Day 292: Blackhawk Powered Paragliding Training, Day 2

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Ben

Today we did our first tow launches. We are attached to a rope that runs to a high speed winch that pulls us into the air, cresting at roughly 50 feet above the ground.

There’s still a lot of running to be done as I generate enough forward motion to inflate 28 square meters of wing:

A little bit of lift:

Unfortunately I didn’t depower the wing on landing so it fell on top of me. I understand this is called a “gift wrap”:

Flying high! The first time was terrifying, but the second time was much better:

Touchdown!

The kids loved the ranch dogs, Sassy and Buddy:

Coming back from the tow run with my wing:

The kids worked on tessellations in math class:

As the winds picked up, Mark helped me practice the reverse launch:

Again, towards sunset, the winds died down and I was able to practice the forward launch:

Tomorrow we will practice launches wearing the motor.

Day 291: Blackhawk Powered Paragliding Training, Day 1

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Ben

We are parked here at the Blackhawk Ranch for the week for my week-long class in Powered Paragliding! I had researched PPG during high school, but the sport was in its infancy back then, so I let it drop. After going to a fly-in in February, I knew I wanted to try it myself!

After meeting my classmates, Dave, Glen, and Rhonda, we laid out our wings:

Getting the lines cleared:

Inflating the wing using the A and D risers:

Meanwhile, the kids did their homeschool outside:

We went over to the workshop to try out the motor on the simulator. Here Glen is simulating a landing:

M rode along with my instructor Joe and Buddy the ranch dog:

More kiting practice:

We got into helmets and harnesses and clipped into the wing:

Classmate Dave and instructor Mark (in the blue helmet) watch my wing:

We had spectators above:

Once the wind died down towards sunset, we practiced our forward launch:

Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Day 289: Slow Road Through Gold Country

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Ben

After home school we drove South from Placerville on California 49 towards New Hogan Lake. The road has an advisory for trailers more than 30 feet from kingpin to axle, but we’re only 26 feet, so it wasn’t so bad.

After filling our water at an Army Corps of Engineers campground on the North side of the lake, we worked our way around to this lovely spot on the South side of the lake. Its much hotter in California’s central valley at 400 feet of elevation than it was in Carson City, that’s for sure. Tomorrow’s forecast is in the low 90s, so we did our best to maximize the amount of shade we will have.

Our reason for being here will be revealed in the coming days. Good Shabbos from New Hogan Lake, California! See the trip map for details.

Day 288: Carson City, Seat of Power

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Ben

This morning I mounted the door handles on the new bathroom door:

We drove to the Nevada State Museum, housed in the former federal mint in Carson City:

The natural history wing was interesting:

There was an extensive state history exhibit as well:

Nevada is the Silver State. So much Silver was discovered in Nevada that it devalued the metal to the point that several foreign governments abandoned the silver standard in favor of gold. The silver service donated to the battleship USS Nevada by local silver mines was on display:

In the old mint, a vault contained samples of the gold and silver coins minted here:

M enjoyed the firearms exhibit:

We walked a few blocks to the State Capitol building:

The Senate chambers had been converted into a museum:

We then walked over to the legislative building, built in the 70s to move the legislature out of the capitol building:

The Senate and Assembly only sit for 120 days every 2 years, so both chambers were empty:

After completing a couple errands we drove over the Sierras, around the Southern end of beautiful Lake Tahoe, and into the town of Placerville, California, where we’re overnighting at the Home Depot. See the trip map for details.

Day 287: More bathroom work

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Ben

Work continues on the “give kids separate bedrooms” project. Here M pulls away the wall as I cut through from the bathroom:

Now I just have to cut out that stud:

And cut out the wall footer:

Coming back from a home depot supply run:

Here’s the installed new door from the dining room. I then installed the new vanity:

Here’s the new door from the living room. We still have to add handles and a lock, and stain the door. I temporarily pulled the trim off the door to the right to mount the door to the left. The trim is on order, so I won’t be able to finalize that aspect of the project for another two weeks:

We’ll stay here at Walmart one more night.