Torrey Pines and Blossom July 15 and 16

[Dan T]

I took a semi-lesson at Torrey Pines on the 15th. Got about 5 hours practice on reverse launch kiting. At the start I sucked at it, not having practiced reverse launches much in Bulgaria. By the end of the day I was reasonably competent at it.

The next day I returned to Torrey Pines and got a checkout flight at the park. Got 15 minutes or so boating back and forth along the face of the ridge in lift that was light and so smooth you could barely feel it. By the early afternoon the Torrey Pines crew was ready to head to a local mountain and invited me along. After a false start at a location (Horse Mtn.?) that had too much cross to even consider flying, we headed back towards San Diego to a place called Blossom.

Blossom is about 30 miles inland of I15 on I8. It's roughly an 1100 foot high dry as a bone hill facing West and overlooking a very large landing field that I would guess is a 6 to one glide from the launch. Maybe a little less. I had to put my newfound kiting skills to work with a reverse kite then roughlly a 40 foot walk down the trail from the set up area to the launch point in moderately strong winds.

Launch was good, I immediately skied out to near the top of the stack with no instruments and had about a 45 minute flight and a precise landing in the fat LZ. All and all a very nice component of our road trip to Calif. Heading back towards VA tomorrow. Might stop at Tater Hill in NC along the way.

Dan T

[mcelrah]

You go, Dan! Much deserved R&R. Guess the hand healed quickly or you can fly with it in a cast... - Hugh

[Dan T]

The break was in a very small bone on the pinky finger edge of my right hand. I was never in a cast. I did have a velcro brace that I wore for about 3 weeks. I wouldn't have flown in a cast.

Dan