| Author |
Comment |
Greg
Sugg
Club Site
Director
(12/23/03 3:01
pm)
66.81.65.198
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 Big Sur New
Years Trip
Some of us are planning a camping and flying trip to Big Sur for
the New Years holiday. This will depend on the weather of course but
should be fun. I am planning to go down on the afternoon of Jan.
31st. and return on Dec. 3rd.
A group from the Mother Lode
Sky Riders is planning to go there too. Why not party at Big Sur
this New Years holiday?
See you there,
Greg
|
Hangfly
Club Secretary
(12/23/03 3:43 pm)
198.81.26.11
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BIG Sur
Greg,
I would love to ride down with you but cannot get that
much time off work. I have to be back on January 5th. Are you
planning on working all of January to be able to afford 10 months
off?
Hangfly
PS Don't
edit your post or mine won't make sence.
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Greg
Sugg
Club Site
Director
(12/23/03 4:30
pm)
66.81.112.34
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Re: BIG
Sur
Thank you Charley,
I think it reads more accurately this
way:
I am planning to go down on the afternoon of Dec. 31st.
and return on Jan. 3rd.
Greg
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Ernie
Camacho
Club
President
(12/24/03 1:16
pm)
24.5.57.229
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Re: BIG
Sur
I too, plan on driving down on Wed., 12/31. I'll leave as early as
I can so that I'll be able to spend a little time in camp before it
gets dark at 5PM.
I'll be towing my trailer.
And, I
plan on returning home on Sun., 1/4 or Mon., 1/5, depending on what
transpires. Of course I could come home on Sat. 1/3, when Greg
leaves, too. I suppose it all depends on the weather and the
karma.
I'm open for passengers!
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Greg
Sugg
Club Site
Director
(12/26/03 11:27
am)
66.81.67.45
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Re: BIG
Sur
I may stay for Sunday too. Remember, as Shannon said in an earlier
post about Big Sur, don't let a little rain stop you. It gets good
pre and post frontal.
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Ernie
Camacho
Club
President
(12/26/03 12:43
pm)
24.5.57.229
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Re: BIG
Sur
Do you mean that we might actually be able to go UP?
How
cool would THAT be?!
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Donna
Matthias
Club VP
(12/27/03 1:12 pm)
68.125.129.192
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Re: BIG
Sur
Hey Everyone,
Ernie and I were just talking and I'm planning
on going. Greg, we were talking about doing a roast, potatoes and
veg. meal in the dutch oven. A little red wine, good food and great
company. Want to join us for dinner? It would be great fun. Anyone
else want to go????
~Donna
PS: Shannon, is Cheryl
coming?
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Greg
Sugg
Club Site
Director
(12/28/03 2:56
pm)
66.81.69.25
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Yes Sur, count
on me for dinner
Donna, a roast (D.O. no doubt) sounds fine. Let me know what to
contribute.
And, does anyone know if there are hot showers
available?
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Donna
Matthias
Club VP
(1/5/04 8:52 am)
68.122.13.119
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Re: New Years at
Big Sur
What great fun! I will let Ernie & Greg post their flying
stories. But just wanted to say we had a GREAT time with GREAT
people. A little rain never hurt anyone. It's going to be a good
year 
.
~Donna
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skymonster
Unregistered
User
(1/5/04 8:05
pm)
65.215.245.162
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If you show up,
you WILL FLY
Happy New Year !
Once again Big Sur 2003 provided me with one of
my most special memories. A handful of my 'para' friends were there
for a couple of days providing laughter and craziness. They had to
leave early for other commitments and were wondering 'what would I
do' after they left. Eric, Donna, Ernie, Gregg, Shannon, Cheryl, and
other hanglider pilots kept me flying and laughing until my sides
hurt.
Whalewatching, watching hangliders fly with eagles,
catching a fox checking out my tent, biking, hiking, Luna being
teased by a seal in the ocean, photographing the overwintering
Monarchs, waking to the camp owl hooting at dawn, and beautiful
sunset dinners at the beach.
Yes even having to 'drive for
hangliders', loosing my breakfast after the windy ride to
Wildcattle, the racoons ripping apart my camp leaving their muddy
paw prints all over, a wild cat crying outside my tent for hours,
and the black crows stealing my lunch whenever I turned around,
still makes me smile.
As the wind whipped and the rain poured
down it created a good laugh for everyone watching the kids and me
try to build a tarp roof over my fire to keep it from drowning.
After they stopped laughing Eric climbed the tree to get the ropes
up, Ernie, Gregg and Donna gave up their nice dry camps to come
help.... thank you.
Cheryl's birthday celebration was prefect for
the last nite together. A buffet of food brought by everyone, a
birthday cake made by Erinie out of half potatoes turned upside down
with candles, a 'few' beverages,
a duet by Shannon and Cheryl on
guitars was the highlight of dinner, soon to be joined in by the
rest of the 'family band'. A moonlit walk to the cliffs where we
enjoyed the almost full moon. There seemed to be more than one moon
by the end of the nite... maybe the tequila... maybe not... I'll
never tell.
It was a long drive home, not because of the 9 hours,
but because the moon, she kept popping out from behind the clouds
taunting me that I could still be back curled up under the stars
listening to the crashing of the waves lit up by her.
Yet the
smile on my face was still there, thinking that it will only be a
year before "New Years Celebration at Big Sur" 2004.
Oh yeah!....
the flying was great too.
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Shannon
Unregistered
User
(1/7/04 2:58
pm)
208.25.56.61
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P.V.
I would like to thank all of you that made Cheryls birthday a
special one. Donna, Ernie, Greg, Liz,Eric,John and Carl . It was a
great party,I did not know there were three sides to the moon.I have
been going to P.V. for New Years for around 15 years and it seems
everone has a great time. Pacific Valley is a great place to reflect
on the old and bring in the new,flying there is always a treat. To
be with friends and fly and party how good does it get? Happy New to
all. Shannon
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Ernie
Camacho
Club
President
(1/7/04 3:45
pm)
24.5.57.229
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Re: P.V.
I've posted some photos that were taken with my camera. They're
at:
http://www.sonomawings.com/photo/2004/photos.htm
I
know that others took photos too, and as I get copies from them,
I'll add to the "album" of this trip.
I'll wait for Gregs
report on the trip, then I'll add what I can.
I will say now
that in spite of the rain, this was the most fun I've had at Big
Sur. And, I found some thermals too!
Ernie
|
hmmmmbrd
Unregistered
User
(1/7/04 4:09
pm)
69.19.151.11
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pacific
valley
This note is to all my friends that went to P.V.
thanks for the
great memories and all the good times at New Years. Its one of the
best vacations Ive had. Thanks again for making my birthday so
memorable. My great bday cake, Ill never forget that. Great food and
preparation from you all. Liz, Eric, Donna, Ernie and Greg it was
great bringing on the New Year with you all. Oh we cant forget our
new friends from Georgia, Carl and John.
Your friend, Cheryl
|
Lori
Allen
Totally Kewl
Hangchick
(1/7/04 7:00
pm)
67.166.127.180
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Carl?
That looks like Carl from Lookout Mountain Flight Park. Is he a
California dude now?
Lori
|
 thermalmaniac
Member
(1/7/04 7:06
pm)
64.136.26.227
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ezSupporter
|
Re: Carl?
That's the Carl you're thinking of, he drove out west to visit
relatives and fly, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him and John
come out from Georgia again next year.
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Eric
Hinrichs
Member
(1/7/04 7:23 pm)
64.136.26.227
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Trip
Photos
Those are some great pictures you guys took, thanks for posting
them, and I'm looking forward to seeing some of Shannon's and
Greg's. What a beautiful place to start the new year, with a
wonderful group of people, and lots of memorable times in the air
and on the
ground.
Cheers
-Eric
|
Greg
Sugg
Club Site
Director
(1/8/04 5:37
pm)
66.81.127.185
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 New Years at the
beach
As they've all said, the New Years camping and flying trip to
Plaskett Creek campground was just great. We had good people, good
flying, great scenery, and of course, a great time. On the trip down
I called Ernie and Donna who told me that the Coast Hwy was closed a
few miles north of Plaskett Creek due to a slide, so we decided to
go to King City on Hwy 101 and then over the mountains via
Hunter-Liggett army base. It was a beautiful route I'd never seen.
There were lots of deer and elk on the base.
Later, driving
down Coast Hwy to the camp, I stopped at the LZ in time to talk with
Cheryl and see Eric and John land. Then on to set up camp. Ernie and
Donna arrived a little later and after setting up the tent trailer
began a Duch oven roast. We had a feast that night which was New
Years eve. Shortly before midnight a contingent set out for Sand
Dollar beach where we ushered in the New Year with surf, fireworks,
and various other things.
Rain started early New Years day
and continued most of the day. The tent trailers were particularly
handy even with a leak or two. A couple of nights later our troop
ambulated out onto the rocky point in the nearly full moon lit
atmosphere where we enjoied comradory, embibements, and even more
moons. It was a great place to be: crisp night air, exceptional
lighting, crashing surg, and absolutely no traffic on the highway
due to the slide.
On the morning of Jan. 2nd. Shannon and the
others were up early and headed off to Wild Cattle launch for an
early flight. Ernie, Donna, and I had a leisurely breakfast before
loading up for the drive up. We got to launch just as Carl and John
were taking off. Ernie and I set up quickly, and just as we got our
harnesses on it started to rain. Then it started to dump. Donna was
wounderful of course, and braved the rain to assist us however we
needed. We waited it out for about 45 minutes until it all stopped
and cleared up.
We pushed Ernie off first to find soarable
conditions out front on the big knob. Then Donna saw to it that I
got into the air safely. As I was flying out to join him, I noticed
my glider was flying like crap. It kept dropping the nose. I told
Ernie that something was not right. Luckily, the lift was good
enough to keep me up in spite of my glider. It turned out to be all
that water on and inside of my wing. If I had had to land right
away, it would have been really ugly; my stall speed was around 30
mph. Gradually the glider dried out and started to fly normally.
Eventually I flew out over the ocean and landed at the LZ. Ernie
wanted more, and flew down to the ridge at the campground and mixed
it up for another half hour or so.
The next day, Saturday, we
took Liz Hearn with us to a little knob launch directly up behind
the campground. On the way up I could see white caps out on the
ocean stopping about a mile off shore. It looked much like shear
conditions at Funston. Eric, Carl, and John were just about set up
when we arrived and were soon off into good soaring conditions. The
wind continued to increase, and Liz decided that it was a little too
breezy to risk the long glide out to the LZ. She and Donna assisted
us. I went first and had to wait for a lull in the wind to launch
into the crossing wind from adversely sloping ground.
It was
an immediate elevator ride up through textured air until I got
upwind to the ridge where it got smooth. We flew as long as we cared
to in idiot air. Thermals were weak, but strings of lift existed. If
I flew into sink, I just had to go somewhere else to find lift.
Eventually I left the mountains and flew out to land climbing gently
the whole way. I had to search for some down air; what a problem.
Eventually, I found some 600 down and cored it to about 400 off the
mesa. When I flew in across the LZ I started to climb near the
highway. It was somewhat tourbulent near the ground, but landing was
not a big problem.
The day was extremely clear and
beautiful. Donna met us at the LZ where Shannon, Cheryl, John, Carl,
Eric, Liz, Ernie, Donna, and I all celebrated, beered, and
bragged.
On this trip we saw swarms of monarch butterflies,
lots of red tails, a golden eagle, elk, deer, racoons, a linx, and
I'll let Ernie tell about his flying buddy.
Thanks to all for
a great time.
Edited by: Greg
Sugg at: 1/8/04 5:45 pm
|
John
Freitas
Unregistered
User
(1/9/04 10:54
am)
66.245.99.53
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big sur
trip
Just wanted to say thanks to all of you for sharing your good
times, food and beer. What a fantastic site to fly and a great group
of folks to be "stuck" on the other side of a rock slide with, not
to mention share the sky.
I think I speak for Carl as well
when I say we really enjoyed ourselves and the company there at
Plaskett Creek camp this past New Year's Eve week-end.
Looking forward to flying with y'all again.
Aloha,
John Freitas
email: johnefreitas@earthlink.net
|
Ernie
Camacho
Club
President
(1/10/04 12:01
pm)
24.5.57.229
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The rest of the
story...
The 2nd day of the new year looked promising. After a day of
rain, we could see blue sky, but there were clouds hanging onto the
higher ridges. Shannon said that we should get up to launch early,
before conditions changed. Still being in holiday mode, Greg, Donna,
and I took our time. After a hearty bacon-and-eggs breakfast, we
headed up to Wild Cattle around 11AM.
As we got to launch,
the Georgia boys, Carl and John, were just taking off. The cloud
cover was high enough that it looked good for us too. But, by the
time Greg and I had set up our gliders, and I was walking mine to
launch, the rain came, along with a lowered cloud level, completely
encasing us. After standing on launch with my glider as my umbrella,
for fifteen minutes or so, I gave up, backed away, and we sat in the
truck for maybe an hour.
Eventually we got into the air, and
it was good. I was able to find ridge lift out on the front ridge,
and every now and then a little thermal would let me make a few
360's. Greg and I went back and forth on the short section of ridge
that could sustain us. At one point I hooked a nice thermal that
took me up to the cloud layer. I told Greg about it but
unfortunately he was further south, down the front ridge, and
couldn't make it back and into the lift.
As Greg headed out
to fritter away his altitude over the Ranger Station LZ, I took my
altitude and worked my way south along the highway, jumping from
ridge to ridge, until I was on Plaskett Ridge, above the campground.
The westerly flow was strong enough to keep me up, so I hung out,
watching Greg land. I was now the only pilot left in the air.
There's another ridge just to the south of the one I was on,
the ridge with the dirt road going up to the Knob an Plaskett Crk.
launches. For a change of pace, I decided to go over to it and see
if I could find something to go up in. As I was crossing the gap, I
caught sight of something coming toward me. At first I thought it
was a hang glider, but then realized it was a large bird. Must be a
buzzard. There were a lot of redtails flying, but I hadn't seen any
vultures yet. As I looked at it, I thought it was a really big
buzzard. Then I caught a flash of red - its bald head? We were going
to cross paths, with the buzzard crossing in front of me on the way
to the ridge I'd just left. As it came closer, I realized that the
patch of red was a plastic tag attached to its left wing - a
California Condor! How cool! I continuted on to the ridge, made a
couple of passes, found nothing remarkable, and decided to follow
the condor.
So, back across the gap I went, keeping an eye
on the condor. It got to Plaskett Ridge, then followed the ridge up,
looking for lift. As I got to the ridge and turned right to follow,
I noticed the condor turning - in lift. Nice! I headed for the
thermal and started a 360, counter to the way the condor was
turning. I didn't have enough altitude to clear the ridge so I
reversed my turn, found a bit of that lift, and followed the condor
around the circle. I caught a glimpse of something down low - a
redtail was joining us. For about half a circle, the three of us -
hang glider, redtail, and condor - were sharing a thermal. Then the
redtail continued south, and I couldn't maintain clearance above the
ridge so I left the condor and headed out to where I could get some
mechanical ridge lift.
A short while later, I decided I'd had
enough fun, and the gang was all in the LZ, so I headed out to land.
My approach was smooth as silk and I had a fine, stand-up landing.
What a way to start the year! In over 25 years of flying at Big Sur
(maybe a dozen trips), I'd never gone up before. They'd all been
sled rides. So, my first flight of the year was also the first
flight where I worked a thermal at Big Sur, and the first time I'd
flown (or even seen) a California Condor. And this flight of firsts
was capped with a good clean landing (new year's resolution: good
landings!).
As has been mentioned by others, the entire trip,
from New Year's Eve on Wednesday, to the day we left, Sunday, was
filled with good fellowship, and good times, in spite of wet and
cold. I can safely say that this was my best trip to Big Sur, ever,
and it was primarily due to a great group of fun-loving
folks!
The year has gotten off to a great start. This is only
the beginning!
Ernie Camacho
|
Ernie
Camacho
Club
President
(1/10/04 12:13
pm)
24.5.57.229
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about that
bird...
I know that there are a lot of people that are very concerned about
the welfare of the California Condor. It's been a difficult endeavor
getting them back into the wild in sufficient numbers, and any
interference with them is severely frowned upon.
When I
encountered this condor, I was very mindful of that, and I wanted to
make sure that I didn't do anything to spook this fellow.
As
we crossed paths, I watched for any sign that it might not like me
being there. I saw nothing. It's as if it didn't even notice me,
although I did see it looking at me at one point. It didn't change
its path at all.
And then, as I followed it to that thermal
and joined it, it appeared that I was accepted as just another bird.
The redtail felt the same way, noticing me, and adjusting its
position in the circle, but neither bird seemed concerned to have
such a big "bird" near them.
That made me glad, because I
surely wouldn't want to disturb my feathered friends, and because
I'd like to fly with them again someday.
And in case you're
wondering, I tried, but couldn't make out the number on the condor's
tag.
Ernie
Edited by: Ernie
Camacho at: 1/10/04 12:14 pm
|
Ernie
Camacho
Club
President
(1/10/04 2:58
pm)
24.5.57.229
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| Del
|
more
photos
I've added a few more photos to the trip album. Donna took
these.
I'll add more photos as I get them.Shannon took photos
while flying, and others took photos too.
Big
Sur Album
|
Ernie
Camacho
Club
President
(1/11/04 8:51
pm)
24.5.57.229
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|
and...
There's a couple of items I forgot to mention.
My second
flight of the year, on Saturday, was almost exactly the same length
- 1 hr., 6 min. - as the first flight on Friday. Only the seconds
were different.
And on the way out through Hunter-Liggett, we
also say a coyote and lots of ground squirrels. Add that to the elk
and bobcat, and there's lots of animals in the area. I don't
remember there being elk there in '69, when I lived there.
| |
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