Friday and Saturday rides

Eric came down from San Francisco to have a vacation day after some long hard work.  He said he had a new appreciation for life after recovering from a bicycle accident and just wanted to take a glider ride.  We had a nice tow up over the fog of Monterey Bay, released and did a loop. When asked if he wanted to fly, he said, "Yes" and proceeded to fly the glider as if it were natural for him.  He should take up glider flying as that bicycling is way to dangerous!

On Saturday I was privileged to ride in the rear cockpit of the Schweizer 2-32 while a young German glider pilot now studying at Berkeley familiarized himself with our local area and a glider-type he'd never been in.  He flew the whole flight as if he'd been trained in the 2-32 which speaks highly of the thorough training he had received at home and the experience he had flying in the Alps. I was so relaxed I forgot to get his picture!  Not the Alps but beautiful in its own way, The Quien Sabe Valley:

After quickly converting from two-place dual-control to three-place front-control, I loaded Evette and Richard for his 60th b-day ride out to the Monterey Bay:

The fog was still over the bay:

We enjoyed a few fun maneuvers and the luxury of the ability to "hang-out" above all the earthly troubles below.  After returning to the airport environment we saw the apricots placed out to dry:

 

My glider-pilot friend Dave came in to take our 2-32 for a "spin".  The two gliders he owns and flys out of Minden, NV aren't certificated for spins and he likes to keep his flying skills honed with the occasional aerobatic flight. I just sat in the rear seat and enjoyed the flight as an "observer"(don't often get that opportunity) while Dave played. 

                                                          WHEE!

This is not a pic I took but one that a pro photographer friend made for an Air&Space magazine article about spins.  The pilot is Russell Holtz and the glider is one of our 2/32s.

When you're spinning, it doesn't look like this still photo.  A movie would do it more justice but being there in person is the only true way to experience the thrill!