I had a dream last night. The setting was a social event at a huge mansion and Ken Andrews was there. For those who don't know, Ken was our Regional Director in what used to be USHPA's "Region 3" (southern California and Hawaii). I began asking Ken how he justified doing nothing about my expulsion and doing nothing about USHPA's refusal to renew the Torrey Hawks chapter status during his term. He had a "deer in the headlights" look as he made excuses and tried to dodge the questions. He went from room to room and he couldn't look me in the eyes because he knew there was no legitimate justification.

Ken is certainly a "nice enough guy", but he couldn't stand up to the pressure at USHPA to do the right thing. These situations always remind me of the last episode of M*A*S*H where people in fear can do terrible things to other people.

I really do not get it - ? I mean if One was able to Fly having launched from one of Your local sites. Then making their way to the Torrey Pines LZ then Land. I would imagine that upon hearing where You launched from. The local provaior of operations . i do not know who that is, but I imagine that Tourist's take tandem rides. I just figure that when one of the locals was asked by Me for a ride back to where I began My Flight. That would be one of Your InLand ste's. I would hear a friendly "Good on You Mate". That was a nice flight. What is it with the Hostility? Believe Me I have made the mistake when i was at the end of a short XC Flight, maybe 44 miles or so. I landed upon ground that I regretted My landing there. For a couple of Angry guys with rifles who condemned My having landed upon "THEIR GROUND!". And get this: a few times when i have flown and landed, after an XC Flight I have been called some bad things , that were untrue by the way. like this: You did Not Fly Here. Yes I would say. I carried My Glider here from the Mountain where My Truck is,30, 40, 50 miles or more miles away. But looking back on those moments, by the way I think back to those days of being called a lier. I remember those experiences with fondness.

I believe that I have said this before. But anyways. No that My weight , this Six Foot, three and three Quarter of an inch tall, sub 200 pound Man, who hopes to be able to drop another Twenty pounds or so. My end goal will be to weigh One Hundred Seventy Five Pounds or less.

Here's one tiny fraction of an example:



Did you ever see that kind of behavior from the Park Rangers at any of your sites? If you had, then you'd "get it".



Over the years, I've heard many many suggestions on how people could fly at Torrey Pines without using the City Park property. These include towing up from the beach, using a powered harness, launching from an aircraft carrier, dropping from a balloon, and now launching from some other "local" site and hoping for a miracle to make it to Torrey Pines.

Let me use an analogy. Imagine that you bought a brand new Tesla fully loaded for $75,000, and it simply didn't run. Of course, you would take it back to the dealer/manufacturer and demand your money or a replacement. If they refused, you might start taking other actions ... including posting about it on your local consumer web site. How would you feel if someone on that site posted this reply:

      I don't understand your problem, just buy a horse, and tow it around.

That's what your suggestion sounds like to me. The City of San Diego owns the Torrey Pines Gliderport. They know that they have a defective situation where pilots are excluded from using that site because they testified in court against the business. That's what needs to be fixed. All of these other suggestions are nice, but even if they were practical (which they aren't) they wouldn't solve the real problem. But thanks for trying.

Try this on for Size. i have been up on our local Mountain site setting up my Beloved Predator that I would launch from one our launches. I was up at the nw launch. Well this local Yokel Park Ranger came auntering up to Me asking ME questions such as What are You doing? I mean it, He wanted to tell him that I was setting up My Glider in order to Fly. Even though on almost every weekend We are up on are up there on the Mountain doing exactly the same thing as I was doing. Since I already knew this Ranger i addressed him by name when i said to this ranger. "Dan who are You up here today, and who do You work for? Well Dan said i am a Park ranger, and I work for the state of California". I replied; "No Dan, the answer should be that I work for You and every other Property owing Tax paying individual who reside in the state of California". Well Dan Muttered something, then walked away.

They have totally lost track of reality. They believe in their Dark Hearts that They are Protecting The Mountain from Us. Heck, We are the owners of the MountAIN. the are Public servants, at least that the way I interpret things.

Does any of this sound familiar to You guys with what You are dealing with down in Southern California? I realize that down South at Your Local Beach site that there concessionaires who operate a service on a State owned a Site. But You get the jest of what I am trying to convey. The Dog's Tail is not just whipping the Dog, it is beating the Dog.

Lookout mountain has a situation where there is a second launch a mile or more away where people can launch in large batches and land at the lookout mountain landing zone while not having to pay Ushga dues or insurance. So I think banning those people was just an insurance issue. There is another launch on private property near Torrey Pines that I think has been blocked from use for the same reason of launching there in batches and landing at Torrey and not having to buy insurance or dues. Santa Barbara has a beach that people can often make it to from the mountain so the city set up a legal landing situation. Vicarious Icarus has videos of him making it 20 miles west and landing on a Los Angeles beach so it is possible. I think Torrey Pines would love to have the ability to launch 20 miles east and make it to the beach. It would only enhance the site. It would take a skilled pilot and the right conditions to do it. But then it could be reproduced by others. Of course you need to have bail out LZ's along the way to make it safe.

Doug

Ok I have a Question; When Push comes to shove, if a local Pilot, a Pilot who was a Tax Paying Property owner down there were to drive to the Site, set up Her or His HG. Not bothering anyone. Then proceed to put on their Helmet, Hook-In, walk their Glider out top launch, Drop down and do a Hang-Check. Then wait for the Launch window to be clear. Then Launch and Fly. What would happened? would that Pilot be harassed? If they were harassed, who would be the aggressor ? Also what would the Person base His or Her Actions on?

3 videos of long flights that land at beaches



3rd one can't be imbedded (age restricted) possible fowl language
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRizo7crRY8

Landing at Torrey (I think you need a whistle or you need to land on the beach and hike up.

I have found Myself thinking about Flying, I think about Fly almos on a constant basis. i realize that the type of flying that i endorse does not receive positive endorsement here on the Hawks. But I just love the thought of extending My Horizon when I Fly. I mean why not? Look I have never been that Good an XC Pilot. But I certainly have had My good days. I would just love to have some more "GOOD DAYS"

I think back to when My old Friend KM was Flying up in Colorado, KM was Flying way, Way, WAY UP JIGH in Colorado. KM Got to 25,850 Feet. But We lost Km when He was doing some {Safe Flying} at His home site. Km died as a result of having a Mid-Air. I so Miss KM. Km was a much better Person than He was a Pilot. By the way KM was a excellent Pilot.

OK here I am doing what a Poser does. Yes I have My Predator. Yet it languishes out in the Garage. The sole reason that where I have this truly awesome Glider, Yet I do not Fly it. is because at this time My Predators needs John to perform an IRAN on it before I fly it again. But after John has done a thorough inspection of My Predator. Then By Gosh, I should Fly it. But the first thing that I will do is to Fly a WW 330 Condor.. Then I will Fly john's North Wing T-two. Then after I have demonstrated that I am still able to fly, I will for the first time in over a Decade, I will once again Fly My Beloved 158 Predator, Yea Baby!

PREDATOR PERSUEVSON:

I sit here and think about mY 158 Predator. I think about how I made the decision way back when to buy a Predator as My second Glider. My first Glider was a Wills-Wing Two Twenty Five. Check this out; We all want, and We all should strive to have landings where We "Stick Our Landings" Yes there is no reason that pretty much every landing that We have, are landings where We land on our Feet and we enjoy No-Step landings, Correct? Well My landing Performances very much improved when I Flew the Predator rather than My Two Twenty Five Falcon.

OK, I will just come out and say it; I simply Love My Predator. John Your Design was, and as far as I know. I having not Flown in 12 Years. But anyways I know that the Predator was the Greatest Glider in the Air. But as We all know technology Marchs on. In the Case of Flex-Wing Gliders, Topless Glider had a very long March ahead of them.