West Cameron, New York November 4, 2007

We met Scott at his home in Bath New York and decided that this would be the day to try out his new Hang Gliding site that Scott has been getting ready for launch for about two years now near West Cameron NY. Scott had been riding his mountain bike to the new site near West Cameron and taking his dog Lobie for runs through the woods and up the pipeline road leading to a suitable launch site. When we arrived we loaded our two gliders on his cart which we had used last year to get our gliders up Indian cliffs which is a 900 foot climb but this time the cart broke a wheel axle not to far after we started so we came back to the vehicles and Scott had another single glider cart so we took Scott's glider along the pipeline clearing to his new launch and the scenery was great.

When we arrived at the launch site the wind was coming in real nicely and the view was spectacular so Scott set his glider up and Maureen and I to photos and video as Scott made his first launch from a site that he has prepared for a long time now. Within a minute Scott was above take-off and soaring back and forth getting up to about 500 feet above launch but then Scott decided to travel to the south end of the ridge and by the time he came back to launch he was enough below launch that he was not able to get above again and so he went to a landing area and had another great landing. The view from this take-off was truly one of the prettiest that I have seen in my thirty five years of hang gliding. We will be trying this site again as soon as the wind is blowing from the west.

I thought this tree was unusual

Scott ready for take-off

Wow, There He goes

Well above out in the valley - Notice the fall colors

Not a real sunny day but interesting

Scott soaring

Skirting the Clouds

Scott Heads for a landing area after 15 minutes

Hammondsport Saturday November 3, 2007

Saturday morning we headed for Hammondsport and noticed that the wind was coming from the north northeast so after waiting for a while we decided  to head for Mossy Banks and when we got there the wind appeared to coming almost straight in but after watching it for a half hour we realized that it was switching more to the northwest so we headed back to Hammondsport and by the time I was set up it was 4:15 and I was off in a good cycle and thermalled up to 1,500 feet within five minutes. There was one other hang glider in the air and one paraglider flow by Frederick from Canada who is going to college in Ithaca NY. I made a turn behind Frederick and looked back to see him throwing his reserve chute and watched as he was gently descended to the field behind launch. As Frederick was descending I noticed that he was drifting straight back and then at about two hundred feet above take off he state drifting to the northeast and ended up with his reserve chute landing in the only tree in the large field behind launch. Maureen took a video and photos of the event and we have it on our Paraglider page - Click Here

The rest of the day went well with about eight hang gliders soaring and my highest altitude was 1,685 feet above take-off and I stayed up for two hours and five minutes and landed at the church just before dark. Maureen took lots of photos and they are below.

Ron Letzin Preparing for launch

Ron and Frederick

Lon looking good

Bob Wingin it

Bob

Italy Valley November 2, 2007

We started off meeting Scott Wise at Italy Valley Take-off after noon and I was first to launch and I got above take-off about two hundred feet and made a few passes and decided to try it a little farther to the east and when I returned to launch, I was below launch and never made it above again so I went to the landing area and had a good landing n my wheels. Scott Launched and made a quick sled run to the landing field and did a great landing. Next morning we were off to Hammondsport and the story and photos are above.

Bob running off

Scott running off

Bob going for a landing