It was still pretty early in the morning when I got home and I spent a bit ripping out the part of the video where the collapse happened. It's only the 30 seconds of the wildness and I had the camera mounted to my front mount reserve so it didn't look up at the wing as I did. You can still see me falling though.

Mid morning I headed out with the shears and had at the bushes along the trail. It was really awful thanks to the swarms of mosquitoes that enveloped me anytime I was in the shade. I cut the trail open all the way to the top and my launch site.

I had the hand saw with so I went ahead and hacked down the bulk of the rest of the trees off the edge of the hill. I left them all laying there as it was getting hot. As I had cut one of the first trees the saw hit me in 0hte knee just below the knee cap and left cuts where the teeth hit. Took a while to stop bleeding.

Much better but still some work to do.

There were 4 taller trees down slope that had to be topped and I was walking to the south end to climb down the hill when I looked up through the trees and saw one of our bald eagles circling in a thermal right overhead.

Not one wing beat, the whole time it was saying, "come in the water's fine!" It was up at least 500 feet and climbing.

So down the hill I climbed then up the trees I climbed. I topped them while standing in them which was a bit funky but I made it work.

I was completely coated in saw dust, bark, and various debris, having topped the tree about 8 feet up.

After climbing the 4 trees I hit the top again and could see how much better the launch is. Those tops removed it is really ready to launch.

There is minimal to worry about down the hill now save the tops of the deciduous. I was soaked in sweat and dirt and headed down to the house. It was super cold but a good rinse down with the hose got me cooled off and cleaned up.

After a break and much needed fluids I ended up back up the hill with the pole saw, bamboo stakes, and flagging. I cut out some more branches that are hanging lower but now am to the point I will have to climb 2 trees to cut the branches since the pole saw won't reach.

The flagging got attached to the bamboo and they got jammed in the ground in an arc all around the launch. They give a perfect view of what the wind is doing and how it can vary between them. I hiked back down the hill as the bus was dropping the boys off.

The barb wire fence needs to be covered for the safety of the wing and I remembered I had a nice strip of pond liner rubber. Not the lightest thing to carry up the hill for my 3rd time up.

I got it flaked on the fence but will move it over the right post as well.

The boys went up and tossed some of trees over the fence into the sheep pen which cleaned a good bit up and only needs a handful moved. I will likely be hacking down the rest of the small fir stand by the fence. @stryeyz and I went up to check it out after she got home. My 4th hike up the hill for the day and I was destroyed. By that point my knee had really become sore thanks to the impact of the sharp teeth on the tendons around the knee cap.

Soaked a little while as it was too hot. Then going to bed my body went into fits of various pains. I did not sleep well and every time I woke up I was in pain.

This morning has sucked, my knee is still sore and my back has taken over 2 hours to work out some of the insanely painful knots. Storms are about this morning and I really hope to be feeling well enough to go up and try kiting my area. PDC is on mid day, mowing must get done, hopefully the pain subsides, and hoping the rain stays away to the west.

SIGNUP FOR YOUR NEWTON PORTAL ACCOUNT AND WE BOTH EARN!