I have signed up for this class and just wanted to let you all know more of the details in case you are interested. I would love some flying company! Here is the letter that Rob sent. I have asked for permission to post, but not heard back yet so if there is any issue then we will need to edit or remove this post.
Thanks,
Duck
Hello Pilots,
Here is the information on our upcoming SIV clinic at Lake Berryessa. The Lake is going through quite a few changes, and there are minimal lodging options. Hotels in Napa are expensive, and the drive is a bit too long. We got really lucky meeting a local family with 8 generations living at Lake Berryessa. Gil and Cathy Pridmore will be our hosts. We are very lucky to have the opportunity to stay at their ranch, and we ask that you treat their ranch with all the respect it deserves. They love people, and are excited about the towing. We need everyone to stay with us in order to make this lodging option work, the price is very reasonable compared to what you would pay anywhere else. It is really a beautiful spot.
IMPORTANT: We need to all understand that we operate this towing operation at the lake as a group of friends. The lake understands there is no remuneration for the towing, and that this is not a commercial operation. Be sure that you understand this mindset, and communicate that we are just friends getting together to tow and work on maneuvers if you are asked by anyone at or away from the lake.
Lodging
We will be renting 2 of the Pridmore’s 5th wheel RV’s which are on a ranch right next to the main house. We will have wireless internet (best reception is on the porch of the main house), access to their swimming pool, a kitchen in the RV with everything we need, and we do get Verizon cell coverage at this location. There are plenty of beds for everyone in both of the RV’s. However, I encourage you to bring a bed roll and sleep outside under the stars with or without at tent on the grass next to the horse corrals. Tents can be set up between the trees just next to the horse corral, and we ask that you park your car along the horse corral fence on the straight part of the driveway. The sprinklers may go off on any other grassy area so sleeping on the grass next to the horse corrals is a good idea. Please bring your own towel for showering and pool time.
Please note that we don’t really have room for significant others or friends at the actual towing location. We shuttle people to the island and we need all the space on the boat for clinic participants. People can watch the towing from Oak Shores, but we can’t have anybody but clinic participants at the tow location, no exceptions.
It was very difficult for us to secure the right spot for lodging at the lake. We were lucky to find this location, and us being able to use it and afford it is dependent upon all of our clinic participants staying with us. We can’t make these clinics work if you are doing your own thing staying at another location. You will want to be a part of this lodging anyway since a great deal of our learning comes from reviewing the videos in the evenings together of our day of towing on the lake. We encourage everyone to arrive the night before the clinic is to start. The first day briefing is important and will start at 7:30am sharp. It is very important that you be on time for this initial meeting where we go over all the towing and maneuvers techniques in a ground school setting. So please make it to the lake and plan on staying with us the night before. You can choose to stay a 4th night with us on the last day of the clinic, this way you will have the benefit of seeing your final day of towing and review during the evening video review session. Your last day is usually the day it all comes together so you will want to take advantage of this opportunity.
The lodging cost will be $115 for 3 nights and $150 if you choose to stay 4 nights. Please deiced how many night you will be with us and mail a check made payable to “All Adventure” to P.O. Box 3775, Santa Barbara, ca, 93130. Some of you made reservation for the clinics through our online store. Understand that we only hold your reservation with this credit card, and we expect you to mail a check for the payment of the clinic and lodging.
Directions to The House
I have attached a Map to this email with the ranch and lake meet locations highlighted.
The house is located at 1607 Capell Valley Road. When you arrive at the address there are two driveways. Please turn right into the second driveway if you are coming from Napa or Sacramento. It will be the first driveway if you are coming from the north. Pull all the way to the end of the driveway and park your vehicles in front of the horse corral barn on your left. The two RV’s are parked in the shade under the big Oak tree and the aluminum barn.
San Francisco to House – 1607 Capell Valley Road
View Larger Map
Sacramento to House - 1607 Capell Valley Road
View Larger Map
Carpooling
Participants will fly into either the San Francisco or Sacramento airport, or drive in from the west or east. Please email me your travel itinerary as soon as you have it so I can pas it along to the rest of the group. I will send out emails to the entire group when I get the information and leave it up to the participants to work out the logistics of connecting with carpooling possibilities.
Food
You will need to bring your morning and afternoon meals. I suggest you stop at a grocery store before Napa, or in Sacramento to stock up. We have a full kitchen in the RV, fully stocked with cookware. We suggest you pack your lunch for the day of towing. We have a cooler for this lunch. We may plan on eating out at Cucina Italiana restaurant at Spanish Flat on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. You are welcome to bring food and do your own thing for dinner, and if your clinic is not on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday bring evening meals for yourself. The restaurant is only open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but they will open any night we give them notice ahead of time.
Map of Lake Berryessa
Here is a link with a Map of lake Berryessa which lists the different areas of the lake. You can see the oak Shores meeting location on the west shore.
http://www.usbr.gov/mp/ccao/field_offices/lake_berryessa/docs/map_resort.pdf
Meet Place and Time
We will likely do our first morning briefing at the house. After breakfast clinic participants will caravan to the Oak shores day use area with all your gear, and things you will need for the day. Park your car at Shale Cove in the Oak Shores day use area and walk down to the water where we will pick you up and ferry you the short distance to launch.
Once at launch you will need to prepare all your gear, get radios checked, bridles on your harness, and find a life jacket. Be prepared to tow.
We aim to get people 3 tows each per day. The towing will continue until about 5-5:30 pm or until everyone has had at least 3 tows. After towing we will clean up the area we have been using and ferry you back to shore so you can return home and decompress, clean up, and take a dip in the pool before we get ready for dinner, and the evening video debrief of our days flying.
What to Bring
You should plan on bringing all your paragliding equipment. We will have all the necessary tow bridles and life jackets for your tows. It’s a good idea to bring an extra set of clothes and a towel to the lake each day so you have a set of dry clothes in case you get wet. You should also bring water, a hat, and sunglasses.
Cancellation and Make Up Policy
Participants are able to cancel reservations within one week of their scheduled clinic. We usually have waiting lists for our clinics so often times we can sell your spot to a pilot on the list if you need to cancel. However, if there is no one to fill your spot and you cancel less than a week before the clinic there will be no refund. We do not give credit for bad weather. You will not receive a credit if the weather conditions prevent us from towing in a safe manner. We have picked a towing location with very consistent weather conditions, and we have an excellent success rate at this location. We have a great deal invested by the time we get to the lake, and we cannot afford to issue any type of make up or credit due to weather. We have also selected to run these clinics at a time of year which gives us the best chance of success.
Any mechanical breakdown of the boat or winch will earn you a credit for the towing missed. Our goal is to get you three tows per day. We have come to realize pilots lose focus, and their ability to execute maneuvers after three tows in most cases. The towing takes a great deal of focus, and most pilots are mentally and physically exhausted after three tows.
Contact Information
Please feel free to contact us with any questions you have, or if you are lost.
Rob Sporrer 805.331.5751 rob@paraglide.com
Brad Gunnuscio 801.707.0508 bradgunn@hotmail.com
Andy Palmer 805.705.4678 sigma631oby@yahoo.com
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Rob Sporrer
Ship to: 1107 Castillo Street, SB, Ca, 93101
Mail to: Po Box 3775, SB, Ca, 93130
www.paragliding.com
805.968.0980
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