to:

Flying THRIVES!!!!

Great job on keeping so many people in the air, and bringing new people into the sport!!

[JanZ]

Is anybody up for some early flying tomorrow morning?
Maybe @ Mag Rim and if it won't work I could bring my Winch to dial it in.
That means free PG tows for the Guys who agree to be my WinchDummys

[RobinHastings]

Jan Zschenderlein did indeed come to Las Cruces today. He brought Robert Rentschler with him, who wants to learn to hang glide. We gave Robert a mentoring session at the hills by Centennial High School, then we all headed out to Mag Rim. I was all set up to fly by 2:30, but the winds were howling by then. Maybe they quieted just before sunset, but who can say? We were on our way back to the truck by 4:00, after I finally gave up staring at the windsock and timing the lulls. (Some of them lasted as much as a minute!) Jan didn't even take his PG out of the bag. We stopped at the mound by the new LZ and Jan tried to get a quick launch in, but wouldn't you know it? The winds died to nothing. No runs, no hits - but since I didn't launch, no life-threatening errors, either. Better luck next weekend, I hope!
-Robin

[Bob Kuczewski]

No runs, no hits - but since I didn't launch, no life-threatening errors, either.

That's a great way to look at things Robin!!     

It's great to see you guys continuing your mentoring of new pilots!!!!

R  G  S  A   ...   All the Way!!!