Spring Driving School

The Rocky Mountain Chapter of BMW CCA Spring Driving School was the last Sunday in May. After having a blast at the fall school I was determined to go, even though a hectic week and The Burn mountain bike race on Saturday had me running a severe sleep deficit. When I woke up at 4:30am Sunday morning for the 2.5 hour drive to Pueblo I was beyond tired. I had packed the car 5 hours earlier so all I had to do was turn the key and keep it pointed between the white lines in the pre-dawn hours. I've done plenty of 24 hour mountain bike races over the years and have a good idea of how I operate in stressful situations on reduced sleep. My plan was to pay close attention to my fatigue level throughout the day, be conservative, and drive a notch or two slower than normal. Plus, I would take no shame in sitting out a session or two if I needed to.

I had just mounted a fresh set of Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 tires, a favorite for track and autocross. The drive down to Pueblo would be a good opportunity to get a feel for them. The Sunday morning roads were deserted and I was well south of Denver as the sun broke over the horizon. Just south of Castle Rock I met up with a red E30 M3, who I stayed with for the rest of the drive. We made it to Pueblo with plenty of time for me to medicate with a large Starbucks before the check in.

Fresh Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Tires



After checking in at Pueblo Motorsports Park I set up my pit. Driving school is a busy day so the more you can do ahead of time the less hectic it is. After my pit was dialed I met up with some familiar faces from last fall including Jim with his black Mitsubishi Evo MR, Dan the club president and one of my previous instructors, and some new friends like Jeff who was pitting next to me in an E90 335xi and Kristina and Jeff who have a brand new M3.

My Pit



Morning at the Track



Kristina's M3 and Jim's Evo



Before cueing up for our first class and track sessions Andrew gave us a witty introduction followed by Bruce’s safety briefing. In the background the front straight was already busy with instructor cars warming up the track. Mark, who I met briefly at Starbucks, was my first instructor. He drives an S54 powered M3. I let him drive the first couple laps to show me the line. It came back quick, but I didn't push it once I got in the driver’s seat. Instead, I tried to focus on being smooth and driving the line.

Andrew Welcoming Us to the School



The Safety Briefing



Instructor Cars Warming Up











Track Session 2
(Caution: I was going to edit all of my footage into a nice short video, but my 8 year old computer won't run my editing software so you'll have to deal with unedited Hero Cam clips and poor sound - MUTE VOLUME)



Before the second session Dan introduced me to Brad who would be my instructor for the rest of the day. Brad has a track prepped E36 M3 that he drives with enviable precision. We spent the second track session working on smoothness, steering, and shifting. For the most part my line was good, but driving slower was affecting my smoothness. As odd as it sounds sometimes I think it's easier to go fast because there is less time to think about your decisions, you just do it. This was most notable in my braking. I was still “street braking”, braking too early and too light. My steering also needed attention. I was all over the wheel and gripping it way too tight. In normal driving, flying, and even mountain biking I tend to keep a light grip on the wheel to allow more finesse and feedback. Maybe I was nervous, maybe it was too much Starbucks, but the tight grip had to go! Brad set me straight and showed me a good hand position. I learned something else too. The M steering wheel has two extensions on the inside of the wheel just above 3 and 9 O'clock. I always thought these were palm grips, but they are for your thumbs. Later during an instructor drive Brad showed me how through a good hand position you can feel how much the front tires are hooking up. Compared to my worn out Michelin Pilot Sport’s the fresh Dunlop’s had gobs of hook up and were super predictable.

Brad Driving During the Instructor Drive
Notice his hand position and how well he drives the line.
(Poor sound - mute volume.)



As the day progressed I became limited by my inability to heel-toe shift. Heel-
toe downshifting is a technique where you use your right foot to brake and blip the throttle at the same time. It allows you to smoothly rev match while braking. I had tried heel-toeing in the past, but could never get my leg at the right angle under the steering wheel in the close quarters of the M Coupe. Instead, I would cheat by letting out the clutch at the right moment to catch the revs. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. When it didn't it would upset the balance of the car, which is the last thing you want to do hurling into turn 1 at triple digit speeds under max braking. Brad is taller than I am and by pivoting his ankle instead of his knee (like I was doing) could easily heel-toe in the M Coupe; I was just doing it wrong. He showed me the right way and I spent the rest of the day improving steering and heel-toeing.

Track Session 3
(Poor sound - mute volume)



After lunch I went for a ride in Brad’s E36 M3 and John’s beautiful E30 M3. John’s car was striking, with a fresh steel gray paint job, maroon interior, and subtle M pin stripes running bumper to bumper on both sides. Brad is an incredible driver, when I rode with him I tried to be a sponge and soak up as much as possible.

John's E30 M3
(HDR)









As the afternoon progressed dark clouds from distant cells over the mountains to the west grew into thunderstorms. VIRGA and rain dropped to the north and south, but missed the track. The dark textured clouds overhead offered the opportunity for some pretty sick HDR shots.

HDR Shots















Brad and I spent the last two sessions working on steering, shifting, and consistency. Overall I felt like my driving was solid and got better with each session, with the exception of turn 8. Earlier in the day I was nailing turn 8, but I during the last two sessions I couldn’t get it right. This happened to me during the fall school on turn 3. Sometimes when you clean up and go faster in one area of the track it brings out problems in other areas. The problem on turn 8 was that I wasn't looking through the turn, causing me to enter too late and have to throw the car into the turn. I was able to clean it up a little, but fatigue was making me sloppy.

Track Session 4









There was one more instructor drive after the last session, but the track was empty except for an E90 M3 and a Lotus Elise. I hung out just behind the guard rail of turn 10 to get a few shots. Being so close to the cars on such a fast turn was impressive. The V8 powered M3 was downright scary with a combination of wind, intake, and exhaust noise building to a deafening crescendo as it speed by just on the other side of the guard rail.

New M3 in Action







Lotus Elise









Next was the awards ceremony and refreshments. We all gathered at the back of the club van while Bruce announced the awards. The awards, most improved driver and car of the day, are decided by the corner workers. Corner workers are the foundation of the driving school; they volunteer their entire day in the sweltering sun to make it happen. As a result they are also in the best position to judge people's improvement. They chose the M Coupe for car of the day. I was elated, but also getting delirious. I can't for the life of me remember if I thanked everyone. If I didn't, consider this a heartfelt thank you for your volunteering and M Coupe love!

Awards

After a few proud pics of the M Coupe and its trophy I topped off with gas and caffeine and started the long rainy drive back home. It was an epic day, thanks to Mark and Brad for their instruction, Bruce and Andrew for the running the school, all the volunteers and instructors, and everyone who showed up for an epic day! That night I slept 15 hours.

The White Rim 2008 - Day 4

When we woke up Monday morning we were all slow movers from the cumulative effects of 3 days of riding in the desert, plus the relentless cold at night. Bagels were for breakfast along with lots of coffee and OJ. I warmed up briefly next to the propane burner, but then had to steal it away from the group to pack up. The plan was for Jon and I to leave camp about an hour before the rest of the group so we could set up for my cliff launch above Mineral Bottom. Somehow we managed to pack up and leave camp on schedule.

I drove at a fast pace as the trail followed the Green River to Mineral Bottom. Other than a few sand traps, the trail was in good condition and allowed descent speeds. In my past one-day attempts I’d always encountered this section of the trail after about 7 hours of riding. By this point in the ride delirium and exhaustion had usually set in and the trail took on a surreal feeling in the dim light of the setting sun. My perceptions were always distorted by the tunnel vision and foggy mind that accompany the end of a 100 mile ride. Under bright morning light and with a crisp mind the trail looked completely different than I remembered. The angle of the sun highlighted the texture of canyon walls making them dynamic and three dimensional. Their brownish-red rock was accented by the rich yellows and oranges of turning cottonwood trees growing along the river below.

Saddle Horse Tower (HDR)



Future Arch (HDR)



Cottonwood Tree (HDR)



We made good time to Mineral Bottom, where I stopped to set up a wind streamer in the landing zone. I had pondered the idea of launching off the cliff directly above Mineral Bottom Road as it snaked up the canyon, but decided it wasn’t tall enough for a comfortable safety margin. At the normal spot if something did go wrong, I’d have almost twice the altitude and therefore more time to get out my reserve chute or gain control of the glider. The only hitch of the morning was when harness bag slipped out of the straps securing it to the roof of my truck and fell just in front of my rear tire. Luckily it missed my harness, but my helmet wasn’t so lucky. It was crushed. I scored that helmet in the Bargain Basement of the Sierra Trading Post in Cody, WY marked down to $25 bucks from $190. It had served me well over the years and I was sad to see its career ended by such a careless mistake on my part.

An Undignified End of Years of Service





I dug out my cycling helmet (better than nothing, right!), then Jon and I carried my glider out to the cliff. The air was perfectly still, but my nerves were restless. I’m not sure why, but I was a little more anxious this time than I have felt in the past. I took my time setting up and pre-flighting the glider and tried to dispel my anxiety by focusing on safety. I had set up the glider and gone over the glider the night before, which I always do to give me two chances to catch anything astray.

Setting Up



Jonny V. Next to my Glider



Our time budgeting was perfect and the front of the group pedaled into Mineral Bottom just as I finished my pre-flight. They assembled in Mineral Bottom next to my streamer and waited for the stragglers to catch up. As I stood on the edge of the towering 1000 foot tall cliff, the people below were nothing more than tiny specs. I yelled down, but the only answer was my voice echoing back off the canyon walls a full half second later. My anxiety only grew stronger as the moment that I was equally excited for and terrified of approached. Fearful thoughts bombarded me like machine gun bullets. “What if I don’t pull off a clean launch? What if I trip? What if something fails? What it if I can’t get my reserve chute out?” And on and on and on.

“Enough!” I though. “A little fear is normal when hucking off a 1000 foot cliff, but I really have nothing to be that scared of.” It was time to calm my nerves, trust in my experience and equipment, observe the conditions, and launch if I wanted to. I focused on clearing my head and not having my judgment or decision making influenced by the desire to fly or any self-imposed pressure from having an audience below. As a policy I never commit to launch until my foot lifts for the first step. The first step today would be a doosy as I planned on doing a no-stepper. A no-stepper is where I walk out to the edge of the cliff and simply step off. In calm winds the normal technique Jeff, Adam, and I have used is to run off, taking a few steps. If there is no rotor on the cliff, or cliff-suck, either technique is acceptable, but the no-stepper feels more dramatic. After you step off the glider is deeply stalled and the feeling of acceleration is heightened as you freefall from zero to flying in an instant. After pulling out from the dive, good energy management is key to prevent the glider from zooming upward into a whip stall.

With the full group assembled below I hooked into the glider and readied for the flight. Jon gave me a hang check then took his position with the camera on the ledge adjacent to me. I got a wind report from the LZ below over the radio and assessed the conditions on launch. The streamer that I had set up extending out off the edge of cliff was limp indicating calm air. This agreed with the streamer on my nose wires. The conditions were a go!

The Group Below



Hooked In



By now all of my anxiety and fear were gone. I was completely focused on the task at hand. As I picked up the glider and stepped out to the edge, the rock below my feet gave way to the ground looming 1000 feet below. I stopped with about 12 inches left and paused briefly to enjoy the moment. Even though the cliff is only 1000 feet tall, I felt like I was standing on top of the world. I was 100% alive! Right now nothing else in the universe mattered except for the next 30 seconds. It was time.

Enjoying the Moment



As I took the last step out to the edge, time slowed down. The few pebbles that crumbled down from the ledge seemed float rather than fall into the abyss below. The conditions were still calm. I visualized my dive, took a deep breath and stepped off. The rush of air and speed was immediate and exhilarating. Muscle memory took over as I simultaneously maintained positive pitch pressure, transitioned to the base bar one hand at a time and kicked into my harness. Wanting to preserve my altitude I eased the bar out slowly going what felt like vertical, then bleed off my pitch into a shallow slipping left turn. In an instant it was over. I was clear of the edge, flying at trim speed straight and level away from the cliff.

Launch Sequence











I looking down at the group below, I let out a yell and visualized the next phase of my flight. I turned right and flew on that heading until I was directly over the group. When overhead at about 700 feet I entered two steep wing-overs rolling out on a heading away from the group behind a butte. I continued away from the group to set up for a high speed pass over the butte. When my altitude was right I pulled in and dove at the small butte. As my speed built in the still morning air the pressure on the bar increased. Soon I had it buried as deep as it would go, making careful bank corrections to avoid entering PIO’s (pilot induced oscillations). From below the butte blocked sight of me so all the group could hear was the “swoosh” of a speeding glider. With my sound preceding me, I swooped over the butte to the cheers of the group below. Then I entered another set of wing-overs rolling out on downwind.

Flying in the Canyon













I entered a left downwind for a landing in the direction of the cliff. I would have a slight tailwind, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t run out. After dipping my feet on the butte on the far side of Mineral Bottom I turned base and kicked upright. I rolled out on final in the middle of the sandy flat. Everything was set up for a perfect landing and then I got greedy.

Kicking the Butte



The group was gathered on the road to my right. I had good speed and thought maybe I had enough energy to extend my flight path and land right in front of them. It was a poor judgment on my part and I now I realize why so many people auger in during spot landing contests. I settled into ground effect and glided until I was next to the group. When I was abeam them I could have simply flared and called it a day, but instead I continued down the path of destruction. I turned towards the group, rolling wings level before the turn was complete resulting in a skidding turn that was burning energy fast. I was confident that if I flared hard and ran I still had enough left for clean landing. I flared with all my might, but it was too late. There was nothing left. I couldn’t get my feet out from under me in time and settled gently into the soft sand. The only thing hurt was my pride and a broken downtube. It was the first downtube I’ve broken in 4 years, but the pictures were spectacular.

Base



Final



Got Greedy and Turned



Flaring Hard



Down in a Dust Cloud of Glory



Good Thing I Won a Free Down Tube at King Mountain



Jo, who knew that wasn’t a normal landing, ran out to see if I was okay. I picked myself up, dusted myself off, and gave her a kiss. Nobody in the group had ever seen hang gliding up close and when they asked me if that was how I always landed I was tempted to say “Yup, it sure is!”

Victory

With the drama of my flight over the group shifted focus to the climb that lay ahead of them. The climb up Mineral Bottom is a “climber’s climb” with a consistent and steep grade, but not so steep you go anaerobic. As I broke down my broken glider they trickled off up the climb. In no time Jon had arrived in the Tacoma and we loaded up.

At the top of the climb Chris and Josh shuttled the riders back to their cars at the staging area. Ben who was riding the Superfly, along with Nick, Jacki, Jo, and Patty opted to ride the rest of the way on Mineral Bottom road. The 15 miles on Mineral Bottom road back to 313? is a continuous false flat, gaining almost 2000 feet. In 2005 I started the loop at the park entrance so this was the last part of the ride. The sun had long ago set and it was cold, very cold. I had run out of food, water, and was wearing all of my warm clothing to no avail. I was completely cracked and in survival mode. It was all I could do to turn the pedals over slowly, very slowly. Then I had a vision. It was Adam standing in the dark next to a Juniper Tree holding a homemade chocolate cake. I looked away in disbelief until he nonchalantly said in his South African accent “Hey man, I baked this for you.” It was as caviler as if I had just walked into his kitchen. I was overcome by joy and dug into the cake without remorse. I felt like Popeye after a fresh can of spinach and finished the ride like a man.

Jon and I were the last ones out of Mineral Bottom and we caught everyone who was still riding about half way to 313. The shallow climb is insidious and relentless, but the Phoenix crew was fairing much better than I did that night in 2005. Jon and I didn’t have any chocolate cake to offer them, but I did take a few pictures.

Patty and Jo "Enjoying" Mineral Bottom Road









Ben and Nick Doing the Same



When we got back to the staging area most of the group was packed up and ready to head back to Colorado. I started breaking down the truck rack and loading the hang glider back into its tube. Nick, Ben, Jo, and Patty rolled into the staging area just in time for mutual goodbyes and the trip was over.

Jo and Patty Finishing



Nick



Ben

(he wanted to make it even harder, so he ran the last 4 miles)



I won’t write a long winded conclusion about the trip, the long winded posts preceding this one have said enough. It was a great trip, fun was had by all, and no one got hurt. What more could we ask for? We were loaded up and on the road by 2:00pm. Unfortunately, there was a bit of key fiasco with the Phoenix Mobile which delayed us a bit, but that resulted in one last dinner together in Grand Junction. The drive after that was hell (as it always is), Jo and I pulled into our driveway just after midnight.

My Trophy on the Way Home