A representitive from Red Bull, was on hand today, and brought some products for us !!!Good stuff that Red Bull ! ! Gives us wings ! ! of a different kind, lol.
Here she is running down the ramp with Clark. She will never be the same ! !

The Lee team , with their ATOS's

Ollie launching

If you look hard, you can see launch, at the top of the mountain.

Here's a shot of the LZ ( Landing Zone)

This is what we call Hang waiting

I just thought this was a good shot.

The conditions today where totally opposite from the last 2 days. It has been howling up here, over 25 mph. Today,,,the strongest cycle that I saw was about 5-6? and not a long one either. Very tough day, to say the least. Most took their sledders like a man/women and didn't complain,,,too much,, as they haven't gotten to fly much this week.

Tomorrow it may go to a southerly direction. If it does,,, we will be heading to Whitwell to fly from there.

More later !

The wind was blowing way too hard to be safe again today, which is to say it was blown out. There were more seminars, and great talks during the day,,but the news of the day, is the evening participation.
It was at Cancun Mexican Restaurant, in Chattanooga. Can you tell that they have some Serious margaritas?? Keith wasn't driving, so someone bought him one. Can you tell that he got a little tickled at it??

I call the one below: With a little help from my friends. Matt Tabor, Terry Presley, and Buzz.

Buzz was out celebrating his birthday with us.

Part of the group from tonight's party.

Some more people at the party. Yet, this isn't all of them. All the booths were full also, and all those pic will be posted on the TTT website soon.

A panoramic view of the beautiful Sequatchie valley.

Tomorrow is "" suppose to a fly day. I really hope so. Got to get some rest, to be ready, just in case !

As I was driving up the mountain, heading to Henson's for the 2ND day of the Tennessee Tree Toppers Team Challenge '09, I wasn't for sure if anyone was going to be outside when I got there, or in a storm cellar somewhere. Fortunately,,this disturbance passed, and only left 30 mph winds ALL day, and into the night.
What happens at a hang gliding meet, when it isn't flyable. Seminars is what goes on! Priceless, vital information passes on to all that wanted to learn about what ever subject. Mike Barber started off with a pilots debriefing and discussion about yesterdays conditions and flying. Then, Ollie picked up with some pearls of knowledge, not to be missed.

Next on deck, after lunch, was Dennis Pagan. THE hang gliding GURU. Remember Yoda?? He's got nothing on this guy ! Bring it ! This afternoon, his seminar was about weather. Specifically, cloud suck & thunderstorms. When to play and when to Run Forest Run !

Next Seminar was about the instruments in which we use during flight. This one was targeted at our GPS. A pilots choice on instruments, are as varied as the rack systems that we build for our vehicles. All the pilots that wanted to learn about their particular GPS, broke into separate group by manufactures, and models. After the seminar,, a true test was put to 4-5 teams. A scavenger hunt for 5 items.

Steve Kroop will be pleased to hear that out of all of them,,, the Flytec 6030 team won. After all, they are the most expensive, they have got to be the best right ? Right, and we proved it! Of course, when you have Jeff Laughtery(shown below with the first item, a Pay Day), Dennis Pagan, Ollie Gregory, Tom Lanning on the same team,,,some might get the idea that it was a stacked deck. What did we win??? Bragging rights !

No, Dennis and Ollie are not doing some Italian or Russian dance below. They are giving the next seminar which was: Thermalling etiquette & procedures. When & how to join a gaggle of pilots in a thermal, direction, speed, mid-airs, etc... Since the Team Challenge is designed for the new or very low time XC pilots, it was demonstrated to make us all better at this delicate maneuver. This was a must for some, as they have never flown in a gaggle of other pilots before.

Have to admit tho,,,they do look good doing this ! And a beer would never be in a pilots hand while performing these type maneuvers !

The next 2 shots are 2 of the best that I've taken in a while. The wind was still honkin' at sunset! !

Everyone ran out to the ramp to see the space station go overhead. Fabulous site to watch ! !

I do hope that the wind calms down a bit for everyone tomorrow. All of us need some airtime! More importantly, you can't put into application anything that you've learned in the seminars, standing on the ground, looking up in the empty sky. More later !

I posted all the pictures that I took today on my face book page.

Tonight was the last night of the annual Women's Fly-in Festival. There was catered baked chicken dinner, with all the trimmings, a keg, a band, a silent auction, and the awards ceremony.
The Lumbar 5, I think was their name. Good dancing music.

Just part of the silent auction items.

Below are some portrait shots of a few people that was there. Jerry and Paula below.

Don and Stacy

Buzz said that he was glad just to be on the green side of grass ! !

Mark Stump--- the Funmeister ! !

Denny and his lovely wife, Nydia

Kid Dave Miller and friend, Lori

Part of the crowd

The social director, Doris. She received a special apron in thanks for what she does here during the season.

The weather wasn't as good this year, as it was last year. However, we did have some 1st mountain launches, spot landing, duration, some seminars, and so many other things that I can't list them all.

If you look over to the index on the side of this page, you will see a link that says,,,"LOTS of pictures". If you click on that,,it will take you to another web page provide by Dan Barker. He has posted most all the pictures that I've taken during this event.

Kid Dave Miller, comedian, aerotow program manager, and tug pilot extraordinaire, was the MC for this evenings activities. Which were: a floor show & an open mic night.

These are the Mongoettes. Their routine is widely know,,,in Lookout valley, haha. Just ain't right,,,but funny, none the less !

Next couple of shots are of the part of the crowd tonight.

This is Gordon, Liz, Stacy, and Don. They were just part of the open mic night.

Dennis Pagan,,author of some many hang gliding instructional books that I can't count them all, was on hand to play for us, again this year. Brilliant man, and good guitarist

None one really knows all the talent that we have here at the flight park. From Classical pianist, to comedians, to singer/song writers.

This is just one of the items on deck for the silent auction. Barry Brown makes these. If you would like one for your home,, let me know. GoFlymetalart@yahoo.com is the address if you would like to contact him personally.

This one is just for Mark.

If you look over to the sidebar, there's a link that says ~ ~ Lots of Pictures. I took a lot of pictures night/lastnight, and they are all posted on there. Just look for the link about this years women's fly-in festival.

Tonight was the start of the 2nd annual Women's Hang gliding festival.
Jen, Liz, and Stacy signed in the first lady participant, Erin Rapacki.

The Gary Edmonds Band rocked tonight ! Good music.

You can't do anything without some GREAT volunteers ! ! !

The pizza's was catered by,none other than,,,, Lupi's Pizza. Made on location,,fresh & outta site good !

You know I love a great bonfire. Shawn very rarely disappoints ! ! !

What would a women's festival be, without women dancing ???? Looked like these two had practiced before????? Maybe in Japan? yesterday?? lol Jet lag, to be sure.

It was also, Pablo's birthday. He's a great Ultra-light pilot, that tows up to the lofty heights.

He is shown here, with his wife AND girlfriend Yuki. Sorry guys ! :^}

Tomorrow night is going to be a blast. The night is starting off with a Round table seminar in the LZ featuring: Matt Taber, Mike Barber, Linda Salamone, and Steve Pearson.

THEN,, the food for the evening is: Soup & Judy Food sandwiches, with beer, and a bonfire. But, wait,,,that's not all. There's Open Mic Night. With our own "Kid Dave" MCing. But wait,,lol,,, there's also going to be a repeat performance from our own( do we have to claim them????) the Mongoettes. If you really want a great laugh,,look in my archives at this same event last year. Here's a secret inside tip---don't tell anyone tho !!!!! One of the Mongoettes called me this evening. They were in need of a---trench coat. Yup,,,should prove to be a face cramping, side splitting, rolling in the floor laughing, kind of night ! Come get some ! ! ! !