Dallas Tandems for Maurice and Bev

Click image for more pics!SW wind allows a Point Hop for Maurice, while WSW wind keeps Bev closer to home

The plan was for us to do some kiting but it was already blowing pretty strong in the morning.
Paul had risen early, went for his hour long morning run, and then was rewarded with an hour+ smooth Point Hop - actually getting far enough west into James Bay that he was able to soar along the furthest apartment complex past the Duck Pond. By the time we arrived, he'd already come, flown, and left.

It was on the strong side now, so I decided to try out the Airwave ALPINE EXTREME. It kited up super easily and I was surprised to find it lifting as I neared the lip. I turned west and zipped down in that direction (this glider is fast!). I continued down to the Point and considered trying to hop it but instead, put down on the beach. The glider is so light that it feels like you're cheating when you pick it up. I launched again and flew down to the apartments and back again to the Point, my height decreasing somewhat with the wind strength.

Back down to Clover Point and I decided to set up the tandem for Maurice's first flight here. John Smith offered to anchor and, after a strong inflation, we slowly pushed forward, out away from the compression zone near the ridge. It was similar, albeit not as strong, as my solo flight recently, with lots of lift to be had out over the beach so Maurice and I cruised west past Cook St and topped up before getting to Finlayson Point.

"I don't know if we can make the crossing at this altitude", I commented, judging our height with the lone tree that I use as reference there.
"What?! It looks pretty good t'me!" came Maurice's quick reply.

I held course and we maintained our height, hopping over and were soon soaring Amir's Bowl (the first bowl west of the Point. Ask me in person why I coined it thus years ago). We again pushed out front as the lift was everywhere. We cruised past the apartments and I took out my iPhone to record the occasion.

"What, no lanyard?" Maurice asked.
"It's so smooth up here that I don't really need one", I answered.

We keep heading west and past the Duck Pond and nearly to the very end of the bluffs. Wow.
My first tandem Point-Crossing of the year and it turns out to be the furthest west I've ever gone on tandem as well!

"Look at all those old geezers down there", Maurice quipped, "we're blowing their minds". For those of you that don't know Maurice, he is 71 years young :)

We snapped a couple more photos and then headed back with lots of height, crossing the point easily as the wind turned a bit more west.
We hovered down near the monument at Clover Point and John assisted with a good brake-kill. Easy-peezy.

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Those of you who've met Maurice know that he is active as a Triathlete (he didn't take it up until his 60s!). I've recently learned that he is doing the 1.5km swim in July at Thetis Lake during the event Swim for MS.

If you'd like to pledge Maurice here's how you can:

1. Go to this link: http://www.mssociety.ca/en/events/online-misc.htm
2. Choose “Pledge a Participant”
3. Enter his name: Maurice Robinson
4. Once his name pops up, click “Pledge Me” and it will take you to his donation page.
5. Donations may be made on-line or by mail or fax.

If you do decide to pledge, Maurice asked me to thank you on behalf of himself and the MS Society of Canada.

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Bev had taken some photos but now it was her turn. Paul was back for more and took to the air, showing that it was on the strong side and WSW so a repeat of Maurice's flight was unlikely.

Click image for more photos!Maurice and John assisted us as we easily got the tandem overhead and took to the air smoothly. Bev took out her camera and snapped some photos in-flight as we soared out over the beach and watched Paul fly back to the launch area and eventually land. I showed Bev where the edge of the lift band was and how to top back up. We did some pitch oscillations (porpoising) and played with the roll axis (wing overs) before setting down in front of Paul who gave us a brake-kill assist.

Welcome to Dallas Maurice and Bev!

Here are two video clips that Maurice captured of Bev and I, and Paul

The wind continued to pick up after Bev and I had landed and I ended our time there back on the ALPINE EXTREME, which handled the strong onshore wind with ease. It had turned a lot more west as well and I was actually able to soar the rocky shoreline near the neck of Clover Point itself. Challenging but fun!