Peak 3 Vapor Trails: Chronically Delicious

When a visiting pilot calls to let me know they're coming, the first thing I always say is, "Bring some flyable weather … pleeeease." Today, thanks to Maui Igor, after 5 months of struggling for flights in our ever changing, unpredictable weather, I finally got lucky and was charmed with my highest score so far this year.

Mad Dog, Maui Igor and I hiked up the muddy trail to low North. Alex had already started his mission due to an early curtain call: he had to pick up his wee ones. We passed each other crossing the bay, and after that I was on the chase of the Peak 3 duo, Mad Dog and Maui Igor, for the rest of the afternoon.

It started out northerly and crossing the bay was like getting a four leaf clover from Alex. As the day progressed it started to slip to the east but never slowed us down. There were squalls to dodge and rainbows to chase. Maui Igor got a first hand lesson on flying a high end wing, wet. Somewhere over Punaluu a cloud opened up on him, and the wing dampened then stalled. Being a graduate of Brad's SIV courses he got out of it but had to push out to dry his ride.

We all made it to turn point 1, Chinaman's Hat, well the radius anyway, and not just once but twice. Then off to Punaluu with a push to Haaula for a deep double chronic. Maui Igor thought we were done as he arrived back to Kahana from the second trip to Chinaman's Hat. Dude, you're flying with the Mad Dog, he doesn't quit til he can't go any further.

Maui Igor watched Mad Dog bench up and head towards Punaluu, "Ok, we go again". I was still on glide from Crouching Lion, always in catch up mode. It's tough to keep up with these guys and sometimes even tougher to keep them in sight. This was my closest view of the Peak 3 duo: I was sucking vapor trails.

Finally all three of us were benching up at Punaluu. Mad Dog said, "Let's turn left and see where we get to." So we did. Maui Igor landed in Laie at the A-frame house; I landed just before the Laie peninsula; and Mad Dog set down in one of the BYU fields.

After landing I could hear Duck on the radio. He was headed toward Kualoa but some squalls chased him back to Kahana. Jeannine came to pick up Mad Dog. His car was full of his toy planes, so no room for me and Igor, but Duck was on his way.

I could use a few more lucky days like this.......heck all of us could.

Roll Call: Alex, Mad Dog, Maui Igor, Sidehill, Duck, Sebastian and Woody.

It's Time to Fly, Hopefully for the next 6 months, So Get Your Gear and Go!!