Lanikai

Woke this morning to Maui Doug's wing and reserve fluttering on the line. It was clean and just itching to fly. I looked up at the back side of Lanikai and thought, U-Turn named this wing right, 'Obsession'. But, it was Kalei's 9th birthday, and with a day at the mall with Kalei, lunch and then dinner planned that night with the Ikenberry Clan, flying today look out of reach.

Don's family had rented a house on Lanikai beach so we were all hanging there for the afternoon before dinner. I snuck over to Lanikai park to pack my wing from the day before. Don finished a paddle with his dad in Kailua bay and he gave me a call, "Lanikai is flyable". I quoted Alex, "I don't think we have time - ok, let's go, I will pick you up out front of the house."

Then the clock started ticking. When I got to the driveway, Don had already jumped into his car, "Forgot my boots, gotta run home, hike up without me", so I did. It was 5ish as I looked up from the trail at a Big Purple Tandem in the air. "All right", I am not the only junkie, nothing like a wing in the air to get the hiking juices going.

By the time I got to launch and laid out, the wind had died down. The tandem had already landed and I sat down facing the mountain all alone. Funny, just 2 days ago I watched Don get sucked off, and now I can't even get a wall. Time went by, and finally Don crested the launch, "It's light," I shouted, but suddenly a gust came up from behind me and filled the wing. Don's luck, I thought; he shows up and so does the wind. "All right"! Then Don said, "Turn around." A squall was headed right into the bowl directly toward me, nowhere else. No time to pack back up, I got soaked, and so did the wing. Flying for me was looking grim.

The squall passed, and since Don was on launch it got good. I kited my wing til it somewhat dried, and launched into some smooth lift. Don wasted no time and was next to me in seconds.

We had a great flight and entertained the onlooking hikers. The views of the Mokuluas and the sun setting behind the Koolaus makes this flight worth it every time. We landed at 'o-dark thirty', packed and then scooted over to the house where everyone had already started eating.

I am finding Lanikai to be a peaceful and fun place to fly. We gotta start flying here more often. This was one of the first prime spots, and an evening flight there is very picturesque. When I need to squeeze a flight in, I just have to look up or out my window, cause there it is.

Might do it again tomorrow on the early session, Celtics and Lakers in the afternoon, hopefully a profitable game for me. GO CELTICS!!! And may the luck of the Irish be with us all, here and at the Rat Race.

It's Time to Fly, Get Your Gear and Go !!!