Training Log Archive: jjcote

Climbed Mt. Watatic with Nancy, Stephen, Rachel, and Nicole.

Lane-Horse-Seaver-Howl loop with Stephen. When we came up with the idea of Stephen doing the Billygoat, I set this as a goal, that it would be good if Stephen could run this loop in under 75 minutes. We had planned to do it earlier this week, but the schedules didn't work out, so we finally got around to it this afternoon. Not hot out, but on the warm side, so that was a good test. He got through the off-trail sections just fine, and although I had to continually encourage him to keep moving, he did chug along pretty well, and was very interested in where we were going and what names I had for the different trails and landmarks. I really had to urge him on at the end, and he responded well, keeping up a jog on the last big climb, and running on a final push to the mailbox that signaled the end of the loop, coming in with a minute to spare. If it were an O course, it would probably measure out at 6.6 km or so, which means that if he could keep up that pace, there'd be an hour of wiggle room. That gives me enough confidence that I think it's worthwhile for him to make the attempt. And I think he's psyched.

C • Cool 1

C • Cool! 1

Morningside 450 x 3. So, I had kind of figured that a frustrating hang gliding experience was when you showed up, but the winds turned out to be bad despite the forecast, and you wound up just sitting there. No, that's nothing compared to a really frustrating day. I got up early and went to work, got a bunch done and had a meeting in the morning, but the forecast was good for the afternoon, so I called Morningside and was told by the phone lackey that Jeff (the guy in charge) was out but should be back in an hour, and the weather looked good. Hopped in the car and drove up, and Jeff wasn't there yet, so I got my glider out and set it up, did the preflight, and waited.

And waited.

And he didn't show up. Figured I might as well do something, so I started in on hill repeats, running up to the very top. And that was really frustrating, because the wind conditions were absolutely perfect. I had been hoping for a day like this, to do a couple of flights from the halfway launch point and get checked out and cleared to launch from the top of the hill, the 450' mark. And this would have been the ideal day for that. But Jeff wasn't there, and the rest of the staff isn't back from Florida yet (except the phone lackey, but he's just a local vagrant who doesn't actually know anything about hang gliding). So nobody could fly. And every time I got to the top and stood there on the launch ramp with the wind in my face, it drove me crazy. The last time up, another pilot had climbed up as well, and we stood there and talked for a while, and when we got down it was 5 PM, and I realized that Jeff wasn't going to show up, and it was time to take my glider apart and put it away.

So I got the battens removed, folded the wings, and I was just about to roll them up when the phone lackey, who had driven away earlier, showed back up and said, "I found him! He's coming!". He had gone out in his car looking for Jeff a couple of times earlier, but this time he found him, and Jeff was on his way. Jeff got there, apologized for having been busy all day, and said that the weather still looked good, and I might as well put the glider back together. At that point I didn't want to waste the remaining time I had with carrying the glider up to the 150', so I went straight to the 250' on the ATV, and after watching my flight, the phone lackey said, "You look like you're ready for the 450', why don't you ask Jeff?". So I asked, and was given the go ahead, and I made four flights from the top of the hill in perfect smooth conditions, and I actually gained noticeable altitude immediately after launching all four times. Woohoo! And all my landings were totally sweet as well. There are a number of new things to keep track of when I'm flying from that high up, but I did pretty well, and should soon be able to try hanging out in the lift band and staying up for a while. I can go where the big kids play now!

C • congrats 9

So when I was done flying, there was a voicemail from Clint saying that his big stinky flower was opening tonight, so after I drove home, Nancy and I headed down to Connecticut to check it out. I guess we got there at about the ideal time. Smelled like a latrine. Got home at about 2:30 AM.

[Clint, my favorite stinky gardener, with his pride and joy.]

No sit-ups. It was a long, busy day.

C • email 3

Walking around the block and through the cemetery with Nancy (in her new shoes), checking out weird old tombstones, and bats out for an evening snack of bugs (AOWN!).

C • Fun 3

Fresh Pond CSU sprint. A little slow because my calves are bruised, and I blew one control. Nice evening to get outdoors, though.

Advanced - Splits