Tree-dodger is the true name for my sledder at Hull mountain. I re-read helmet girl's post before writing this, and I'll add more of the same. The flight was scarier than I had imagined. I was actually dodging trees. I got too low, perhaps slowed down at first and flew too right of the ridge, so didn't benefit from the hopefully existent lift on top of the ridge. So I think I was below tree height, of the trees on the ridge. For the first part of the flight, I was always within 20 ft of the tree tops, and for about 5 of them (I got to know them real well), 10 ft above. I tried to sway the glider in the between-tree-tops path, as the sink would occasionally throw me directly towards a tree. Boy, I paid real dear for not getting high at launch. Every time I sunk towards a tree, I screamed at the top of my voice, and braced for impact. But somehow I was sure I'm going to make it, even if I hit. Hope dies last.
The good part of all this was - I knew that my survival depended on the control bar, so I kept very conscious of it, ALL the time. Light touch when level, faster during sink. Add some prayer to that. After about 5 minutes of screaming I made it to the turn off for the landing strip, and I suddenly got high. Flew the second spur in disbelief that I made it out of those trees. Slowly noticed that every muscle in my body was tight to the extreme. Relaxed and best-glided it to make my most beautiful approach to date. Stepped out of the air with 5-7 mph of wind in my face.
Second scariest experience in my life so far (the top one involved free falling for 440 ft). I'm alive. A round of beers or more is on me.
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| Hull July 6, 2010 |
Log: cookie girl (sledder); cleanpants (2 flights)
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