Estrogen Fest 2008
Lookout Mountain, Georgia September 25th-28th
Wow, hang gliding is NOT dead! There actually ARE women who fly! And Lookout Mountain is a GREAT place to gather, fly, and have great parties. The last couple of times I had been to Lookout kind of sucked. I mean, the people were great, the food was good, and the parties were awesome, but the soaring was a little elusive, and I either had an irritable companion or a lower back muscle spasm (about equal in their “pain-in-the-ass-ruin-an-otherwise-fun-trip ability) or some other such downer happened. So after a 14 hour overnight drive on Thursday, Katrin Parsiegla, Caitlynn Johnson and I found Judy Hildebrand’s house at 6am- just in time to find out accommodations scammed by Jesse Fulkerstein and Dennis Pagan. So we barged in anyhow and slept for a few hours in makeshift beds in Judy’s beautiful house on the mountain. In the morning Dennis and I commiserated over our aching backs and the Turin World Air Games (Test Events), had some coffee and the we all headed to launch. At some point I was informed that I would be sitting on a panel of a roundtable discussion with Pagan, Mike Barber, and Steve Pearson at around 2pm. Since it didn’t look much like a soarable day (too windy), I had a hard time finding reasons to back out. But there were so many eager pilots (mostly WOMEN!) setting up on launch, I decided to stay on top and watch what surely would be carnage on the cross wind/windy day. Katrin was one of those eager pilots, and we saw her off with a nice strong launch and then we headed down bottom to retrieve. By the time I got back up top, I saw Rich Annis had arrived (I had been telling stories about Rich at Italy Valley a few years ago trying to spectacularly kill himself in front of me) and he was setting up. Knowing that he would only fly in “nice” air – and the fact that Mike Barber was setting up- got me scrambling for my glider. Mike informed me that the roundtable discussion was just going to have to wait til after the flying…. So some guy launches and catches a snarky thermal down low just before it was too late, Mike follows, but even though I was ready, I saw that they had nothing I wanted- the “Fun Factor” seemed a bit low, and Rich Annis wasn’t launching… well I decided I would wait or just live to fly another day. The two topless gliders got high and all, and it was killing me not to join them and prove something (?) to this crowd, but it just wasn’t any kind of air I wanted, especially on launch. So I waited. And waited, and waited… until finally it was blowing down the hill pretty good. Now I watched Rich and he still didn’t pack up. But I hadn’t showered since I left Rochester, so I was weighing all my options and bitching at Rich for the fact that I set up my glider while the sun got low in the sky. Mike and the other guy landed but I had sent Caitlynn down with the car. Just as I was headed to pack up, it started blowing in. Joe Gorrie launched and was maintaining out front level with launch. It looked so much smoother now that the cloud cover had moved in and it was after 5pm… so I launched. Now this ramp is pretty intimidating. Linda Presley gave me the most helpful advice when she said just look forward, not down, so that’s what I did and I had a nice one. I headed out to Joe and got a few beeps where he was turning, but he ran away so I tried to be less intrusive. I went north and got a little something that turned on and got me from 100 meters below launch to 100 meters above. And that’s all I ever got but it was good enough and I decided to land when the ridge got a little crowded. I had yet another “Italian landing” and put a divot in the LZ with my whack…. Oh yes, what fun it is to be flying my “good” glider…. I even made it down in time to do the roundtable discussion where I basically just added "yeah, what HE said" to the mix.
The Friday night party was a little subdued compared to what I heard about Thursday night- but I was just happy to get a shower and a full sized couch to sleep upon. Lots of people turning up from ALL over, lots of women, holy shit!
Stay tuned for part 2 of Estrogen Fest 2008… and some pics…
Airtime: 30 min
Alt2: 100m OL
Shitty landing but stayed on my feet…

Saturday, September 20th- Bristol Mountain

Ryan, Katrin, Jeff, Mark, Karl and me- making holes, filling holes, spreading grass seed... a real live work party at Bristol. Karl had already mowed it nice up there so now it's beginning to look like a regular launch instead of the dark side of the moon. Rick was attacking the LZ with the DR mower all afternoon (and missed some nice flying!) Daniel Spier and his wife, Mary, showed up along with Paul Senger and the Stoners. Mukrim, too. Couple of PGs launched and had some luck, Dan and Mark launched, then I barrelled off. For some odd reason I didn't take the time to set my nose angle, or yell "clear", so that's why I say "barrelled"... I scraped the brush at the edge a bit, but headed south and quickly got up. Sticky zipper, slight left turn still, but nothing was going to detract from the great flying that was turning on. Pretty soon it seemed everyone in the RAF (except for Rick and Moritz) was climbing high over Bristol valley, trading places and chasing each other around. The inversion was just below 750 meters and the sky was just beautiful cirrus. At one point I had Paul climbing up through me so I moved to what I thought would be better lift but what turned out to be just right in his way!!! Dan with the Atos, all the PGs... what a blast! When it got really crowded and a little scratchy, I waved good bye and headed into the valley. Paul came out with me and I saw we may conflict in the landing area, so i turned in some zero sink so he'd beat me there. When I saw his approach, I copied and wound up having a perfect no-stepper just where the cars were parked. That like NEVER happens!!! Rick's picture was just a moment before I flared (and I scabbed it off his blog. )

sweet!!!

airtime:1:40

alt2:758 meters

Friday September 19th
I left work early to get a flight in at Italy Valley where Karl and Katrin were reporting it was blowing straight in at around 10mph. I had thought it might be blown out but having missed what was probably a sweet Harriet day Thursday, I didn't want to make the same mistake twice. Besides, it was Friday...
Katrin was on the ground in the LZ and Karl had just launched when I got there. We rode up top as Karl sky-ed out. By the time we got carried in, it was blowing harder and he was sinking out. A long wait ensued and finally the wind seemed less obnoxious- but it was pretty late. Mark launched and got a little bit over and I followed. Immediately I knew my glider was f*d up. I had that hard left turn that made my life miserable (and almost cut it short) at Bristol in July. I knew I would have to land before my right arm gave out on me. I tried to get high enough to top land, and there seemed to be plenty of lift, but I couldn't feel much besides the glider wanting to spiral left. I was dreading trying to navigate into that tight LZ, but I crossed the valley thinking about my options. There really weren't any besides tucking the right downtube under my arm and hanging from it as I set up an approach. Not much wind down there so at least I wouldn't be trying to surf the tree line..... I came into the field and just hung on flying it as straight to the ground as I could. I knew from last time not to try to slow down or flare- thank God for wheels.... I came to a stop and beaked it in. Karl arrived with my car and we inspected the glider. The left wing was so turned up at the tip so dramatically. I switched the tips (one is more curved than the other) and decided it looked more symmetrical and so I would keep it that way for my next flight.
airtime: 12 minutes
alt2: 58 meters
yuck

My daughter, Dana Nelson, ran her first marathon on Sunday, September 14th. The race went right by the end of my street where I first saw her.

Mile 4, I was just taking her drink order...

Mile 20, looking pretty fresh, but this was getting tough.

The finish!

Pos Bib name Gender M/F/Team Place Class Age City Event StartTm Net Time Gun Time Pace
296 379 Dana Nelson F 63 F19-24 20 Rochester Marathon 00:07.2 4:36:47 4:36:54 10:34

The race was cancelled at some point but she had already passed that point. The heat and humidity were unbelievable (the reason they stopped it). But she finished strong! She did great and I am so proud of her. Running part of it alongside her, I ran 9 miles total- the most I have ever done in my life. I was screaming in pain all night so I can only imagine what she felt like later!!! After 26+ miles!!!!!!!OMG!!!

Labor Day Weekend Update

Saturday, August 30th

It began cloudy and rainy, but the forecast promised clearing (and lift) later. Mario Luppa was back in town for some XC experience, so after a trip to the Public Market, we all headed to Hammondsport. There was quite a crowd when we arrived. The Canadian paragliding AND HANGGLIDING contingent was well represented, and soon more regular RAF members turned up. The launch was beginning to like the Hammondsport launch of old...

I think Mark launched first, then Katrin and Karl, then Mario, then maybe some PGs while I was putting Mario's video camera in the car, then I launched. Mark's launch was scary, Mario's looked good- and I caught it on video to prove I have actually taught him something (more on that later)- and my launch was pretty good, too. Karl and Mark were getting high in one big thermal and that had me scrambling to get going. But now that I was scratching with the rest of them, it seemed they took the last ticket out of there. At just 70- 150 meters over for the first hour of the flight, I thought mine and Mario's chances of going XC were totally shot. I was duking it out with a Canadian PG in front of launch, Mario was behind the church REALLY low, Mark was stuck under a big cu with Karl. Finally, I get something solid to get up in and I see Mario doing well now too. The PG and I were really getting in each other's way as the two of us clung desperately to this first, and maybe only, big climb. But eventually it got big enough for the two of us to give each other room and get high. When I searched the west ridge for Mario, I couldn't find him so I called on the radio. He reports that he is setting up for a top landing and when I comment he asks for silence so he can concentrate. Well, I considered the flight to be just beginning, but after having a long look at the LZ by the church, Mario was determined not to land there (can't blame him!) and he took advantage of his newly aquired altitude to land in a better field.

I decided to try to hook up with Mark and see what he was up to. He said he was around 3300' at cloudbase and pretty soon I was nearby but he was in some shoulder pain so even he decided to land. That left me, and my PG buddy to share the air (at a huge distance from each other now) so I just started to cruise around. When I got back to the main ridge at one point, I saw a glider in the trees just north of launch. In the same place from where I have dug other gliders out. Obviously a blown launch. Mark confirmed it was Joe, and that he was okay and had help. The air way above was getting nicer and nicer and the lift more widespread. No handed flying... climbing at 1-2m/s... so sweet. Since Mario was no longer in the air to go XC, and at 1200m over launch I was getting cold, I scanned the ridge for some company. I assumed no one else was launching because they were getting Joe's glider unstuck but soon more gliders got into the air. I waited a while for this one unfamiliar topless glider to find something to get up high in, and finally Jim Ramsden was in the ozone with me in his T2. He chased me around for a while and then I figured I should go land after 3 hours in the air. Mario and Mark were waiting at the airport for me anyhow. I had to search for sink (isn't that how it always is?) and even though it was a less than stellar landing, it was likely better than what I could have done at the church LZ. I have been pretty stressed about landing lately.

On the way home we happened upon the Dansville Balloon festival- 50 hot air balloons all began launching just as we were going through town....

Oh wait, that's a different bag of hot air.... (actually it's Jim Rizzo introducing me to his girlfriend...)Okay here are the balloons...

and one that was really strange (The Purple People Eater...) but I couldn't get a shot of it's face...

The evening was capped off at a Ribs Contest in Caledonia, hosted by the Genesee Sun...

So really a great flying day, no XC but still a lot of fun.

Airtime: 2:58

Alt2: 1250m

Sunday August 31-

We all head to Hammondsport again but knowing it will probably be cross from the north, we don't even take the gliders off the car. A Canadian HG pilot was struggling in a strong cross so we headed to Mossy Banks. It was a bit strong when we arrived and the launch needed some trimming anyhow. By the time it was clear and we were set up, it was blowing in pretty sweet. Karl got in the slot and waited through way too many nice cycles- hawks and kestrels soaring just out front. But that launch is so intimidating I could hardly blame him. Finally he backed off when it was just about dead, and Mario stepped up to the cliff. I told him that the glider wouldn't be flying for some time after leaving the cliff, so he would have to have the glider in a perfect flying attitude, with a little extra speed, while shoving off the launch. He executed it well (maybe a bit too pulled in) and dove significantly low away from the ridge. He scratched valiantly for maybe 4 passes then headed for a near perfect landing below. A PG had also managed a launch out of that tiny notch in the woods...

I got up to the launch as people were packing up to go back to Hammondsport. Now the cycles were decidedly cross from the NW, but I waited. And waited. And waited some more. Everyone was gone or almost gone when a cycle that was pretty straight started up the bottom of the valley. I tucked my glider's nose down a bit more and yelled CLEAR much to the surprise of anyone that was still on launch. My launch was sweet! and I headed right towards the overlook and I was going UP!!! A few passes just a hundred feet or so over but it was so nice!!! The other pilots were back at their cars at the overlook- surprised too to see me over their heads. It was great, but very short-lived, and a slight turn in my glider was scaring me out of scratching much. I landed with Mario and packed up.

On the way home we passed Dansville AGAIN while the balloons were launching, but we didn't stop since Karl, Katrin and Paul were joining us for dinner. A big feast ensued and many tales were told... But I had the Mossy flight of the day at 6 minutes 33 seconds so I kept my mouth shut for a change...

Monday, Labor Day, September 1st- Indian Cliffs

Nice forecast, except it looks like it might be really light. Up top, it's dead. I begin to set up, well just because I like to be ready for anything, and I know for sure it's not going to be blowing in anywhere else. By the time I am done, it is coming in NICE! Mario is ready, so he launches right after Scott, who is getting above the ridge nicely in his Falcon. Mario's launch was a little slow, but he recovered and pulled away from the slot with good speed. The rest of us ran for our gliders, and I was just pulling my speed sleeves on when I looked up and saw Mario way behind the launch just above the trees- NOT a good place to be. It looked like he was going to get out of there twice, but then we heard the all-too-familiar sound of glider hitting tree branches and watched as he put it in (conveniently) right next to the launch slot. He yelled that he was okay. Everyone ran the 15 yds over to where he was suspended, about 15-20 feet off the ground, right next to a pretty easy climbing tree. I shimmied up the tree and someone handed me a rope to attach to the dental floss he threw to me. The extraction of the pilot was more difficult than the glider extraction, but everything was down and unhurt in less than an hour.... which coincidentally is about how long the wind blew into the ridge that day. We left Mario to pack up the intact -looking glider and I got into my harness. Bill launched before me, and Doug in his PG, but it was very light now, and they were not getting high, until we saw a bald eagle climbing just below. I flung myself out at it and started climbing right away. Doug and I had our own little piece of the thermal but he left meat of it to me. The eagle showed me just where it was and soon I was 500 meters over and much happier than I had been up a tree. The wind was almost completely dead, so my track was straight up mostly. As I ran around the area when that thermal died, I found the wind was sometimes a light NW- that would explain why no one was launching. Doug had landed, Bill before I had even launched, so now I had the whole valley to myself. Well, just me and a couple of sailplanes. I tried to pimp off one that was turning behind Harris Hill, but when I got out there, I found only broken lift and he promptly left (must be he heard about me corkscrewing up through Jim Rizzo last weekend....). I went back to the east ridge and played around there til I finally sank out. My landing was perfect for a change- maybe because Doug was giving me the wind direction in the LZ- and I packed my glider and got back up in time for it NOT to wonder. A few sledders, but mostly everyone else packed up.

Airtime: 0:52

Alt2: 480 meters

So... what did we learn? Be ready, make sure your student is ready (already knew that). Launch like you mean it, and make sure your student does ( knew that too). Know what the wind is doing in the LZ (knew that, he knows that but he didn't need to know it on this flight!). Flare hard in no wind (check). Give your student ALL the information he needs to stay safe and have a successful flight (knew that too, but wasn't thorough....) After much discussion from- I mean WITH Mario, it seems he thought being closer to the trees was better for getting lift. Yes, well, up to a point to stay in the lift band. But he tested the point of wind gradient. For a tow park pilot, that isn't something he would normally deal with. Wind gradient near the ground, yes, of course. But I neglected to tell him the specific danger after seeing how well he handled scratching a ridge in July and again this past Saturday. I assumed he knew. So the thing I learned most is NEVER ASSUME. We also had a nice discussion about Intermediate Syndrome...

So we learned a very valuable lesson at a very low cost. A hang strap or two, an ego, maybe a bent batten, some flying, but all in all, it was cheap. And I have heard that there are 'pilots who have been in the trees, and pilots who WILL be in the trees' and now that Mario has joined the ranks of the former, he doesn't need to revisit that on some other occasion. For me, that adventure lies ahead, if the adage is true...

Funny (?) Story
I had an English teacher in the 7th grade who went the extra distance to try to get through to his students. The memorable journals he had us keep- I still have mine to this day. Mr. Winterton, now Jim Winterton, to me. He was like the teachers in all the "Great Teacher" movies: To Sir With Love, Dangerous Minds, Freedom Writers.... Okay you get my drift... Sometime in my mid-thirties, I located him in Syracuse, NY and gave him a call just to let him know that his efforts were not wasted- that even now some of his life lessons continued to guide me. I thought at the time he might think I was a crackpot, but no, he remembered me, we caught up on each others' lives, and he expressed how cool it was to get a phone call like that after 25 years or so. He was still very actively playing and coaching racquetball, and an upcoming clinic would bring him to my fitness club in Rochester so we even had a chance to see each othere again around that time.
Years later, we still keep in touch, although sporadically. Yesterday, as I was driving home from work, my phone rings and his name is on the display. When I answer, he asks, "Are you a Hang Glider, or a Paraglider?" I say I am a hang glider pilot. Then he says, "You'll never guess where I am...." and he proceeds to tell me that he is at the USHPA office in Colorado. It seems the National Racquetball Headquarters shares the same building and he happens to notice the flying theme on the adjacent door as he goes in to do whatever business he has there. Wow, how cool that he stumbled into part of my world! So he says he's going upstairs to USHPA to check it out and say, "Hey, I was Linda Salamone's 7th grade English teacher, how about that????" So that's what he does while he has me on the phone.
He asks loudly, "Who's in charge here?" and he tells me some skinny guy answers, "Me", and Jim tells him proudly, "Hey, I was Linda Salamone's 7th grade English teacher......" and the few people that were in the office give him .....a completely blank stare.
Then he asks me, "Hey, didn't you tell me you were a fairly high ranking female pilot in the US?"
And I answer, "Yes, I am the highest ranking female pilot in the country and I was the 2006 and 2007 Women's National Champion, and since no US female pilot competed in the Nationals this year, I guess I sort of still am...." He asks if ANYONE in the office ever heard of me and of course no one has. But they all knew Paul Voight's name (yay Paul!) and I told Jim to ask if any of them were actually pilots. Nope. Well, that explains that, I figured. But then Jim leaves the USHPA office somewhat disgusted and goes into his own National Headquarters, the USAR, and tells me that his picture is all over the walls and they all greet him loudly (I can hear it...) and he didn't say this but I am assuming it's his first time there because he only just noticed the USHPA stuff.
We got into a discussion that I don't want to repeat in total here but basically he was wondering why USHPA was so out of touch with the pilots who represent this country on an international level. I know that I am small potatoes but I AM ONE OF THE ONLY FEMALE POTATOES. Maybe there would be more female potatoes if somebody GAVE A SHIT!!!!
Okay, so that's my story. And I will end it here by quoting the USAR website when Jim Winterton was inducted into the Racquetball Hall of Fame...

http://usra.org/Home.aspx
Jim Winterton Syracuse, New York(Contributor, Inducted 2000) Jim Winterton has gained renown as one of the best racquetball coaches in the world, after service to the U.S. National Team for a full decade, during which time his squads brought home the World Cup from every International Racquetball Federation World Championship played in the period. He also led national teams to five Tournament of the Americas team crowns and a clean sweep of the 1995 Pan Am Games, where the USA brought home six gold and two silver medals. For his last hurrah as U.S. National Team Head Coach at the 1999 Pan Am Games, Winterton’s team nearly repeated that clean sweep of the medals, claiming six gold, a silver and a bronze medal.
2001