We had a much better day than predicted!!

Several Torrey Hawks members had good flights and we signed up another long time hang gliding pilot as a new member.

I launched into a super cycle and I was almost instantly high above the cliff with what felt like a long flight ahead of me. But I violated the number 1 rule of staying in the air - "Never leave lift to find lift". I foolishly thought it looked like it might be better to the south, so I left the cluster of paragliders on the north face and headed down toward the mansions. It was a death sentence for my flight. I expected to drop a little until I got around the palm tree house, but I continued to drop and drop far beyond that point. Eventually I found myself on the beach with a long hike ahead of me (it was good for my character and my health).

To make things even worse, my good friend and launch assistant (who I'll allow to remain nameless) appears to have turned my video camera on ... and then OFF just prior to launch (I should have shown him how to do it rather than explaining it while I was hooked in on launch). So I only have a few frames of me on launch instead of the spectacular video I was anticipating. Here's a snapshot of what was on the video:



Anyway, it was another happy and safe Second Sunday at Torrey for the Torrey Hawks. Thanks to everyone who came to enjoy the fun and flying!!

To make things even worse, my good friend and launch assistant (who I'll allow to remain nameless)
appears to have turned my video camera on ... and then OFF just prior to launch (I should have shown
him how to do it rather than explaining it while I was hooked in on launch). Bobk
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This is always a problem with my Go Pro Hero 1.
You have to push the bottom front button then the top one.
But there is a one touch mode for "spectators" though

My buddy just bought a Go Pro 3 and it has a remote control
that he turns on & off during flight which I really like.

But mine camera was $80 used and I'll just stick with it.
There should be a viewing window on the back to help aim these things.
The problem I have now ( not a PC geek at all ) is downloading it on youtube.
I can watch my movies on the PC laptop but no luck online yet?
But I can download my I Phone & Sony 12.1 with no issues.
The Go Pro shoots MP4 format and I am trying to learn the converter tactics to make them Windows movie maker.
Geeez, its always a challenge for me!
Attached is a shot taken 7-29-12 in my Sport 2 above Big Walker Mtn. in Virginia.
Located 2 hours north of home, it's a NW facing slope launch & 100 mile long ridge.

Thanks for that tip!! I'd been thinking about designing a remote control housing for a camera using RC glider components. I was envisioning a little servo mounted over top of the "shoot" button. The Go Pro option sounds much better!! But if the Go Pro already has it, then it might become relatively common by the time I'm ready to replace my current camera. So thanks for that tip!!

Regarding your picture, it's beautiful, but seeing that extensive forest gives me the willies. I started flying in southern California where almost any vacant land is a potential LZ (very few large trees). Henson's gap is one of the few places where I've flown over forests like the ones in your pictures. I guess you get used to it, but seeing so many big trees in pictures like that still puts a knot in my gut!!