Driver Needed for long ass crazy trip.

OP · Post by OP » Mon Jul 15, 2013 2:00 pm

Pros:
1.you get to be in a BBC documentary about hang gliding.
2.all expenses paid: food, lodging, incidentals, entertainment. By me.

Cons:
1. Scheduled BBC blimp can't fly for the footage. They can't get it certified in time for their production window.
1. Event lodging is in a 22$/night motel. Suspicious at best.
2. It's in a major narco-traffic zone with recent beheadings, kidnappings, disappearances, skiboats and jet skis found full of bullet holes and day passengers never found.
3. It's hotter than hell.
4. I don't want to pay you beyond your daily per diem of fast and gas station food. No fancy stuff. You wont starve, go crazy in the gas station and diners. You know how we roll on these trips.
5. Hopefully you don't want to fly as well. Apparently tug space is limited during operational hours. I'm told I literally have the last possible spot.
6. You will drive most everyday for me and a dude from crestline.

BTW this all takes place quick. PM me back or mock my offer directly in this thread.

JD · Post by JD » Mon Jul 15, 2013 6:27 pm

Good luck, have fun and fly safe!

OP · Post by OP » Mon Jul 15, 2013 6:34 pm

***Woops***

***Triple Woops***

Problem Solved. No help needed.

JD · Post by JD » Sat Jul 20, 2013 12:53 pm

OP goes big with BJ* (*Herring, that is). The big question on my mind and I'm sure your mind as well is, when OP gets back from the WRE will he make it past Big T and fly back on his Sport 2?

OP · Post by OP » Sat Jul 20, 2013 3:55 pm

Just got the net working at the Zapata county airport.

Ass you can see, the conditions are terrible.

Today was fun. Lots of lift. Cloud base was easy to find even in a tandem. Freshened up on my tow skills. Tomorrow is another stay around home day. Lots of lift, but no not enough wind to form streets.

D'Q's pic was taken and emailed from an iphone all in flight. Longest tandem either of us either had.

Also what makes this place fun, the friendly flora. Have you ever seen a Mesquite bush/tree. This place in carpeted with them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesquite_bush

JD · Post by JD » Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:41 am

OP wrote:...Ass you can see, the conditions are terrible.
..

Looks terrible alright. Better come back to LA.

dhmartens · Post by **dhmartens** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 3:53 pm

http://postimg.org/image/iqc0p68lz/full/

that link works for the photo

OP · Post by OP » Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:19 am

Another day staying local:

Sure is easy to fly when the thermals are visibly evident. The streets are just starting, but there hasn't been enough wind to make them solid. So for now we have been staying local.

OP · Post by OP » Tue Jul 23, 2013 7:51 am

Monday first going over the tiger country: 32miles. My street took me directly into the path of the laredo airspace. An attempt to jump streets dropped me into a cleared spot of cattle grazing land. It was gateception; a gate within a gate. Took a while to get out. The 19yearold girl we hired to drive brought her mom to help. It was a weak day though, a big cell wetting the area around laredo the day before.

Mike Bilyk made it the farthest with only 52 miles.
The two VRs made in short of that. Their gateception ended up with a 4am return and a long muddy walk.

I thought I was taking video with these button pushes.
30mph wind at altitude. cloud base 6200.

JD · Post by JD » Tue Jul 23, 2013 8:07 pm

Keep up the reports and the good work OP! I'm enjoying this adventure.
D' Q

Steve90266 · Post by **Steve90266** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 10:34 pm

SKILLS! What up, MF? How the FLIP did you end up with this GIG?? ! And never even got on the horn to invite me. What's up with that noise?

Don't forget your Uncle Elmo! I don't care HOW HIGH you get. Long as you let ME HIT IT!!

OP · Post by OP » Wed Jul 24, 2013 6:39 pm

http://youtu.be/eWs4MLq7OOA

It was a long day involving helicopters and airplanes. I'll just post this and pass out.

gregangsten · Post by **gregangsten** » Thu Jul 25, 2013 6:44 am

Could you get a car in to get the glider out or was it 3 miles carrying a glider?

OP · Post by OP » Thu Jul 25, 2013 8:42 am

3 Miles on foot to the road where there was a oil production gate. Found the car, then got an oil worker to let the Subaru in. Only a 1/4 mile hike with the glider. I had help though.

Landing spot: http://goo.gl/maps/50lNl

Bilyk landed in a godforsaken oil field. Right as we get there a rancher with a helicopter takes him even farther away from us. We drain an entire tank of fuel and ruin a good tire retrieving him.

OP · Post by OP » Fri Jul 26, 2013 9:19 am

Still missing the legendary streets that South Texas is known for. Fun to get lots of tows though. T2 is easier to tow than a the sport2.

OP · Post by OP » Sun Jul 28, 2013 9:23 am

SM90266, it's not as glamorous as you would imagine. The first 50 miles are very scary. It's just mesquite and cactus in these hunting ranches and oil production areas. The wind prevails over all attempts to do otherwise. It's like trying to stand up in a lazy river at the water park. You have no chance than just getting swept away.

Here is life on a typical day without going down wind. It's been 106Â° everyday. Humidity is awful. Lodging is suspicious. Locals are friendly though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6jyt9aETqA

r8pistol · Post by **r8pistol** » Sun Jul 28, 2013 6:38 pm

Great vid man. Actually looks like a lot of fun...

OP · Post by OP » Tue Jul 30, 2013 3:30 pm

BJ is shaping up to have consecutive 300+ mile days.

http://www.flytrace.com/Tracker/map.aspx?group=155

Me not so much: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjRrYAOnqqw

OP · Post by OP » Thu Aug 08, 2013 6:26 pm

Snippet of what it's like to suck in the sport class at nationals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTv2yLG0DjE

Sylmar Hang Gliding Association

Driver Needed for long ass crazy trip.

Driver Needed for long ass crazy trip.

Big Spring Bound?

OP does LRD