Heather Grows Feathers

Ok, not the best title in the world. In fact it is pretty darn bad. But I am going with it and I am blaming it on the Hoptimum beer that Sharky made me drink last night. That stuff will nail you. In fact Joey is still on my couch while I am typing this: he got Hoptimized.

Heather is a dear friend of Jayson and Natalie, our Canadian Monkeys, and she really wanted to, well, grow feathers. She wanted to fly! You all know the feeling. Jayson had told her, "One of those Flying Monkeys will take you up, for sure...aye!"

I had not flown in awhile, which for me is more than a day or two, and I needed a fix. The day before I was chained to work and heard there were some good flights but no one logged them in here. Probably a good thing, I had too many reports to type in the morning which were delayed by a video from Bonnie that was from Bob's B-Day Fly-In. And a quick read of the Rat Race results from task 5 revealed Abhay, Maui Monkey, in 2nd place for the day, and Frosty in 9th. One more day of flying for them we hope.

A few of us went for the Kahana challenge today. It was sunny when I arrived to find Mad Dog, Timo and Maui Doug with a tandem already high in the sky. Woody and Lake were on high assisting Jorge with a tandem . McStalker was on low launch and buzzed by while we were laying out on high with a quote, "Hiking is for suckers". Bonnie, Lake and Woody were soon off. I sacrificed a line while clearing the launch, Woody top landed, one of several, to help me get a knot into the line and chuck me off the hill.

I took to the skies planning on a local flight and top landings. Mad Dog, Timo and McStalker got high and took a left over to Punaluu. Mad Dog and Timo made it back to KNA while Stalker landed at Punaluu, closer to Chings. Timo had a curfew and landed at KNA with Mad Dog, Lake and the Tandem duo of Maui Doug and Jorge close behind. One-eye launched after helping Big Mike off the hill. Big Mike went straight for the beach and got hung up in the notorious arms of the LZ ironwood. He was okay but his wing took some serious damage. Lake aided in the wing removal.

Woody, Duck and I top landed east launch to give Ray and Heather a launch assist. Ray pulled it off flawlessly. Heather was airborne.

One-Eye made the call on an oncoming squall, so he & Bonnie headed for the LZ. Duck and I scrambled to get our gear and get in the air and left Woody on the hill. The squall was quickly approaching so Duck and I got some drizzle on the way in. B-Ray & Heather were next to land, a little wetter but not bad. Maui Doug had hiked up again and was trying out a new tandem harness,solo, with his large Aspen over head. He soon found the squall's gust front was getting stronger, oops this harness does not have speed bar. Maui Doug came in safe and sound to a damp landing.

Not sure if Woody launched then top landed to wait out the squall but once it passed he got another flight with Jorge, who had hiked again for a solo flight. The two of them put on an aerial show for the soggy pilots below, not wet, just not dry, there were some blue cans rolling around.

Heather got a great flight.

There are a few wings and livers hanging out to dry tonight, but it was worth it.

Its Time to Fly, Get Your Gear Off the Line and Go!!

JJ Jameson