Scott Clark took the initiative to arrange for all of those interested to attend a luncheon at Pilot Pete's restaurant at the Schaumburg Regional Airport. There were about 40 of us there for the lunch.
There were also 7 of us who flew at the airport in weather that was clear and cold the temperature was in the range of 10 to 15 degrees fahrenheit. It was cold!
It was way too refreshing! Lance and Jeff G flew too in spite of the cold!!
I think that there were 7 of us who flew. Please correct me if I am wrong. The list includes: Gary Brown, Scott Clark, Mike Mixer, Pete Sachs, Jeff Goin, Lance Marczak and yours truly. [Wes should have flown but didn't.]
There were a good number of regular PPG-ers in the area who were missing. Fred W, Steve R, John S, Scott B & his son, Eric R, Pete [Polish], Paul P, Len S & Kathy, were among those who we would have liked to see also.
The conditions weren't that steady. We were flying in the neighborhood of 10 to past 11 AM. The temperature was in the neighborhood of 15 degrees and it was sunny. There was definitely some thermal activity. The snow was quite crusty and there was ice mixed with it making for rough edges of frozen stuff that grabbed lines [I know this very well]. There was also ice on portions of the tarmac which wasn't fully cleared in the area we were in, making the footing very slick in spots. The wind was a little stronger than we had anticipated. When pulling the wing up on the snow or ice pilots were slipping. Mike and I circled the
airport and the rest of the PPG pilots stayed relatively close to where we were operating. Mike launched first and I launched second. I found that there were some significant bumps and more lift than sink as I circled the entire runway in a left hand pattern [staying low beyond the ends of the runway, well below the GA approach and departure paths]. The cold was the biggest problem. My hands were very cold as I landed. My hands warmed pretty quickly after landing however. I was hoping to take a second flight but time didn't allow for that.
We had quite a few observers and late-comers join us too. It was great to have Steve and Kelly Koerner join us and drive up with Lance, Sally and Wes from Kankakee. Alan Abair made the trip from Syracuse, Indiana. Mike and Stacy Mixer came all or the way from Quincy, IL. There was quite a bit of family participation too. The Gary Brown family, the Pete Sachs family, the Jaro Krupa family. Lance's very significant other, Sally, was there too as well as a number of spouses. It was good to see Alan Abair's fiance. Eugene and Yolanda Hablik
were partying right along with the rest of us. Albert and Jerzy were very welcome participants but didn't fly due to circumstances which had them arriving late. We had some of the hang gliding crew from Enjoy Field south of Kankakee join us too.
It was a good turnout and a great time! Scott Clark did a great job with the lunch arrangements and Gary Brown did a great job clearing the way for us to fly right at Schaumburg Regional Airport. Thanks, guys!
Thanks Wes for the photos. Lance, we are all looking forward to your video.
My best to all of you during this holiday season, in the new year, and always!
Dave
[Most of the above is from a post I put up on our IL powered paraglider Yahoo Group site.]
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Spinning early this morning, flying this afternoon.
It is a good day. It isn't over yet. Still have a good amount of paperwork to do.
This morning did a spinning class with my favorite Lifetime Fitness instructor, Qaiser. The class was filled and some wannabe participants couldn't participate because all of the bikes were taken. There are about 55 bikes. Jerry [my mayor friend] was there and his health seems to be greatly improved.
Paperwork was then done at the office and joined my friend Scott for a light lunch at a new restaurant in my building on the corner. Kabul House has moved from Evanston to fairly close to my old office on Dempster and now is on the corner in the Metropolitan of Skokie which is the same building my office is in. The food is excellent and the service is very good too.
Scott and I were checking out the weather and decided an earlier trip to the field for flying was warranted due to the excellent wind conditions.
Here is a link to my photos from this afternoon:
http://picasaweb.google.com/davidmcw3/FlyingPPG12810#
Here is the text describing my flight which was just written to our Illinois powered paragliding Yahoo group:
"
It was good. I did it.
Scott, Guinness and I went out. It was not too refreshing. The external temp on
my car was reading 30 as I arrived at the field. It was reading 26 as I left.
The wind was just enough for a reverse launch and a little bumpy but not bad at
all. It was out of the wnw.
Scott had just seen his ophtalmologist and had his eyes dilated. Unfortunately
his pupils stayed dilated too long and he wasn't able to fly. Guinness had a
good time wandering around the field.
It is a bit of a challenge to fly in all of the clothing that is needed to stay
warm in this weaather. It was a not real easy to keep the throttle in the right
position with heavy gloves and polypropylene liners. Reaching up after letting
go of the brakes to get the handles again was a bit of a stretch. The throttle
accumulated a little ice and after my second launch was frozen in place on full
but just needed to be spread apart to disengage.
The first flight was rather chilling. If you are a snow skier you have probably
noticed how for the first hour on the slopes you get chilled pretty easily. Then
a warming trip into the lodge allows you to warm up pretty quickly. After
warming up and getting back on the slopes you then stay warm for hours. It seems
our bodies need to get acclimated to the cold and than adapt pretty well. This
is what it was like for me today.
On my first launch attempt the wing came up pretty well but then fell off to the
side and lost pressure. I believe a gust caught it from the side and a little
bit from behind. This left me set up for a reverse which I proceeded to do after
feeling the wind a bit for proper direction and straightening the wing with a
little bit of kiting. The launc went well. I found some pretty significant lift
and got hit by a fairly strong gust at just over 500' AGL and then found myself
quickly at 800+'. The air wasn't too bumpy but I did get whacked on occasion. I
took a few photos but my camera doesn't like the cold. When it is cold it will
register low battery even if it was recently charged. My hands got pretty
chilled so I came in for a landing. Scott and Guinness were fine but Scott still
had trouble with his vision.
I decided to take a second flight and give Scott's eyes a little more time to
clear from his dilation. Another reverse was done after Scott sorted things out
and I brought it up a couple of more times to feel the wind and make sure all
was well. As I launched I notice a police car in the parking lot near our cars.
I was quite comfortable by this time and took a longer flight. There is a soccer
field near where we fly and the snow was untracked in it. I decided it would be
nice to leave some foot drag tracks right in the middle of the field so I did.
The police car was still in the parking lot and the officer was talking to
Scott. I landed near the parking lot and had a nice conversation with officer
Gary who is a GA pilot. Scott and Gary were carrying the conversation while I
packed my gear after Scott decided he was getting chilled and his eyes weren't
improving enough for him to comfortably fly.
The officer made a note of my driver's license information and was very
pleasant. Scott & I now have another local friend of PPG. There were a couple of
gentlemen who walked up as I was preparing for my first launch who said they had
seen us flying there before. There was also a nice young lady, named Bridgette,
who I saw at this site about a month or so earlier when the weather was much
nicer.
It was a good flight. Just cold enough to keep my wing dry. Lance, you were
right it almost wasn't cold enough!
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on Sunday [Reed, we will
miss you and envy you too! Jeff, how are you healing after the surgery Monday?],
the 19th, at 11am. John Ille is a north suburban pilot who told me he was
planning to join us for lunch then but has a church choir commitment for later
that Sunday so he won't be able to join us for a flight afterward assuming the
weather is good.
Happy holidays and my best to All of you and all of yours!
Dave
"
Hope that all is well with you too!
Happy holidays!
This morning did a spinning class with my favorite Lifetime Fitness instructor, Qaiser. The class was filled and some wannabe participants couldn't participate because all of the bikes were taken. There are about 55 bikes. Jerry [my mayor friend] was there and his health seems to be greatly improved.
Paperwork was then done at the office and joined my friend Scott for a light lunch at a new restaurant in my building on the corner. Kabul House has moved from Evanston to fairly close to my old office on Dempster and now is on the corner in the Metropolitan of Skokie which is the same building my office is in. The food is excellent and the service is very good too.
Scott and I were checking out the weather and decided an earlier trip to the field for flying was warranted due to the excellent wind conditions.
Here is a link to my photos from this afternoon:
http://picasaweb.google.com/davidmcw3/FlyingPPG12810#
Here is the text describing my flight which was just written to our Illinois powered paragliding Yahoo group:
"
It was good. I did it.
Scott, Guinness and I went out. It was not too refreshing. The external temp on
my car was reading 30 as I arrived at the field. It was reading 26 as I left.
The wind was just enough for a reverse launch and a little bumpy but not bad at
all. It was out of the wnw.
Scott had just seen his ophtalmologist and had his eyes dilated. Unfortunately
his pupils stayed dilated too long and he wasn't able to fly. Guinness had a
good time wandering around the field.
It is a bit of a challenge to fly in all of the clothing that is needed to stay
warm in this weaather. It was a not real easy to keep the throttle in the right
position with heavy gloves and polypropylene liners. Reaching up after letting
go of the brakes to get the handles again was a bit of a stretch. The throttle
accumulated a little ice and after my second launch was frozen in place on full
but just needed to be spread apart to disengage.
The first flight was rather chilling. If you are a snow skier you have probably
noticed how for the first hour on the slopes you get chilled pretty easily. Then
a warming trip into the lodge allows you to warm up pretty quickly. After
warming up and getting back on the slopes you then stay warm for hours. It seems
our bodies need to get acclimated to the cold and than adapt pretty well. This
is what it was like for me today.
On my first launch attempt the wing came up pretty well but then fell off to the
side and lost pressure. I believe a gust caught it from the side and a little
bit from behind. This left me set up for a reverse which I proceeded to do after
feeling the wind a bit for proper direction and straightening the wing with a
little bit of kiting. The launc went well. I found some pretty significant lift
and got hit by a fairly strong gust at just over 500' AGL and then found myself
quickly at 800+'. The air wasn't too bumpy but I did get whacked on occasion. I
took a few photos but my camera doesn't like the cold. When it is cold it will
register low battery even if it was recently charged. My hands got pretty
chilled so I came in for a landing. Scott and Guinness were fine but Scott still
had trouble with his vision.
I decided to take a second flight and give Scott's eyes a little more time to
clear from his dilation. Another reverse was done after Scott sorted things out
and I brought it up a couple of more times to feel the wind and make sure all
was well. As I launched I notice a police car in the parking lot near our cars.
I was quite comfortable by this time and took a longer flight. There is a soccer
field near where we fly and the snow was untracked in it. I decided it would be
nice to leave some foot drag tracks right in the middle of the field so I did.
The police car was still in the parking lot and the officer was talking to
Scott. I landed near the parking lot and had a nice conversation with officer
Gary who is a GA pilot. Scott and Gary were carrying the conversation while I
packed my gear after Scott decided he was getting chilled and his eyes weren't
improving enough for him to comfortably fly.
The officer made a note of my driver's license information and was very
pleasant. Scott & I now have another local friend of PPG. There were a couple of
gentlemen who walked up as I was preparing for my first launch who said they had
seen us flying there before. There was also a nice young lady, named Bridgette,
who I saw at this site about a month or so earlier when the weather was much
nicer.
It was a good flight. Just cold enough to keep my wing dry. Lance, you were
right it almost wasn't cold enough!
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on Sunday [Reed, we will
miss you and envy you too! Jeff, how are you healing after the surgery Monday?],
the 19th, at 11am. John Ille is a north suburban pilot who told me he was
planning to join us for lunch then but has a church choir commitment for later
that Sunday so he won't be able to join us for a flight afterward assuming the
weather is good.
Happy holidays and my best to All of you and all of yours!
Dave
"
Hope that all is well with you too!
Happy holidays!
A FLYING CAR!
http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?bcpid=90015277001&bctid=635469588001
This is very cool.
Please watch the video at the above link [copy & paste] or just click on the title of this post. This is a car/aircraft which gets 25-30 miles per gallon and will drive on highways at 95+ miles per hour. Wow!
This is similar to the flying that I do. It uses a fabric parachute-like 'wing'. This is very similar [probably the same wing] to powered parachuting, which you can do a search for on the internet if you are interested.
Hopefully some friends of mine and I will be flying our powered paragliders this afternoon.
This is very cool.
Please watch the video at the above link [copy & paste] or just click on the title of this post. This is a car/aircraft which gets 25-30 miles per gallon and will drive on highways at 95+ miles per hour. Wow!
This is similar to the flying that I do. It uses a fabric parachute-like 'wing'. This is very similar [probably the same wing] to powered parachuting, which you can do a search for on the internet if you are interested.
Hopefully some friends of mine and I will be flying our powered paragliders this afternoon.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Bike paths in Skokie. Please help!
I have forwarded this to some of my biking friends and would like to request that any of you who can support this plan do so. It will be a wonderful addition to our community.
This is a proposed plan in need of voices to back it.
>>>
Hello Dr. Dave!
Nice speaking with you a few moments ago! I write to request your help with obtaining community letters of support for the Village of Skokie Model Communities grant application. The Model Communities grant program is a federal program providing funds to "Change Policies, Systems and Environments to Promote Healthy Eating and Active Living". The Village is applying for funds to develop engineering and landscape design plans to complete a segment of multi-use (biking, walking, etc) path along the old Union Pacific Right-of-Way between Oakton and Jarvis.
The proposed portion of the path will provide access to the new CTA station at Oakton Street(construction begins in January 2011), and will link north to the new multi-use path between Oakton and Dempster (construction set for 2011), as well as south into Chicago through Lincolnwood. A map showing the proposed route is attached (in green). Clearly, completion of the new path will significantly benefit Skokie residents, and those of neighboring communities, by improving access to alternative forms of transportation, such as the CTA, and providing additional opportunities for recreation.
We are very excited about the opportunity to complete the biking/walking path from Jarvis to Dempster (and beyond). It would be helpful to have a number of letters, including those from residents (perhaps you?), describing the potential benefits of the project. I have attached a draft letter for your review, although it is more applicable to larger entities than regular citizens.
Thank you very much, and please do contact me if you have any questions!
Catherine
Catherine A. Counard, MD, MPH
Director of Health
Village of Skokie
5127 Oakton Street
Skokie, Illinois 60077
Phone: (847) 933-8252
Catherine.Counard@skokie.org
<<<
Link to bike map in Skokie area:
>>>
http://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/skokie/published_documents/Community%20Development/Bicycling%20in%20Skokie/Bikeway%20System%20Plan%20201000630%207-10.pdf
<<<
[Please copy and paste the above text lines into a browser window.]
Template:
>>>
[Letter of Support Template]
December [___], 2010
Albert J. Rigoni, Village Manager
Village of Skokie
5127 Oakton Street
Skokie, Illinois 60077
Re: Letter of Support – Model Communities Grant Program
[Organization name] is pleased to support the Village of Skokie in its efforts to apply for Model Communities grant funds to connect Downtown Skokie to Lincolnwood, Chicago, and beyond, via the Village’s Community Connections project, a multi-use path corridor from the Oakton Street CTA Station to Lincolnwood’s municipal boundary.
Investing in planning efforts for a multi-use path will not only provide a future connection to Downtown Chicago, but it will benefit [Organization name] as well. Our mission is [mission statement]. This mission benefits the residents, employers, employees, property owners, business owners, and visitors of the area by [list benefit(s)].
[Organization name] will support the Village of Skokie with participating in community planning events and partnering with community leaders to make Skokie an active and healthy community.
[Organization name] has successfully collaborated with the Village of Skokie in the past by [list past collaboration effort(s)], and intends to be a strong partner in this and future opportunities.
We look forward to collaborating with the Village of Skokie on this Community Connections initiative.
Sincerely,
[Organization name]
[Name]
[Title]
<<<
The letter above is a template.
This is a proposed plan in need of voices to back it.
>>>
Hello Dr. Dave!
Nice speaking with you a few moments ago! I write to request your help with obtaining community letters of support for the Village of Skokie Model Communities grant application. The Model Communities grant program is a federal program providing funds to "Change Policies, Systems and Environments to Promote Healthy Eating and Active Living". The Village is applying for funds to develop engineering and landscape design plans to complete a segment of multi-use (biking, walking, etc) path along the old Union Pacific Right-of-Way between Oakton and Jarvis.
The proposed portion of the path will provide access to the new CTA station at Oakton Street(construction begins in January 2011), and will link north to the new multi-use path between Oakton and Dempster (construction set for 2011), as well as south into Chicago through Lincolnwood. A map showing the proposed route is attached (in green). Clearly, completion of the new path will significantly benefit Skokie residents, and those of neighboring communities, by improving access to alternative forms of transportation, such as the CTA, and providing additional opportunities for recreation.
We are very excited about the opportunity to complete the biking/walking path from Jarvis to Dempster (and beyond). It would be helpful to have a number of letters, including those from residents (perhaps you?), describing the potential benefits of the project. I have attached a draft letter for your review, although it is more applicable to larger entities than regular citizens.
Thank you very much, and please do contact me if you have any questions!
Catherine
Catherine A. Counard, MD, MPH
Director of Health
Village of Skokie
5127 Oakton Street
Skokie, Illinois 60077
Phone: (847) 933-8252
Catherine.Counard@skokie.org
<<<
Link to bike map in Skokie area:
>>>
http://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/skokie/published_documents/Community%20Development/Bicycling%20in%20Skokie/Bikeway%20System%20Plan%20201000630%207-10.pdf
<<<
[Please copy and paste the above text lines into a browser window.]
Template:
>>>
[Letter of Support Template]
December [___], 2010
Albert J. Rigoni, Village Manager
Village of Skokie
5127 Oakton Street
Skokie, Illinois 60077
Re: Letter of Support – Model Communities Grant Program
[Organization name] is pleased to support the Village of Skokie in its efforts to apply for Model Communities grant funds to connect Downtown Skokie to Lincolnwood, Chicago, and beyond, via the Village’s Community Connections project, a multi-use path corridor from the Oakton Street CTA Station to Lincolnwood’s municipal boundary.
Investing in planning efforts for a multi-use path will not only provide a future connection to Downtown Chicago, but it will benefit [Organization name] as well. Our mission is [mission statement]. This mission benefits the residents, employers, employees, property owners, business owners, and visitors of the area by [list benefit(s)].
[Organization name] will support the Village of Skokie with participating in community planning events and partnering with community leaders to make Skokie an active and healthy community.
[Organization name] has successfully collaborated with the Village of Skokie in the past by [list past collaboration effort(s)], and intends to be a strong partner in this and future opportunities.
We look forward to collaborating with the Village of Skokie on this Community Connections initiative.
Sincerely,
[Organization name]
[Name]
[Title]
<<<
The letter above is a template.
Cold morning. Spinning class. Paperwork.
The temperature was in the low 20's this morning. I didn't hear from Mike or George about riding this morning. Frank & Don are out of town. Jerry is not going to be riding until March 1st. It was a good morning to try a spinning class so I did.
Qaiser is an excellent instructor. Jerry warned me 6 days ago that Qaiser's class is totally filled by starting time so I made it a point to be there early. The class starts at 5:30 on Monday and Wednesday. I was there at about 5:20 and took what appeared to be the last bike. Dr. Coleman [a friend who is an oral surgeon] arrived just after I did and couldn't find an open bike. Qaiser said that there were 10 more bikes on order but they may not arrive until well after the first of the year. The room won't take many more than 10 more bikes. There are about 55 of them available not.
It was a tough class but a good one. All of us got a very good workout. I met a few new guys. I'm not too sore now.
Snow is predicted for Friday overnight. There may be several inches according to the NOAA forecast. We will see. It might be some time before I ride my newly repaired rear tire.
I am at the office now. There are many charts, x-rays and treatment plans to do. It is nice to be busy but now the schedule is looking a little light for the next few days.
Qaiser is an excellent instructor. Jerry warned me 6 days ago that Qaiser's class is totally filled by starting time so I made it a point to be there early. The class starts at 5:30 on Monday and Wednesday. I was there at about 5:20 and took what appeared to be the last bike. Dr. Coleman [a friend who is an oral surgeon] arrived just after I did and couldn't find an open bike. Qaiser said that there were 10 more bikes on order but they may not arrive until well after the first of the year. The room won't take many more than 10 more bikes. There are about 55 of them available not.
It was a tough class but a good one. All of us got a very good workout. I met a few new guys. I'm not too sore now.
Snow is predicted for Friday overnight. There may be several inches according to the NOAA forecast. We will see. It might be some time before I ride my newly repaired rear tire.
I am at the office now. There are many charts, x-rays and treatment plans to do. It is nice to be busy but now the schedule is looking a little light for the next few days.
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