I heard Alex Cuddy www.alexcuddy.blogspot.com is glider mulin' down in southern Brazil. Their weather has been crap but just 7-800kms to his north, I'm glider-less and in agony watching day after endless day of streeted up cumies from horizon to ocean zing by overhead. It's a bit flat around here.. I've done a sweet 100k flight... http://www.willswing.com/blogs/PilotBlogs/tabid/38/EntryId/251/Classic-Route-Medianeira-Brasil.aspx ...from a nearby (hour away) hill but launch is about 300 feet high; definitely not comp worthy. Aero tow would be the go.
I'm guessing this moon can't hurt Alex's mojo..




and since they haven't been getting many flights in down there, I'm sure he is slayin it as we speak (11pm). Yea champion!!

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Just finished a few harnesses that are on the way to pilots around the country. I have been working hard on the patterns, adjusting the chute zippers, changing the cut and improving the features. The purple and silver one is Greg Dinauer's and is a single chute version (note the two large "in flight accessible" pockets of the left side). The Red and white one is Miller Stroud's and is a two chute version. Neither has chute(s) mounted or drogues installed. When looking at the photos, keep in mind that the outer skin tension will improve dramatically with chutes and drogues in. I'm getting happier with the shape and feel strong about the functionality changes.





the screamer is not laying in the chute area in the above photo and creates the weird bump off the side of the back plate


I wanted to show the fit difference as well. Greg's is really close to what I would build myself and Miller's is 4" larger in circumference and 1.5" longer. I am trying to make a shape that will look good even if it's way too big as some pilots prefer a looser fit. I'm swimming in the red and white one and just a bit tight in the purple one. Both would be easy enough to fly in for me so I'm encouraged. After all, the benefit of a custom harness is to get what you want in fit and shape.



With 2 chutes installed, the shell wrinkles will pull clean

I'm having so much fun building harnesses and dealing with interesting people. Although at times it can be daunting, I'm committed.




Have fun out there

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Therapy continued with a couple of days of climbing frozen waterfalls and melt freeze with Chris. Having substantial avalanche hazard in the alpine, we decided to head over the divide to Bozeman and into Hyalite canyon for some safe travel and the abundance of formed ice lines. We got to climb classic routes in interesting condition with the benefit of "camping" in hotels in town complete with hot food and good whiskey. Certainly better than getting poked in the eye with a stick.


my turn on "Airborn Ranger"



Chris topping out and then starting the last pitch of "AR"



Chris navigates the right side of "the Good Looking One"


"Good Looking One, proper"


"Bulldog World"

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I just saw Avatar last night and found much of the futuristic concepts fantastic. Wish we were looking out on three planet satellites at night :) It's not so fantastic when you see these photos: (From a link Peter Kelley shared)

CLICK HERE

Italy seems saturated population wise - check out the lights.

Also: Remember the vocanic ash that stopped commercial flights in Europe this past spring? Check out the radar video - each "trace" is a flight. This was linked to previously in the Oz Report or somewhere:

CLICK HERE

Like industrious bees - volume of flights at the end is striking.

Speaking of bees - there was this EPIC story on bees on NPR recently - I can't find it. A guy was promoting a book about the amazing practices within hive culture.

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