Indian summer

The flying continues (Cowboy Up s operation at Alpine, WY, USA)

Unlike most of the time that we've spent here (Jackson Hole, Wyoming) since leaving the US "nationals" in Lakeview (we got here August 25th) the last three days have been very quiet, i.e.  light winds.  They have also been warm in the mid seventies to eighties.  Great of bicycling, which is what I'm up to, and good for soaring.

Two days ago.  I saw Walt, a local pilot, through the trees off Tiki and Bart's porch north of Wilson.  At first I just caught a glimpse of something and wasn't sure if it was an Osprey (there are plenty here, but they are now heading south) or something else.  Checking it out more closely I saw the red undersurface and road my bike to find him in the LZ.  He wasn't there, so Bart and I went on a chase and found out that he had landed up on the bench.

Later we picked Walt up on the way back up to his truck as we ferried downhill bikes to the top of the single track at Phillips above Bart' place.  Walt hadn't been able to stay up in the light lift, but he had spotted a paraglider at 11,000' over the Teton Village a few miles to the north.  The higher launch there makes it easier to get up.  Next year the tram will be finished being replaced and hang glider pilots will be able to get their gliders to the top.

Today was the best looking day yet.  Clear in the morning, but high cu's over Phillips and other mountains in the Tetons in the afternoon.  Very quiet with no winds all day, and it looked like a perfect day to fly in these very steep and high mountains.

Packwood Bob headed out on Monday.  Catch him next at Wallaby Ranch towing over the winter.  He's hoping that the winter in Florida this coming season won't be like the last one where you could only fly two days a week.

Luke Waters, a paraglider pilot here, is taking lessons from Bart and Tiki and maybe he'll make it down to Florida this winter.  He's hoping to solo this weekend.  He's thinking about becoming a tug pilot.  He has a background in general aviation.  He also took Bart and I on the downhill run letting us borrow bikes from Wilson Backcountry Sports.

This evening I joined a short ride (less than 23 miles) from just west of Jackson up to Moose and then down to the Teton Village (where the paraglider took off).  We in fact did see and ride by a moose that was eating grasses in the wetlands next to the road.

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We leave here on Tuesday morning heading to Boise, Idaho and then south to Spark, NV, and onward from there.

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