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In my instance as I flew out from under the cloud just below base I was still experiencing lift with no cloud above me, which took me up beside the cloud.

Hi Lauren, I can relate to your thrill of climbing up next to a cloud, it happened to me at Highland a couple summers ago. There was a huge towering CU over the field which I got under and then flew out beneath at base, when I got out into the sunlight and away from base I was still climbing so I st...

Great pictures Jim, thanks. Hey, that's a heck of a cadillac behind the company van! October has sucked here in contrast to a super September. Haven't gotten any flights this month. Keep those reports coming.

Jim,
Thanks for the pics. Could it be you were looking a little cold?

During one hang check at Highland a few summers ago I was stunned to hear dear Kristen mention ever so casually that I was not in my leg loops. At the end of all my hang checks the last thing I do is make sure I can hang from my legstraps, if Kristen had not caught it hopefully my last line of defen...

Felt blah today not sure why, debated whether to fly or not and decided to fly. Still renting the Discuss while I am waiting for my U2 to come back from a sail repair. Got 1 hour and 3700', mixed it up with Joe Gregor for awhile in some meager lift, I went off looking for something better and then h...

One of my most enjoyable and enlightening flights was during the Highland fly-in two years ago competing for longest flight without a vario. I was stunned by how well I did (over two hours - it was a one of those bullet proof days and I pimped alot and learned the advantage of getting high over othe...

Lauren, I'm always looking to perfect my landings, I'd like to be able to do a no stepper on every landing mostly because you can't run in soft plowed fields, bean fields, high wheat, etc. Not that those are my preferred choices but it's nice to feel confident if that's your only option when landing...

Jim, I was looking forward to saying goodbye in person before you left but I'm just getting over some oral surgery and haven't been able to get to the airport. Hope you have a great season in New Zealand. I'm looking forward to reading about your experiences on your blog and to seeing your smiling f...

Christian, congratulations on your XC. You really seem to be getting tuned into your Mill. Just be careful about getting carpal tunnel syndrome on that right hand!

Wanted return to Highland on Sunday for anaother day of fun but stayed home nursing a rotting tooth which is going to come out tomorrow or else I'm doing it myself!

So how was it on Sunday?

After fighting a tooth ache all morning it finally subsided and I decided to catch whatever I could at Highland. I rented the Discuss 160 because my U2 sail was shipped to Wills for repairs. Launched around 3:15 and landed around 17:35 for a 2:20 minute flight. I dressed in only a Tee shirt to insur...

Congratulations Holly on getting back into a hang glider! It surely takes a bit of courage to get back on that horse that threw you. Now you have much more respect for the horse!!

Wow John, When I passed you as I was leaving with my family after my stepson's tamdem I would have never dreamed you were about to have a flight like that! Everyone was saying the better part of the day was over. Almost 7 grand - I bet your butt 'was' freezing! Glad you got a new first. I think it's...

Huge clouds cause "cloud suck", heavy sink causes "ground suck", restricted airspace "sucks" too. Avoid them all I have learned!

"Almost hate to mention this but if you were flying and landed ten miles west of Salisbury, weren't you pretty much right in the middle of the restricted air space that Patuxent River uses? " That is correct Paul, I'm surprised no one had picked up on this earlier and said something. My e...

For all the Highland XC folks I regret that I have to say you missed a day of epic proportions. Some of you with the better equipment and experience levels would, I believe, have been able to go anywhere you wanted on the pennisula. Myself, the only thing that brought me down was my own fatique. I b...

John, What an awesome flight for your second XC, I'm thrilled for you! I'm sure you learned tons of information out of this flight, especially the "watch the winds near the coast" part. Wind drift indicators are good to keep with you in this situation. Now just don't get spoiled by this an...

Scott, Unfortunately I haven't met either you or Holly but I would like to offer Holly a speedy recovery and the thankfullness that she suvived a nasty situation. I also hate to hear of accidents (and post them like I did with my own back in April) but it is comforting when we hear they were surviva...

I would like to thank everyone who replied to my accident post for your kind and thoughtful words, it was all very heart-warming and uplifting to my spirit. I believe I will fly again when the time is right and it will be with a new and improved outlook and attitude. I wish all of you the very best ...

It is with much regret that I have to post this accident report on myself :-(, but it also is with much relief that I am able to do this for myself and that someone else is not doing it in place of me :-) The accident occurred on Monday afternoon at Highland Aerosports West, the now official name fo...

20 miles cross wind, that's very impressive Lauren! Thanks for your progress report, I'm learning from them.

Pretty good turnout at Highland today, maybe 15 or so pilots showed up which included PK, John Simon and Heather, Ken Church, Mark C., Tim ?, John Hope, Steve ?, Christian, Tad E., Geoff Mumford, Christy Huddle and Rich Alexander. Sorry if I left someone out. Winds were about 5 from the N.N.W. switc...

Pushing close to 6 months with no airtime, I'm as thirsty for a flight as you probably were for a drink of water after that close to 5 hour flight. Tuesday and Wednesday where the best days so far this season for flying at Highland but unfortunately it was their day off. If I don't fly soon I'm goin...

My biggest concern with the V bridle is if my Spinniker release fails and I use my secondary and the bridle gets hung up on the caribiner on the end of the tow line. Now I am being towed straight from the hang loops, or keel, with no way of releasing, in a very bad tow configuration. Not good. I've ...