2003 Air Sailing Contest pre-report synopsis

Bob Kuykendall wrote in message
om...
Earlier, "Jim Price" wrote:

Bob, reading your report reminded me of one of the most fun experiences
I've
had in soaring. I hauled my LS4 out to Air Sailing from Cincinnati, OH
for
the Sports Class contest in mid summer 1995...upon arrival I was greeted
by
Mike Green and Bob McKay who went out of their way to make me feel at
home.
I was allowed to stay in an old trailer right behind the showers. It was
my
first experience flying in really big mountains with oxygen. What a
thrill
it was! And great camaraderie too. Cooking every night over the huge
grill
with the wind blowing hard over the high dessert. I was encouraged to go
on
up to Montague after the Air Sailing contest to look in on the Standard
Class Nationals being held there that year. I did and got to be
co-sniffer
every day along with "Mighty Gorilla". Overall, probably the most fun
soaring trip I have made. It was a small group that year too but I
enjoyed
every one there.

Ah, that's fabulous! I can't remember if I was flying the contest that
year (I missed one in about that time frame), but I'm glad you had a
good time.

You were there. I remember because yours and Dick Pfiffner's were probably
the first HP gliders that I had seen.

These days, Air Sailing is even better than ever. We have a big new
clubhouse with a large common room, new bathrooms and showers, and
even a fridge and a sink. The wide eaves keep the sun off the walls,
so it stays cool all day long. Our power system supplies 110VAC power
24/7, even when the generator isn't running.

You can see pictures of the clubhouse under construction he

Those pictures in your gallery inspired me to go get the packet from the
1995 contest. The contest was held July 2-8, 1995. Joe Findley won it. I
finished 8th of 13 pilots after landing at an airport in California on the
last day. I got an aerotow back and got confused as to which ridge I was
crossing and released one ridge early forcing me to find some lift to avoid
landing somewhere in the dessert. Ty White did the scoring. Dick Pfiffner
also flew an HP in the contest. Pam Sutton flew an LS3 and Julie Benson
(14J) flew her Mosquito. Norma ?? ran the Start/Finish line and I can
remember some of her stories, especially the one about how Mike Green got
the name "mighty gorilla"



http://www.airsailing.org/photos.htm

And there's even a separate bathouse with two more bathroons, two more
showers, and a laundry with washer and dryer.

We've also got several more travel trailers to rent out to visitors;
you can view photos and schedule availability on this Web page:

http://webpages.charter.net/drvolkmann/

Our new amenities and good old camaraderie make Air Sailing a
faboulous soaring site for pilots, family, and crew alike!

I am going to come back. If not next year then the year after.

Thanks, and best regards to all

Bob K.