4/22/12:  The whole coast was socked in with dense fog, and Trey called close to noon asking, did I want to go to PV and see if we could fly? Well, given his amazing batting average for calling it right, I said sure, let's go!  And it was completely overcast the whole 30-mile drive down there.  But just as we came around the bend where we could see the LZ, there was a bit of blue sky!  And when we got to the top, the wind was blowing up the hill!  It was beautiful, flying around the edges of the fog bank - turned onto final a bit too low, and just missed clearing the last of the bushes - but Trey had a great landing!  Nice!

Wild Cattle Ridge, Sunday 2-26-12

It was blowing down when I got up there, but waited around for a while, and was just about to give up and drive back down, when the Air God smiled and turned the wind around, and it was perfect!

Back to Pacific Valley! 10-26-11

Wanted to go back up to the Knob this morning, test out my theory on why I blew my landing on Sunday - it was blowing down pretty strongly again when I got up there, but a couple of nice guys came along on their 110 trail bikes, and stopped to chat, and we got into a nice conversation. Next thing I knew, the wind had turned around and was blowing up the front! Thanks, Guys! And thanks, Charlie Parker, for the music!

10-23-11 Surprise flight from the Knob, with Trey!

It was blowing down so hard when Trey and I got to the top of Plaskett Ridge, that we both assumed there was not to be any flying on this otherwise beautiful Indian Summer day. But while we walked around, talking about how crazy it would be to try to fly off the back, the wind did a 180, and got good! We both had great flights!

A Perfect Day in Pacific Valley!

The fog opened up just long enough to give me a really beautiful time in the air! By the time I was back on top to get the truck, it was totally socked in again!

I just love this lady and the way she sings this song . . .

West Wind at The Knob!

Almost too good to believe: a good, strong wind blowing UP THE HILL at launch! And just as nice a wind blowing across the LZ! What more could anyone ask?! On a perfectly beautiful day, in Pacific Valley - And thanks Brother Jonathan for this wonderful accompanying selection by Beethoven, played so magnificently by Wilhelm Kempff - Piano Sonata no.23 in F minor, op.57 "Appassionata" Allegro, ma non troppo - Presto - what an awesome birthday present!

Finally! Back in the Air!!!

Today's 19 weeks since I stalled a landing and dislocated my right arm at the shoulder. Been feeling for a while now that I was ready to get back into the air, but today it really happened, and it was sheer bliss. Nina Simone's, "Wild is the Wind" seemed just the thing for such ecstasy. Thanks, Trey, for going up there with me, and starting both cameras for me. You're the best!

Coast Ridge Flight of 10 2 10

This was really one of my all-time best flights! Rising air everywhere I turned - real bliss -

Soaring with Trey from the Knob 9 21 10

It was a perfectly beautiful day at Pacific Valley, and the conditions were perfect, too! I asked Trey to turn my video camera on and then launched into a nice breeze coming up the hill. Found some workable lift about half way down - played in that for a while and then went over to set up a landing. I looked up and saw Trey circling, still very high up in front of the ridge, and he might have stayed up there all day, 'cept he had an appointment to keep, so came down about 45 minutes later! And we met Hugh from D.C. in the LZ, and gave him a ride up, and watched him launch his paraglider. And he was still soaring 45 minutes later when we got back to the highway! What a day!

Coast Ridge Road on a Gorgeous Day!

It was like a windless day, on the mountain top, but the sweetest thermals were everywhere! And I thought I was getting a video of it, but it turned out to be one still image! Stay tuned - bound to get it right next time!

Plaskett Ridge- Bliss!

Clear skies, and a beautiful wind blowing up the hill at The Knob - several hawks were out showing me where the thermals were - great flight!

A Window Through the Fog

Sat up on top of Wild Cattle until I could see a little ocean down around Sand Dollar, and launched. Sure glad that small window stayed open for me until I got there!

A Window Through the Fog from Peter Rosen on Vimeo.

Pacific valley Flight 3 28 10

It was another gloriously beautiful day on the coast, and there were a million pilots flying from Wild Cattle, but I was the only one on Plaskett - we all met in the LZ and everybody had a blast.

Pacific Valley Knob Flight, 1/10/10

Knob Flight 1 10 10 from Peter Rosen on Vimeo.

Just another gloriously beautiful day in Pacific Valley today, and for a really nice change, the wind was actually blowing UP the hill at the Knob! Great flight!

Finally!!! Video from the new Canon!!!

'09 Thanksgiving Flight, with Trey (and Antony!) from Peter Rosen on Vimeo.

This is HUGE! Been trying ever since 11/26 to figure out how to USE the videos this new camera takes!! I thought "HD" just meant BETTER - no one bothered to tell me it also means the videos can't be uploaded the same way! And today I also learned how to get this great music track on here! I hope you get a kick out of it!

Thanks for this, Brother Jeff!

http://www.annarbor.com/passions-pursuits/staying-in-the-day-is-a-beautiful-thing/

A Flight off The Knob, 8/8/09

Flying from The Knob on 8 8 09 from Peter Rosen on Vimeo.

It was another awesomely beautiful day in Pacific Valley. Not much lift to be found, very smooth air, and the wind sock was set up, telling me in which direction to land, so I was surprised to find myself running after touching down. So maybe if my running had been a bit more enthusiastic . . . but as it was, the glider eventually caught up, passed me, and nosed in, albeit gently enough to still give myself a thumbs up, yeehaha. Next video will be in my new RED harness!

Also, flew again with Trey, a week later, but my camera malfunctioned, so the only record of that one is on his blog: www.treykropp.blogspot.com

June 27, Trey and Me Flying Wild Cattle - Together!

Trey and I finally, finally got into the air at the same time! The coast was so socked in with fog all the way to Pacific Valley that I gave our chances of getting in a flight, like zilch. But as we came around the bend at PV, there was some blue sky, and the fog, covering the whole ocean, opened up right across the LZ - unbelievable! So Trey had one camera on his keel, behind him, and another in his pocket, which he took out a few times, and I had one on my keel, and Trey spliced all three videos together into a beautiful, 4 minute record of a totally beautiful day! Check it out, from his blog: www.TreyKropp.blogspot.com Thanks, Trey!

Prewitt Ridge June 27th 2009 from Trey Kropp on Vimeo.

Clear Ridge, May 24, '09

Clear Ridge 5 24 09 from Peter Rosen on Vimeo.

It was soarable! But a moment's hesitation, and the chance to fly up above where I'd launched was gone, so nothing left to do but try to make it to the LZ, which I'd reached from that ridge twice before, on less windy days. This time, the headwind told me I wasn't going to make it. But I promised on my last post to show the landing of the next flight, so here it is. Thanks so much to Tracy for rescuing the glider - again!