Arty's Ultimate Ultralight Adventure

Saturday, April 25

It was hot and humid yesterday, and it looks like it will be the same today. I don’t know what the “humidity factor” was – but the temperature in the shade was 91°. I had planned to do some flight planning yesterday for our flight home but the heat was enervating: draining energy, creating an unwillingness to do anything but try and find some shade. There are two huge fans at the AOPA tent, where people jockey for space to stand in front of them, but the tent was too far to walk in the heat. The last two nights in my tent have been unpleasant – almost no breeze, and the heat nestling in with me like an unwelcome guest.

This morning, my fingers stick momentarily to the computer keys as I type and it’s an unpleasant feeling. I got up early to see the balloons. The camp is still quiet, not many people stirring. The morning mist lies along the ground.

For the past few days there have been balloons taking off every morning at 7:00 a.m. – but only a few of them. Today there are 30 of the lumbering behemoths lying on their sides, struggling to get upright with the help of the WHOOOOSSSHHHH, WHOOOOSSSHHHH, WHOOOOSSSHHHH of the burners. Then they’re “sitting up” – upright, but not yet off the ground.

Then the first one breaks loose from the pack and starts to rise.

Now they’re spread out across the horizon, gently bobbing in the light breeze.

One brings a specific memory to mind. When we brought our son Mark home, his bedroom had a brilliant fushia shag carpet and a wall of black and white psychedelic wallpaper. My mother-in-law let me know in no uncertain terms that it was entirely inappropriate for an infant’s room. I loved it. Seeing the balloon takes me back to those wonderful days of early Mark and young parenthood.

I’m snapping, snapping, snapping pictures – in an agony of frustration with the limitations of my ability and the camera I’m using. Although I shouldn’t blame the camera; my son is a professional photographer (as well as a deputy sheriff,) and I’ve seen him use my camera to take wonderful photographs, while my pictures are always snapshots. Maybe I captured the difference in my first sentence in this paragraph – I re-read it and see that I’ve written “snapping, snapping, snapping…” Well, duh!

Bill Fortney, the author/photographer of the marvelous book America At 500 Feet came by yesterday. He writes a monthly column on aerial photography for Ultraflight Magazine. I cut the articles out, read them, and then keep snapping, snapping, snapping.

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I hope it won’t be too hot in the I Wanna Fly tent this morning. I’m scheduled to give a talk about the flight. It’s part of the Lets Go Flying project, sponsored by AOPA – the non-profit Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. AOPA is committed to helping grow the pilot population, and of course that’s a real passion of mine as well. I’m really hoping that everyone reading this blog will go to www.LetsGoFlying.com/SNF and just check out some of the fascinating options. When I saw their list of types of aircraft, I realized that I have a ways to go before I’ve taken introductory rides in everything on their list. A new goal.

Yesterday’s talk was a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to the one this morning. Lots and lots of questions. Someone pointed out that I’ve been answering questions constantly since I got here: he said I should just have taped a summary and left a tape recorder in the cockpit so folks could just turn it on and listen – sort of like the audio tours in museums and art galleries. I’ve never rented those audio tours, although I’ve joined the guide-led tours frequently. I love the interaction and the energy that happens when two or three or four people with similar passions and enthusiasms get together. The questions they ask of me may be repetitive, but each questioner is different. Their focus is different. I’d never want to turn this over to a tape recorder.

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Yesterday an old friend came by. Vernon Peckham is the only professional ultralight commentator in the world; he retired from announcing airshows two years ago. I met him 15 years ago at an airshow/fly-in in Arlington, WA and we’ve enjoyed our annual reconnections ever since. I miss hearing his British accent over the loudspeakers. He’s writing a book about his life – the list of his fascinating experiences goes on an on. Tea parties with the Royal Family, different types of work, including gathering feathers..I hope he finishes it soon, even if I only get a draft copy.

Now Milford Shirley with FlightTime Radio (www.flighttimeradio.com) is peering in my tent to talk with me, so I’ll sign off and write again later.