Sunday, December 27th at Dansville, NY

No flying for me- I decided to not even set up when I got to launch with the solid overcast, strong wind, and colder-than-I-like temps. Mark got an 18 minute flight and managed 35' over launch, Doug did a little better in the PG, and Karl and Katrin had okay flights, albeit not very high. Not having any desire to land anywhere other than the gliderport or the huge flat field on Rte 63, I thought my decision not to fly was wise. Risk vs reward factor and all, you know? Instead, I drove retrieve when Matt showed up, and talked Doug into helping me kite the PG I brought at the gliderport. Everyone had landed and I was still thinking the day for getting any air time was not today.

I had a nice steady breeze to play around in, and with Doug's tutoring, it was the easiest time I've had getting the PG up and over my head. I actually felt like I knew what to do to keep it up after a bit and eventually I put the harness on- and Doug insisted on a helmet....The sun came out and of course the whole day's feel had changed.

A bunch of successful inflations... I think I'm ready to actually launch this thing on the training hill!

The others had taken off the mountain again and we got to watch as they all got high in the mid-winter wonder wind. I regretted not going up for that flight especially when Katrin said launching conditions were perfect, and of course if Matt could make it to the airport in a PG, surely I would get there in my Litespeed. Oh well, at least I got some decent kiting in and furthered my journey over to the 'dark side' of paragliding....