I got out and walked to the edge to feel the winds PERFECT!!!! I had been concerned on the drive up seeing the clouds building AGAIN and was really hoping to get in the air before it over developed.

As I looked down there came Kim pulling into the LZ. I was debating just flying but gave in and called him, then drove my car down and we drove his truck back to the top.

We got to the launch and again the winds were exactly right. Kim and I talked for a while as I got ready then I was soon out in the air.

My camera did not start recording which annoys me since this was a pretty cool flight. I pulled the wing up, stopped it with a pop of the brakes right overhead, turned and ran off. The wing caught me and the harness lifted and I tried to kick my foot into the pod but missed. I was able to let go of the brake with my left hand, look down and put the pod over my feet, then reach up and get the brake again and fly off down the ridge.

The lift was a little funky in spots but then I found the good spots that kept me up. I got pretty low on the face a couple times but managed to work my way back up over launch height. After about 17 minutes in the air Kim was bombing out as I flew north along the ridge. I flew over him as he landed across the road in the field and when I flew back in front of the launch I went straight up really fast!

All those clouds HAD over developed and the rain was moving across the valley at us. The big gust of wind was the pre-gust front and after my flight from Quartzite I had NO DESIRE to push my luck. The gust hit me and I got a couple hundred feet over launch and said, "NOPE!". So I flew out over the fields across the road then did figure 8s over the lz, the first time I have ever done them this nice.

I came in to land in the mowed strip and touched down super gently, turned around and my wing fell to the ground exactly as it was supposed to. My other wing would never kill like this one. I packed up my stuff quickly then ran over to my car and drove up to get Kim so he didn't have to walk the half mile back to the lz.

I drove us back up to the launch and we stood there watching the rain and the storm cell as it gradually dissipated over the valley. The true gust front came through then and popped the wind to over 25mph gusts. I'm VERY proud of myself for making proper decisions and choosing to be safe then press my luck.

I was heading for home by 1:30pm and the entire way home the north bound lanes of the 395 was a constant line of cars....

I got home to a clearing sky but then the clouds did come motoring back through later. It at least had the temps mellow for us.

I got the fire going in the kinda pit to grill later.

WE HAVE CHERRIES! At least they are growing nicely so far. I grabbed the bag of tinsel and climbed into the tree to string some around in the branches. HOLY SHIT is it hard to work with and get to stay in one spot. I got a handful of it strung around but need a lot more. I can see it glinting in the sunrise right now though.

The burgers went on to grill then the buns toasted after. Wasn't on point and forgot to have the boys make a salad...

At he board for a bit I nearly got the 3 doubles.

And then I got the 3 triples, just not the right one. I mean seriously... an inch to the right.

Went out to soak and when @stryeyz opened the lid she found this spider in full wrap and inject mode.

Thinking this is a female wrapping a male spider up.

Was working hard to get the thing wrapped then would stop and inject digestive juices for a bit then go back to wrapping.

It stayed there the whole time we soaked.

It's time for the anti-sky-vampire-fires to be lit and even then they are not perfect. Little bastards still manage to get past it and the heat of the water.

Today we will be heading back up to Chewelah, all of us, and I will try for a flight again at Inkler's unless Parker's is a go. After we will go do something in the area like hike, bike ride, maybe kayak, it depends on if I want to hook the trailer up or not.

SIGNUP FOR YOUR NEWTON PORTAL ACCOUNT AND WE BOTH EARN!