There has been much discussion lately about the ‘weird’ weather. Since the fourth of July the sky explodes daily into massive clouds of over development leading to the most violent thunder, lightning, and torrential downpours of literally inches of rain in only minutes. I have never seen anything quite like it for this time of year. Everyday like clockwork, the sky explodes, then unleashes…every day! This type of weather does not lend itself to really great flying opportunities, in fact it is extremely dangerous. However the dramatic evening sky is beautiful to observe and safe flying opportunities are still to be had if one gets creative.
A day before the storms unleashed I was lucky enough to get in a beautiful flight from The B, up into the cirque of Lone Peak. What made it more special was guiding fellow pilot Pierre on his first cross country flight from The B to The Point of the Mountain. It was so fun to witness his excitement on a goal for him now achieved.
Amidst the busy holiday weekend Paul and I ventured to Inspiration Point and found it deserted. That’s right, deserted. No other pilots, no spectators, just Paul, my wife and kids. Truly a welcome treat! A few small clouds were popping out west and we enjoyed a fun cross country flight from Orem down into Spanish Fork where snow cones with the kids were waiting. Victory snow cones to be precise.
As the July weather turned sour it was time to chase some different sites. Clark, Roman and I set off for flying in Randolph and then Strawberry where both days were a smashing success. We each had several hours in the air, including high altitude views and low altitude saves which made for a spectacular few days in the sky.
Just a couple days ago we about got caught with our pants down, so to speak. Clark, Paul and I headed back to Inspiration Point as it seemed to have the best potential for safety. We launched in growing clouds, but still small enough to be manageable. Some pilots stayed on the ground while some of us flew. Paul launched and appeared to sink out. I launched and climbed to the Cascades, peered over and saw the darkening skies. I headed straight for the valley floor while Paul miraculously climbed up. He saw the clouds, felt okay and headed North. This was Clark’s first time at INSPO and he elected to follow Paul. The sky was dropping out further south so I locked a spiral dive and headed straight for the valley floor. I landed and the gust front hit just moments after my wing was folded. Clark flew north to Lindon, landed, folded and then the gust front hit him. Paul on the other hand climbed to 14,000 feet and surfed it all the way to Salt Lake City, by all means an epic flight. We all came out safely in the end, hopefully with new lessons learned. Always respect the sky!
Yes, the storms continue, and we must seek for those short, safe moments of calm air to get our feet off the ground. While at Strawberry I launched first and was able to get over 10,000 feet. A younger pilot launched and flew to the valley floor over beautiful aspen groves, above a blue lake, and across natures meadow only to land in a fit of disappointment and angered frustration. My fellow DEAF Crew member, Clark just smiled and reminded him of the miracle of flight. Yes, even if we get a few seconds, that dream of flight is worth every bit of money, sacrifice, and time we can offer. Yes, there are brief moments of disappointment, like when you decide to land while your buddies continue onward, but they last only a moment before I am reminded of this miracle of free flight. Yes, truly a miracle!
