Batten Boys for the Worlds

Lauren Tjaden · Post by **Lauren Tjaden** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:50 am

So I guess you have all heard my news -- that I managed to earn enough points to become the 6th ranked woman pilot in the USA, and I am on the team! I get to represent the United States at the World Championships, to be held concurrently with the rigid Worlds. The reality is, though I had to fight hard to win this position, it is also a sign of the lack of depth in women's hang gliding that a pilot of my experience, flying the (slow) equipment that I am flying, could get on the team. Hey, but I did it. No apologies. I now have 8 months to get used to my new glider and harness (both in shipping right now) and become as proficient as possible, so I can PROUDLY fly for the team. (I figure I need to fly at least 4 hours daily.)Who woulda thunk it?
Linda Salamone and I did have LOTS of fun figuring out tasks for our batten boys. For instance, we DO like the tattooed-ass-idea though we decided circumcision is NOT strictly necessary. Our batten boys will perform tasks like applying chapstick to our lips when we are waiting in line to launch, fetching us dry towels when we are around the pool, and of course, placing and removing our battens for us. Oh yeah, I like it. I have already signed up those who have indicated online that they are available.
And yes, Linda B., you may trifle with our castoffs when we are finished with them.
2 more things. I am happy to post about Big Spring but am not sure if anyone is interested since it occurred so far away from Maryland.
One more quick thing. My new Litespeed arrived yesterday. I will wait until Saturday to fly her when my little pair of wheels comes in. She is stunning; like the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Adam flew her a few times and is de-tuning her a little for me.
Her name will be "Angle." My little sister wrote me an email last year that said "May the angels that you fly with continue to protect you, even though you don't believe in them." But she wrote "angle" instead of angel. I told her that I did indeed believe in angles -- and now I will always fly with one.
Lauren

drice21037 · Post by **drice21037** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:57 am

Bring it on, gory details and all.

Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: Lauren Tjaden [mailto:Giddyupandglide@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, August 19, 2005 7:50 AM
To: hg_forum@chgpa.org
Subject: Batten Boys for the Worlds

I am happy to post about Big Spring but am not sure if anyone is
interested since it occurred so far away from Maryland.

Lauren

Post by **mcelrah** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 8:06 am

I did not see a stipulation that the chapstick be applied directly
from the container...
You rock, Lauren! As with Kevin, I think we are seeing that people
who know how to compete in other endeavors are naturals for HG
competition. - Hugh
P.S. Yes, we would like to read about Big Spring from your perspective!

On 19 Aug 2005, at 07:50, Lauren Tjaden wrote:

>
> So I guess you have all heard my news -- that I managed to earn
> enough points to become the 6th ranked woman pilot in the USA, and
> I am on the team! I get to represent the United States at the World
> Championships, to be held concurrently with the rigid Worlds. The
> reality is, though I had to fight hard to win this position, it is
> also a sign of the lack of depth in women's hang gliding that a
> pilot of my experience, flying the (slow) equipment that I am
> flying, could get on the team. Hey, but I did it. No apologies. I
> now have 8 months to get used to my new glider and harness (both in
> shipping right now) and become as proficient as possible, so I can
> PROUDLY fly for the team. (I figure I need to fly at least 4 hours
> daily.)Who woulda thunk it?
> Linda Salamone and I did have LOTS of fun figuring out tasks for
> our batten boys. For instance, we DO like the tattooed-ass-idea
> though we decided circumcision is NOT strictly necessary. Our
> batten boys will perform tasks like applying chapstick to our lips
> when we are waiting in line to launch, fetching us dry towels when
> we are around the pool, and of course, placing and removing our
> battens for us. Oh yeah, I like it. I have already signed up those
> who have indicated online that they are available.
> And yes, Linda B., you may trifle with our castoffs when we are
> finished with them.
> 2 more things. I am happy to post about Big Spring but am not sure
> if anyone is interested since it occurred so far away from Maryland.
> One more quick thing. My new Litespeed arrived yesterday. I will
> wait until Saturday to fly her when my little pair of wheels comes
> in. She is stunning; like the most beautiful thing I have ever
> seen. Adam flew her a few times and is de-tuning her a little for me.
> Her name will be "Angle." My little sister wrote me an email last
> year that said "May the angels that you fly with continue to
> protect you, even though you don't believe in them." But she wrote
> "angle" instead of angel. I told her that I did indeed believe in
> angles -- and now I will always fly with one.
> Lauren
>

Post by **rs54263** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:26 am

>>I told her that I did indeed believe in angles -- and now I will
always fly with one. Lauren

You're just angling to be different...

Congrats!

~Ralph

Post by **hang_pilot** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 10:12 am

In my first duty as batten boy in training, shirtless, I carried Angle from the set up area to the flight line, consenting to a tattoo check along the way.

Angle is indeed a beaut, Congratulations!

Quick Highland Report (I have a train to catch):

Christian really enjoyed his first two flights on his new stick-controlled Milennium. Reports pitch sensitivity is off the charts and spoilers are extremely effective. Control inputs are in the 1/4 inch range for pitch and she comes down like a rag'd out Falcon when you put on spoilers.

I had a nice flight: 1:10 minutes, 3775 max altitude. Also there were Danny Brotto, Paul Adamez, Judy McCarty and two guys from PA (?) I didn't meet flying Falcons.

Judy and Danny each flew twice. Paul and John launched again later 3:45 - 4:00 and had the flights of the day getting something like 1:45 and +5,000.

~Daniel

Post by **hang_pilot** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 11:22 am

Correction: Danny only had one flight. I thought he had sunk out and relit. He did get low but then managed to get high again up for a 2:45 flight with max altitude of 4k. Sorry about the mistake.

That said, I am not applying his lip balm for him.

~Daniel