Santa Cruz Flats - Day 3

The wind was blowing hard when we woke up this morning. It looked doubtful that we would fly. I installed a thicker kick plate in my harness to try to make it more comfortable and noticed the fabric next to the zipper was blown out. I should have got a newer harness before the meet. The Aeros one becomes unbearable after about 2 hours. Compared to all the newer designs its not as clean with all of the pockets and oxygen system on the outside. I look like "tactical man" with it on! A quick trip into town and 10 bucks later I had the hole fixed courtesy of a local shop named "Sew What". I would highly recommend them for any quick repairs here in the future.

Blown Out Zipper Fabric



By the time I got back all the pilots had gathered in the center courtyard and were discussing our options. The main concern was rotor behind a tree line to the north of the runways. The safety committee decided to cancel task. I would have liked to have flown, but my back was super sore and a rest day would do it good. We hung out for a bit, then headed into town to hit the local thrift shops. It was fun relaxing day shopping and trying on all of Casa Grande's unwanted hand-me-downs. I scored a high quality Hawaiian shirt and almost picked up a Crocodile Dundee vest. After a bit we returned to the hotel in time for me to get a ride in at dusk.

Pilot's Meeting



Hanging in the Courtyard





The Tennesee Boys



Homeless Puppy



Jeff at trying on Pooh...



The immediate area around Casa Grande is super flat and there wasn't much daylight left so I decided to time trial west to some foothills near Interstate 8 and highway 84. I blazed through endless farmlands on the way. About halfway to the hills I rode into a putrid cloud of dust and cow manure downwind of a huge dairy farm. It lasted for 3 miles. The visibility dropped to less than a mile looking into the sun and the stench was horrible, but I pressed on. The reward was a beautiful sunset and a forest of tall cactus's just north of Interstate 8.

Cow Hell



Riding Through the Stink Cloud



Sunset



I'm fascinated by Arizona's Giant Saguaro Cactus's. Silhouetted against the setting sun they looked like giant people, each with it's own distinct shape. It felt like as soon as I left they were all going to break their statuesque poses, come alive, and have evening tea.

Giant Saguaro Cactus's

I Call this One the Magnum

I rode the 18 miles back to the hotel in the dark. It was completely black with only the stars and a sliver of moon to light the night. I didn't have any lights, but it was all flat road with a wide shoulder. I've been caught in the dark many times without a light and have perfected my technique. You have to assume that nobody sees you, cars, pedestrians, wildlife - nobody. It's best to let your eyes adjust and keep your night vision by looking away from any lights. Other than cars the biggest threat is riding over some roadside debris (blown out tires, mufflers, wood, etc) at speed and going over the bars. I ride just inside of the white line. No matter how dark it is, there always is enough reflective material in the paint to make out the line. It is cleaner than the shoulder there and usually there are tire grooves in the road surface that give tactile input. You really have to be loose on the bar and just feel the road. As soon as a car approaches from behind the headlights will start lighting the shoulder, but only just above the pavement. This is fine as it highlights the relief of the surface and will illuminate any debris, potholes, or drop offs. When you can see clearly that you have a good shoulder then ease all the way to the edge of the shoulder as far away from the road surface as possible. As soon as the car passes go straight back to just inside of the while line.

Just Follow the Line



After I got back to the hotel I rinsed off, took a dip in the pool, warmed up in the hot tub and had 2 bowls of cereal in the bar where most of the pilots had gathered. It's a good life at this comp!

The Pool