Sunday 27 June 2010

Daryl's Microlight Blog: Home but not yet dry...

Daryl's Microlight Blog: Home but not yet dry...

Home but not yet dry...

This years event was I have too say one of the top three! If I had a rating it would be
1) 2006 Orkney Isles
2) 2009 Silly Isles
3) 2010 Isle of Mann & Northern Ireland

All for different reasons than one might imagine! This year we came close to Lands End, but the Cornwall north coast was spectacular second reward. Across the water and West Wales is spectacular too, with out landings at Haverfordwest, Llambedder and Mona. Across and up to Aberdeen with the most welcome from any airfield ever! Thank you once again the people of Long side. Close but so far away at John O Groats, across to the Western Isles via the Great Glen, WOW and on down to Northern Ireland. The long way home Via the Isles of Mann on towards "Krump".

I missed the last night, and have some work to do to recover the Microlight, but never the less some of the group pushed us on each morning and that had a very positive effect of almost flying the route!

Home, and almost dry. Dreaming of my next adventure.

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Saturday 26 June 2010

Krump!

That is the noise that greeted me at Beverley, its the end of my Fly-UK 2010. Nose gear collapsed on touchdown, after a shabby circuit and a long days flying, a long weeks flying and in sight of the end of the week. The flight from the Isle of Mann and over the Pennines, hoping to borrow a car and get the Aircraft collected some other time....
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Friday 18 June 2010

Fly UK - Day 1 - Old Sarum


New Age Wine - Cab Sav, South East Australian, Mon Dieu! Pierre!! thats a Stella Pint Glass! Anglais!
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Thursday 17 June 2010

Officially Excited!

I am officially exited as I load my Pod with my favorite tunes! Tonight I spent the evening on the beach with the Charlotte, Emily and Beth BBQ and Paddling the Canoe around the buoys. Spending a few special moments with my family, I do love them so. Family life is rarely lived in context. The day to day petty arguments and personality defects (mine not theirs) get in the way of one's thoughts, when your excited about an "Expedition" those arguments pale and I can concentrate on how I think and feel about them all, I miss them before I have shut the front door.


This year we are planning one of the most ambitious Flights we have ever attempted. Lands End to Shetland Isles, Western Isles of Scotland, across to Northern Island, back to Isle of Man and North Wales to the final party near The Wash. That is a lot of fatigue, a lot of water and a lot of mountain flying. Generally the gotchas are found between the Seat and the controls, but in these environments its possible to fly for an hour and not see a road, flying 6 or 8 hours a day takes it toll. The weather changes in the mountains and in the Islands so quickly there are some Gotchas one cannot anticipate.

As I sit here I resolve to circuit every field and think, think and think again, familiarity is no friend to me. I need to fly every mountain every Vally carefully and with respect for the places I fly. I resolve to fly the water as high as I might, and equip myself with the self control not to panic or hyperventilate if I hit the cold water, or have to control an unexpected decent.

Tonight, dropping over the side of then canoe into the channel, I am wearing a wet suit and in still warm water, I hyperventilate momentarily, a reminder self control, self discipline and procedure will keep me alive.

Time away is thinking time, I am excited at all the possibility's all the things I will experience all the things that keep my heart pounding keep me alive to all of the things that are so valuable and important too me. They remind me that life is such a rich and deep experience, that we should use the fear to propel us though this time we have together, take every moment, grasp every opportunity. And love.