This morning I got up before dawn and drove up to Randall Airport near Middletown, New York. As I arrived, two hot air balloons were taking off. I set up my wing and prepared to launch:
Liftoff of flight #107:
I circled to gain altitude before crossing the runway:
And away:
My destination for today was this ancient lake bed known as the Black Dirt Region:
Winds at 1200 feet above the ground were smooth and blowing at 9 to 11 MPH from the west, but as I got down lower, shearing and perhaps rotor made for bumpy flying so I didn’t get lower than 200 feet above the ground:
On the way back I flew over this harness racing track. A horse and cart are visible on the leftmost edge of the track’s grey “lane”:
Returning to the airport:
Circling around for final approach:
Once I landed, I took a closer look at fellow PPG pilot Paul’s Emergency Response Studio, parked here at the airport:
I love the translucent wall section and the geodesic homage to Buckminster Fuller:
This bumper garden and trellis is fantastic: