NYD 1/1/2015 [Weather] and [Flight Articles] by [Ron F] [JD] [Timmay] [flychild] [Sundowner] [gracecab]
plus [Track Log / Photo / & Video Index] including John Greynald's [Deployment]

Tim Barker aka timobarker or Timmay
New Year's Day, 1/1/2015

Nuthouse to Elings

Article Copied from: http://scpa.info/bb/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3122#p9270
Posted by timobarker » Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:01 pm

What a beautiful new year.  Today totally reaffirmed my commitment to free flight and why I think it is so special.  The best glimpse of the day started early, leaving bump 2 or 3 for the back ridge.  I saw SD, Aileron, and Flychild soaring the gleaming green ridge against the startling blue of the sky toward the ever dramatic White Ledge peak.  Looking down and North, I could see frost and patches of snow on the Northern slopes of the hills.  Looking back I saw Brian and Ron climbing into this paradise that we call "our backyard."  All the while, I was thinking to the pulse of my vario: I can't believe this is happening right now…. I made the first critical connection of the day: crossing the pass and connecting into the SB range.

There were more glimpses as the day went by, like crossing from the back ridge to White Ledge, the ocean dramatically shimmering in its stillness.  Immediately and thankfully I hooked into a thermal, climbing up to meet Neal and Aaron in our first of several thermals together.  The most memorable moment was landing at Elings.  The last 2 attempts I made at Elings, I fell short and landed on the backside of the hill.  This day was my first successful landing from the mountains at Elings!  I was stoked to land on the field surrounded by friends and smiles.

A revelations: a week ago, I bailed from the power lines, watching my friends soar off to Ojai.  I flew to Carp and landed at the beach.  I've got a list of excuses for not going, dinner plans with mom, high wind, low altitude, etc… But truth be told, it simply didn't feel right to me.  I had the hebejebees, instinct telling me not to continue and I couldn't find the commitment to continue with that flight.  Today, I didn't feel any of those feelings.  During flight, I came to the conclusion that one decision lead to the other.  I had to work hard through the week and with my family to make sure that I had no loose ends undone so that I could soar to my heart's content, weather permitting…. which it did.

This was a top 5 flight for me.  It's beauty, doing it with friends, and the novelty of it being New Year's and landing at Eling's pushes it near the top of the list.

Big thanks goes out to SD for giving his knowledge and time to us newbies.  Also, I have to personally thank Dave Bader, who gave me his radio on launch, which I left in my car.  Thanks to Aaron and Brian for hauling my slow ass up that hill, bringing me some much needed coffee and haranguing me for my lousy pack job.  Neal, thanks for the support upon landing!  That was fun!

See you ya'll out there next time!  timobarker

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