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Hangola July 8, 1999

The forecast was for NW around 10 becoming L&V for Thursday in Washington County. I was a little worried that it might be too light at the Rock. However, when Karen and I arrived there at 4:45, it was CRANKIN' baby! Rob Millman and Marc were already there an set-up. Marc had been there since noon and reported that there had been several 30+ mph gusts. CRAP! So we fixed the safety ropes and set up anyway. Around 5:45 it backed off some and we were able to get Marc and Rob off in quick succession. Both had good launches though they were still a bit twangy. Craig had just arrived and we were trying to figure out a way to shuttle some cars when the winds just started honkin' again. It looked like Marc and Rob spent a lot of time being parked. So we hemmed and hawed and Marvin and Eddie showed up, and a little later Natalie and Kurtis (sans glider). Eddie never even bothered setting up.

Marvin wasted no time setting up, and with a six person wire crew, finally found a cycle that he liked and went off with a full pressure major twanger. Hem and haw-- hem and haw. Around 7:00, it looked like it was starting to back off and the lulls were getting longer so Craig got up on the block just in time for it to start cranking again. After about fifteen minutes, we got a really nice cycle and Craig had a great launch. I was next and was lucky in that it took less than 10 minutes for me to get launchable cycle. The air was surprisingly smooth. I was expecting to find it to be quite a handful given all of the gustiness at launch. But I was flying around hands-off most of the time. I reported this to Karen so she suited up. Still, it took her fifteen minutes on the block waiting out the gusts before she was able to launch. Brian VH had arrived just after Craig had launched and Brian leapt off soon after Karen.

I got just under an hour--1350 over (mostly boating around at 1200 over). Craig got a little over an hour, 950 over. Karen 32 minutes-- about a thousand over. It only took her two passes after she launched to climb 300 over Craig who had dropped to around 700 over and couldn't get back up. Brian 20+ minutes, 600 over. Marvin-- about an hour, 1200 over. Marc, couple hours-- stinkin high. Rob-- 1:45, 2400 over.

Big, Big Thanks to Eddie, Kurtis and Natalie for wire crewing and bringing Craig's van down to the LZ.

Matthew (Woodstock Sunday??? of Karen and Matthew)

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This page last updated July 9, 1999