Andrew will be in LA by now, just had to beat him to the post with starting the new thread (I'm bored ok! Should have gone yesterday)

This thread is for the reporting of happenings and day reports from up the hills.

I am ready to go with all bags maxed out weight-wise.

What are the long/short term forecasts?

Ready and waiting..

Bummer, we have wind for another day and then zilch for at least the next week and a half























































April fools! Its gonna rock, get ready!

I really am pretty trashed right now. I don’t think I had more than a few minutes of actual sleep on the plane and Chris and Billy have kept me up all day. So it’s 8:16pm here; got that spaced out, overtired feeling and keen to get to bed. Reports are going to be shorter this time.

On the way to the airport, 13yo Lisa was sitting in the back of our van, pressed up against the enormous glider box, and she said something along the lines of “you’re like a professional glider flyer Dad!”. Lots of guffawing and snorting and denials from me and Janet in the front and she said “what do you have to do to be a professional??”. I replied that in some sports if you were good enough you could be paid a salary to compete in the sport, but not in RC hobbies. I told her that I was really an “anti-professional” because I’m the opposite as I spend the equivalent of a full time salary to fly the gliders.

The flight was cramped but ameliorated by the fact that I sat next to 2 gorgeous nice intelligent girls. We discussed their tragic relationship breakups and so on, and I tried to pass on some of the sage wisdom and experience that comes from reaching 51 and surviving my own crazy family. They’ll be fine now.

Getting thru customs in LA was really painfully slow. About an hour. They Xrayed the box too, but that was quick. Chris and Billy picked me up, and it was pretty much like a re-take of last year’s first episode. We had fun. Spent an hour with Spencer unpacking the planes and looking at all his lovely moulds, plugs and all sorts of stuff. Picked up my new Falcon DS gun. Then we headed off to the Thrifty car rental. Half an hour later we emerged with a monstrous behemoth of a vehicle – a full sized Ford Expedition wagon. We looked at the Traverse that I had booked, but for $220 more I could get the much huger Expedition, so I did. I started to get miserable that I had expected my booking to be the total fee, but there was no doubt that the bigger vehicle was much better for us (and has “proper” 4WD) . Then there was the $5 per day roadside assist that I coughed up for too, and by the way you have to prepay the tank of fuel … $138!!! And to rub salt in the wound, there was tax. I felt a bit hot under the collar and as the day has gone on I have suffered from depression and embarrassment about the ridiculous amount of money I’ve been throwing at this pursuit. But I guess if you’re gonna be a serious anti-professional, that’s the sacrifice you have to make.

After a fantastic lunch we got the T-Mobile sim card, and my phone refused to log into its security account. We tried everything and I am perfectly happy to own up to the fact that it was just a dumb mistake in me using the wrong username. But it took me half the arvo to work out.

We went to Fermin where the wind was seriously ballistic. There were a few guys flying, and several broken foamies as a result. Some good flyers of mouldies to. I flew the Scratcho for ages and after the landing on top, I had great difficulty carrying it back down without it getting torn from my hands. Seriously good.

Chris got his Nyx out and started to do really impressive powerful flying. He has not flown for a month or more and he let it rip. Ten minutes into it he realized that he had camber on, so he switched it off and it sped up!

I started to fret that my family might be worrying at not having heard from me so I decided to go to the motel room and fought with the wifi until I got some messages home online, then remembered the proper phone password and was able to start using the phone.

Walked back over to Fermin and did some more Scratcho flying, including nearly losing it into the water after losing massive height with a dumb thumb move – and also later having trouble when the wind shifted and died, and the lift dropped, and I just scraped her back up onto the lip. Someone’s looking after me.

I have to drive to the airport tomorrow before lunch to pick up Jarred. A bit scared about the driving but I’ve been driving a bit this arvo and it’s coming back. Then … the guys reckon it’s going to be pumping at Norco tomorrow and Chris is pushing me to head down there as soon as I get Jarred. We’ll see tomorrow. Either way I’m booked to stay here at Fermin tomorrow night too.

Good one Andrew, keep the reports coming.
Pete.

Good work matey. Wish I was there already!

Great to hear you arrived intact and you're already carving the skies.

Looking forward to more reports and pics.

Brettski

Very cool Andrew
Looking forward to your SHORT posts everyday and your crazy video's.
You made us all feel like we where that last time ,and I'm sure it will be no different this year.

Good luck , have fun..

I will also try to add some reports and video/pics.

Andrew, what's your T Mobile number? I'll add it to my phone now

GREEN with Envy

You ;lads have a good time, And tip up the sky.

AvB look after the DSX, and spank her hard round the back side, That's how she likes it!

Maybe when I am 51, I will be able to do this too. (Hmm cant wait that long, maybe 41)

Dang talk about a crazy busy day!

Yes fuel is expensive here especially with the huge vehicles in America. Heck, it's a $1.35 a gallon more in southern California than in Texas.

Originally Posted by KingOfTheHill

Dang talk about a crazy busy day!

Yes fuel is expensive here especially with the huge vehicles in America.

Out of interest, what is the price of gas in LA? We're paying about US$6.11 per gallon (AUD$1.55/L X 3.785 converted to US$) here in Brisbane, Australia.
D.

I reckon if it was that much they wouldnt be driving round in pickup trucks!
Glad to see you got there Andrew- Cant wait to read the SHORT reports too!

Originally Posted by Larrikin

Out of interest, what is the price of gas in LA? We're paying about US$6.11 per gallon (AUD$1.55/L X 3.785 converted to US$) here in Brisbane, Australia.
D.

Anywhere from $4.50-4.90 per gallon in the L.A. area from what I've observed recently. As you move further from the city, the price might drop by $0.20-.030.

At an average of US$4.70/G, that's about AUD$1.19/L !!!
It's been years since fuel was that cheap for us
Enjoy it while it lasts.
D.