Cloud Base addict

Old WWII plane giving a fantastic fly-by during the parade.  4 F-16’s came by shortly after that gave everyone goose-bumps.  Some tears.  ;)  Video of the F-16’s here (PS:  Wait for the 2nd plane): http://vimeo.com/13166034

Video landing my Sport2 at Telluride.  Looks like I was landing downwind…%(&#$: http://vimeo.com/13230647

Jason’s kid, Will, will require close supervision with my daughters in the future.  Cute picture, for now.

Airtime in T – 20 minutes…

I like this picture Jason took.  The riding is phenomenal.  There’s a new dnhill trail just built that has amazing features including a jump across a road.

Jason’s new I-phone4 took this picture.  The fireworks display and echo’s around the box canyon were mind-blowing.  A camera fell off the microwave back at the house from the percussive shocks.  Better than a concert.

All the kids got a kick out of seeing me land.  Maddie’s got a great expression here. 

Airtime: 2:10

PS, the weekend before at Lake Granby was worthy of mention… Our favorite Irish family, the O’Connell’s show’ d us a great time on the lake…

Juuuuuuust sit right back and you’ll hear a tale,

A tale of a grateful skip (per),

that started on this ‘party barge’,

yes we had more than a sip.

The Cap’n was mighty sailin man,

the barge a hearty make,

that outran a storm for an hour straight,

till we ran out of lake.

Mary Ann,

The Skipper Too

The wind picked up and pushed our barge,

It took three of our hats,

But then we heard the ker-plunk, plunk

and I think I might have shat.

The next day was awesome too, but sunny and a more traditional day on the lake.  As a pontoon boat aficionado once told me… "The skies are always clear on the nautical mile". 

Aye Aye.

-Skip

http://www.collinherring.com/

50 seconds of my brother’s song “Trazadone” will be played on next weeks new episode of Teen Mom 2 on MTV.  Showing at 8pm Mtn on 2/15, channel 331 on Direct TV.  Yep, my Brother.  Pretty dang awesome.

Here’s a video recording of Trazadone and Punches

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkWvXcGACGo

Everytime I hear a new song of his I’m blown away.  Here’s an unrehearsed jam session where Dad and Collin moved from taking our requests to introducing a new song called “Where we Fell”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq2vIRdtUFc

SNIP… lyrics

Oh, when I go,

I imagine I’ll probably be this tired.

It goes without sayin’

That you’re a lot to live without….

…Don’t stop movin’

cause there’s a story catchin up.

This is right after my Prius (pronounced Pri-haas) pulled this snow-plow truck out of the ditch.  Not gonna lie to ya… I’ll be talking about this one for a long time.

The new owners of my PowerWagon as I drove away from it…  Notice the halo above the truck…

OK, back to TV.  Gwen’s Aunt is going to be on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire on Feb. 22nd.  Watch it!  Her name is Catherine and she’s a lively lady.  I can’t wait to see how she does b/c it’s a big secret to all of us!  Cross your fingers.  Maybe I should try out for Wipeout or something.  Need to be on TV too.

Strong West wind covered the front range till around 1 when the cold front’s first break through’s appeared.  Lookout had a strong surge of 12+ NE wind (YUM) as the stubborn Westerly gusts (DANGER) of 21mph plagued Boulder and Eldorado. 

**Sure seems wrinkly**

I was timid about flying with such a strange frontal passage b/c of the disaster that would ensue if lookouts’ NE wind was a disconnected pulse.  RC pilots reported rough air and it’s direction was clocking around from NE to SSE too quickly for warm fuzzies. 

**Sam the ever ready photographer in the blue PG**

But, while walking up the hill, the dastardly Boulder West wind succumbed to the inevitable power of the front and demonstrated the NE wind shall prevail.  Internet phones could be the best invention ever.

**Sam and Mike**

Here’s a good discussion on how a small error in pre-flight has potential to change your life (accidental parachute deployment):

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=20691&sid=49092b6e826ed8be126493eb3f4e421d

PS.  I forgot to check my parachute pins Saturday.  Pure rustiness did that to me.  Or complacency.  30 flogs to me. 

Some of Sam’s pictures from the day…

Thanks Sam!  It was a gem of a day to fly in easy air with a fun crowd.  The thirst is quenched and renewed equally.

Airtime:  1.5 hrs

Top landing:  YEP.  Drove the Prius down the hill like a badazz.

With Mark Windsheimer’s expertise (http://airtimeabove.com/), we took the sail off my AtosVR to assess the impact of my downwind flip-wack landing last month…

The good news is that we decided we could epoxy/fiber fix the top of the above downtube and save me 600 plus dollars for a new one.

The bad news is that the right D-cell is structurally compromised.  This long crack meets and then follows above the I-beam with a raised/de-laminated looking bubble for 4-6 inches.  While that’s the part that makes it compromised, you should see the 4ft long crack on the other side of this D-cell.  That picture is a few pic’s further down.  I’m having a difficult time visualizing the way my impact caused these cracks but I suspect that the weight of my body cramming down on the undersurface of the Atos as we did a robust ground tumble could have been the greatest force the wing encountered.  Below picture shows the same crack, but you can see the bubbling over the I-beam better.

The long crack below:

Leaving Mark’s house at 9,000ft with Winter setting up shop.

Remember Mac’n’Cheese?

This problem is far reaching since a new D-cell is $4-6,000.  Haven’t figured out what’s to become of my Zapata aspirations in 2011, except that I’ve been planning my life around it.  If anyone has sponsorship experience, some ideas would be priceless?  Please help!

Recognize this glider I happened upon when I was at this website?  1 Million dollars to the first person to guess his name..  http://www.merriam-webster.com/browse/dictionary/q/quantifying.htm

Parts bent/broken:  Heart Bolt, 2 dntube pins, right D-cell

Parts needing repair:  Left D-cell, both Dntubes, flap rope

Sad day…