On Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:25:49 -0800 (PST), wrote:

Yesterday were my first flights in several weeks, after the gliderport
at Crysatal was shut down following the grim events of November 2008.
I must say that it was really a "high" in several ways to be up in the
glider again. After an uneventful solo test flight with a 2000' tow
to make sure that I was not so rusty, I flew to the San Gabriel
Mountains with a passenger. We encountered what Fred Robinson used to
call the "bow wave" with a North wind, and climbed at 400 ft / minute
over snow-covered Mt. Lewis. The pleasure to be at the controls again
was enormous. I for one is very happy that the gliderport is
operational again. Now for "real" thermal weather to begin.

Cheers, Charles

Hi Charles, sorry I missed you at Crystal this weekend.
I was there Saturday.

I think the new organization at Crystal, the Southern California
Soaring Academy, is currently open Thursday through Sunday.
It is still the center of a just wonderful environment for glider
flying.

Jim