Walts Point Flight and Earthquake Experience 6-23 and 6-24-2020

Me and Willy Dydo made another trip to the Owens to get some extended airtime. Willy drove over Sunday night from his base in SantaBarbara as Monday the 22nd looked good for an out and return flight.  I drove down Monday and told him I could retrieve him if he didn't quite make it back to Bartlett, where he had left his motorcycle..

He got a few miles farther then Owen Morse on his out flight and got high again just west of Benton, but he diagonalled across the valley instead of using his altitude to cross straight over to the White Mts.. He didn't get up and ended up landing in Hammil. I picked him up with no problem as he purchased an InReach and texted me his location from it.  The rest of the adventure is from the next 2 days.

We went up Tuesday leaving Willys motorcycle and my car at Lone Pine airport. Willy was going to do a flight to Mt. Whitney and then land at the airport and chase.  He made the airport but not Whitney as the day hadn't turned on when he launched at 10am. My experience was a little better. I launched around 10:15 and climbed out easily to 13k over Wanoga Pk. This pic is from somewhere up the range looking south after I got established over the top. Near Onion Valley I believe.  I made good progress staying high and moving fairly fast.  Clouds were forming here and there marking strong lift. I caught a boomer in front of Birch Mt. and rode it to over 16k and headed across the valley toward Black Mt.  Was still above 13k when I crossed hwy 395, and had nice clouds forming on Black to guide me to the lift.

This is looking west down Kings Canyon in the same spot as the last picture. 

Off the end of the Whites where I had good solid lift and stayed fairly high the whole time. Mono Lake and the Sierras in the distance.  It took me 4 hrs. to do the first 100 miles but being only 2:15 I had plenty of daylight left to go for 155 more. 

Looking down the White Mt. Range and the nice cloud street marking nice fat lift down it. Some days the flying is better then others.  Some days the first half of the day is better then the second.  On this day the afternoon flying was ok. But the day started overdeveloping big time over by Bridgeport and Sonora Pass.  This OD as we call it turned into a monster anvil shaped thunder head and although I was in no danger of being caught in it's lightning and gust front it eventually grew so tall it started shading out my path.

Looking east into Nevada from near Boundary Peak. Nice dark bottomed clouds marking lift.  Only problem was eventually they became saturated with moisture and started dropping virga or rain and shut down my path toward the Toiyabe Range.  The winds were SE primarily also and I originally was going to fly toward Fallon down the west side of Walker Lake. But as the storm near Bridgeport grew it killed all the clouds on that path so I made a turn and headed up toward Luning instead. I was flying cross wind but staying high mostl of the time.  Hit 18k+ at one point crossing under a big fat boomer or 2.  My InReach said I got 20K but this is incorrect.  It said I got 50K on my last flight in the Owens by White Mt. so something is up with it.  Willy and I had perfect radio communication. He was sitting in Mina waiting to see which way I was going.    

Eventually with more virga building on the Toiyabe Range I headed over to Gabbs and landed, after 7.5hrs and 166.14 miles.

My InReach track log.    So the next day I told Willy I would drive for him. He wanted to try for another out and return flight as he had to be back in Santa Barbara in the morning.  He got off and climbed out quickly to 12K then headed out to tag Bartlett so on the return he could cross paths with his track for a legit run.  Just as I got into the vehicle and was reaching for the door the mountain started shaking and rocks started falling making a lot of noise.  I jumped out of the car to see if I needed to run from being squashed by a piece of granite.  But nothing fell right at launch. There were massive avalanches of rocks down into the surrounding canyons which raised large clouds of dust into the sky.  The road was completely blocked just past Walts Point but I was able to make it down the mt. to the valley just barely.  Some other vehicles in front of me had to remove rocks in some areas to make it passable. Other rocks were the size of cars which luckily did not fall on anyone.  The day was ODing and Willy got shut down just past Big Pine.  That was all the flying for this trip to the Owens Valley.   We are going back for the 4th for more.

Walts Point Flight 5-28-20

I and Willi Dydo met our driver Chuck at Lone Pine Airport at 8:30 that morning. Forecast for the day looked promising for a good early season flight in the Owens Valley and beyond. Good lift and  SW winds of moderate strength predicted to remain constant for the whole day. Willi and I flew the day before along with Doug Englecook who we hitched a ride to launch with. That day was not as favorable for XC flying so we both did out and returns and landed at the airport.  I had driven 425 miles to get there the day before and hadn't slept much that night so a little check ride of 2 hrs. was fine with me. Willi crossed over to Mazourka Pk. and came down the Inyos before landing in Lone Pine.

Walts Point on Horseshoe Meadows Rd. 9135' on the eastern face of the Sierra Nevada Range. Driver Chuck in chair and Spike, a southern cal pilot. Willi is hiding behind his wing.

This is looking over the back near Kings Canyon National Park. About 22 miles north from launch after I got high.

Same spot looking south toward Mt. Whitney and Walts Point launch at the far end of the visible range.Willi was flying near the base of the range the whole time but staying almost even with me for awhile anyway.

This is after I had crossed to the White Mts from Tinnemaha Pk where I climbed to 16600' before making the jump across the Valley. We launch the eastern Sierra mid-morning to take advantage of the rising thermals created by the morning sun, after a couple of hours we cross to the western faces of the White Mts. on the other side of the valley. I made it easily above 11000 and started climbing from there. I'm around 75 miles out in this picture. The air was a bit turbulent at times as we were flying between 2 massive high pressure ridges dominating the weather pattern. But the thermals were strong .

I found lots of turbulence at the end of the White Mt. Range and as I wasn't high enough to go over the back of them toward Montgomery Pass on the usual route because the winds were rotoring over their flanks strongly.  I flew due north across the valley to some building clouds marking great lift coming off the valley floor. I skied out to over 17k and got this and the next pictures. That is Mono Lake and the Sierras in the distance.

Same spot looking down the Owens Valley from its north end. White Mts. on the left Sierras on the right. Cloud streets building on course and I am a happy camper. Willi at this point was around 15 miles behind me and he found turbulence at the turn in the range also. he flew out and landed near the last crop circle in the lower right of pic for around 97 miles.

Montgomery pass from same spot looking into Nevada with decent clouds marking lift.

I got a little greedy at around 140 miles out thinking I needed 115 more miles to break the existing site record with I figured 3.5 hrs. of  good soaring left in the day at 4pm. Skipped a climb I should of in hind sight taken and couldn't find the lift under the clouds on the southern flanks of Mt. Ardivey.  Had to come back out and land here at 4:30 for a flight of 153 miles in 6hrs. 13 mns. of sky time. No worries the season has just begun and the quest goes on. The journey is the joy driving this old boy, The records will fall when they may.

Slide Mt. to Surprise Valley Flight Report

 Matt Dakin getting ready to go. He and I drove up together, not that bad a drive with Freeway for most of it. We left Calistoga where I picked him up at around 7am and got into North Lake Tahoe about 10.   Lots of snow in the mountains this spring and lots of Reservoirs over capacity.  Washoe Lake is right up against Hwy 395 but the bailout LZ is still dry.

 Steve Grattan and another pilot I didn't know. Maybe 10 hangs total flew. Matt said somebody broke an arm in the bailout when he was there.  I think it was the first pilot off the hill who was on a topless Moyes and said it had been 13 yrs. since his last flight.  Not a fun way to begin again.

Lake Tahoe as I climbed up over Slide Mt. Radio was giving me the weather stations and I had to pull it out and get it back on channel after I topped out around 12k. and glided back to Mt. Rose. Also turned on my InReach Sattelite tracker at this point so it doesn't show my takeoff at Slide. It's set for 20 mn. gaps between track points by me, which seems good enough for flying purposes. I didn't launch till almost 1 but the winds were predicted to be SE for most of the day  so I was in no real hurry, as others were sinking out, to go.

Lake Tahoe from where I climbed out before crossing over i80 to Peavine. Mt.  Lots of virga and high clouds blocking the sun but the day had lots of promise. Winds were mostly in the 8 to 14 mph range. Predominantly S at base but lower down SE to SW depending on the terrain.

 Peavine Mt. from same local as previous shot looking north across i80. I flew straight to Peavine and by the time I got there those nice clouds were right over it and I hit strong lift to 14500' or so.  The Sierras were over developing with virga falling everywhere so knew I had to stay away from them. I flew over Cold Springs Lake and town which is just to the left of Peavine and came in on the ridge behind it a bit low.  After a few turns I decided to ridge soar up it's eastern facing flank as my flight instrument was showing SE winds around 14 mph which I figured I could ridge soar till I caught a good thermal.  I gained some alt. but never really hooked up and was slowly sinking down below the ridges top. My vario said SW at this point so I figured the westerlys had pushed into this locale so moved over to the other side of the valley which had a road and good places to put down in.  I caught a thermal, after unzipping and picking out a landing zone, and rode it back to around 10k.  I was only about 30 miles out and did not want to end my flight so soon on this great looking day.

 This shot is about an hour and a half later after I scratched across a hard stretch and finally skied out to base above 16k.  Pyramid Lake to the east looking into Nevada and a soaring pilots wet dream. Around 45 miles out, here, I think.  Nice looking cloud streets all the way to the Warners down wind of me so that is where I headed.  Matt and our driver Mike were ahead of me sitting on 395 and got a visual of me here.

The Warner Range with snow covered peaks ahead and Surprise Valley to it's right.  Beautiful clouds with strong lift over 1200 fpm and big sink between them for super fast glides in the 60 mph range with the south tail wind.  Good radio reception and the guys were staying even with me on Hwy 395 to my west a few miles.  I never got low again after that one hard stretch.  Mostly stayed above 10'000 till getting to the Warners.  Had my oxygen working good which was nice to have as the air was quite cold up high. My camel back line had slush in it but never froze solid so I had plenty of water to drink.

 Last shot I took as I flew between clouds dropping virga. Got snowed on or sleeted on a few times but nothing major. I've had my arms turn white on other flights.  The virga doesn't seem to affect the air to much if you are not right under it where I imagine it can have a strong down bursting nature.  No big cunims to worry about on this day so I was not worried and flew through the snow uneventfully.  16823' max alt. near this point. Cloud base was easily above 17 but I felt uncompelled to find out and risk entering the white room.  I hit max alt. after pulling on the VG at 16500' and crossing under a cloud lifting me at 1250 fpm.

Anyway I was hoping to get up on the Warner Range and at least try to take it to Lakeview but by the time I got there they were covered with clouds dropping snow and rain.  I got to Eagle Peak which is at 9900' above it by about 200 ft. but with no lift to be found and the range in clouds glided out into Surprise Valley and landed along the Hwy.  The guys were on Hwy 299 waiting for my transmission telling them which way I would be going to land.   I could have went more east out into the Nevada back country to extend my flight, but both those guys had to work in the morning, and I didn't feel like ending my flight in the middle of nowhere.

I dropped my streamer low after pushing it to a field which still had some sun on it hoping to get up but no luck and I didn't see the streamer fall over with the ground wind.  It laid over NE to SW but I guessed it had laid over SW to NE because that's the last direction my flight instrument had recorded.

I came in over the highway and just kept going and going at a high speed and knew I was in for some pain or broken metal at least in the tailwind.  I flared with all I had and kept it from whacking but fell on my right shoulder hard and bruised it deeply if not an outright seperation. The glider was fine. A field worker came over and gave me a hand unclipping.  I stood up and tried to shake off the pain but it wasn't going away.  I took off my helmet and hung it on the wires and walked down to the Hwy maybe 75 yards where I took off my harness.  Then I tried to take off the speed sleeve and while lifting my right arm over my head the shoulder felt like it was coming out of the socket a bit.  I grabbed a fence post and knelt down and pulled on it to get it to reseat which it did finally.  I had the use of the hand and nothing felt broke so the guys and I instructing them got the glider bagged and we hit the road for home.  A killer retrieve getting back to Incline Village where we dropped off the driver about 12:30 and headed to drop off Matt in Calistoga around 4am. Home to bed around 5am after a shower and some unwinding and ibuprofen.

   

The start of my InReach tracklog. I forgot to turn it on at launch as this was my first flight with it this year so it starts from where I did. The points are 20 minutes apart so you can tell how well I'm doing by their distance apart. The slow stretch is obvious in the beginning after I crossed Hwy 395 at Cold Spring

 The end of it in the surprise Valley 7 miles from Cedarville. 146.2 mile flight 1250fpm max lift. 5hrs.30 mns. of SkyTime. Landed at 6:30. One of the best soaring days of my life which could have been 200 miles easily with a little different conditions and without the slow section at the start.   Thanks again Matt for joining me, and awesome driving as always Mike, you rock.

Here's the Delorme page for the track if you click on the track points it gives you my alt. and speed and gps coordinates. This page is in the members section of Sonoma Wings web page under the About heading.  If on any given day someone calls you to get my last position just click on that days track and go to the end and get the info. and give it to them.
https://share.delorme.com/highhuber   Thankyou.

Airgasm 3 for (Me)

                                                     
                                                                   As   "It"   Is


                                                                            1.

In Reality As "It" Is, there is neither  "knowing-subject" nor "known-object".  In Reality As "It" Is,  there are no "objects" arising (as the "known", or as "knowledge", or, otherwise, to yet be "known")---and, in Reality As "It" Is, there are no "knowing-subjects" (or "knowledge-bearing-egos") arising (as the "knower", or the would-be "knower", of "objects"). Rather all conditionally apparent "objects" and "subjects" are (as such) mere mental (or even total psycho-physical) constructs, superimposed upon the Intrinsic (and Intrinsically "objectless", or "differenceless", and "subjectless", or egoless, and all-conditional-knowledge-transcending) Transcendental Spiritual Self-Nature (or Intrinsically Self-Evident Self-Condition, and Intrinsically egoless Self-State) of Reality (Itself, and altogether).

   That Which seems to become "objects" is an Indivisible (or Inherently Non-differentiated, or "differenceless") Field of merely apparent conditional arising. That Field is not separate from the Perfectly Prior Self-Nature, Self-Condition, and Self-State of Reality Itself---nor is there, in and As Reality Itself, any arising of independent "object-things".  Reality Itself---and the Reality-Field of apparent conditionally-arising phenomena that Is Not "different" from "It"---Is The One and Irreducibly Indivisible and Perfectly Non-differentiated Field That Is As Is.

   The human body arises non-"differently" in That Primary Field.  The Intrinsically (or always Priorly) egoless body is a conditionally apparent mechanism of perception and response. There is no "separate self inside the body"---and the body itself is not a "self".  Rather, the body is an irreducibly complex collection of would-be-cooperative mechanisms---altogether, not merely separate, and not "selfed", and not reducible to an idea, or to the thinking-process, or even to a precise interior "locus of being".  The body is, fundamentally, a complex cooperative of perception, always "located" in a general position (but not as a mere "point") in space, and never in or of a fixed "location" in time.  As the Inherently Non-differentiated Field of perception and the intrinsically egoless body come into conjunction with one another, the Indivisible Field is perceived from the general "location" of the body in time and space. That happening becomes the bodily-organized perception of "objects".  The particularity of "objects" reflected in and of the body is a perceptual-feedback circumstance that, in the bodily context, may be presumed (and, conventionally, or egoically, is invariably presumed) to imply (at the bodily-presumed "point" of perception) a "point-of-view-subject", or "knowing-self". It is only in this bodily perception-conjunction---in which "objects" have already (apparently) arisen in the Non-differentited Field and become reflected in the bodily perception-complex---that a "knowing-self" (or seperate "self", or ego-"I") is "internally" (or mentally), and (altogether) psycho-physically, presumed to be implied (and, thus, to actually and Really exist as such).

There is---in Reality As "It" Is---no ego in, or behind, or appearing as the body. The event of body-conjunction with the Non-differentiated Field naturally becomes the selective perception of apparently arising forms---and that perception may seem (or be responsively presumed) to imply that the body (felt as a "point of view" in time and space) is a "knowing-self".  However, this "knowing-self" (or ego-"I") is merely a presumption---a mere reflection (or "shadow") of "objects". Because of the natural (all-reflecting) perceptual conjunction between the body and the "experiential objects" in the otherwise Non-differentiated (or Indivisible) Field, the bodily perception-process is (mistakenly) presumed to be (or, altogether, imply or suggest) a ("self-objectified") "knowing-subject".

    In Reality, there is (in the apparent context of all conditional arising) only the intrinsically egoless happening of perceiving-bodies arising---indeed, only the intrinsically egoless happening of all the apparent phenomena of conditionality.  In Reality, all that is perceivable and all mechanisms (or bodies) of possible perception arise indivisibly and egolessly, as an intrinsically and irreducibly indivisible and egoless totality.  In the event of the conjunction of bodies and the egoless happening altogether, there is the reflection---or "shadowing" presumption of separate "self" in time and space. The ego-presumption is (as such) an illusion, or a mental (or even total psycho-physical) convention of "self-objectification", without necessity (or Really-"objective" existence), but also, always associated with concrete suffering of egoic consequences.

    There is no ego-"I" in the body.
    The body itself is intrinsically egoless and non-separate.
    There is no separateness in the Field.
    The presumption of separate ego-"I" and the presumption of separate "objects" is simply that---a presumption (or a mental, or even total psycho-physical, construct). That presumption can (therefore) be observed, understood, and transcended. However, the transcending of that presumption is not merely an intellectual matter. Fundamentally, the transcending of that presumption is a Transcendental Spiritual matter. The Non-differentiated and Indivisible Current of Self-Radiance That is the Transcendental Spiritual Context of the Field of happening is the Reality-Means whereby the limitation of presumed ego-"I" is transcended.

    The preliminary listening-practice of "Perfect Knowledge" is a process that begins and (always, thereafter) proceeds in the context of devotional recognition-response to Me---in which context the presumed "point of view"-position and the total psycho-physical "self"-contraction that (both together, and altogether) is egoity is transcended in Transcendental Spiritual (and total psycho-physical) devotional Communion with Me. In due course, devotional recognition-response to Me and whole bodily devotional turning to Me becomes the circumstance of devotional and Transcendental Spiritual Communion with Me, wherein the comprehensive fault of ego-"I" is altogether (intrinsically) transcended. In that transcending, the limiting power of "knowing-subject" and its separate "known-objects" is transcended.  Ultimately, this process becomes the "Perfect (Transcendental Spiritual) Practice" of the only-by-Me Revealed and Given (and , uniquely, seventh stage) "Radical" Reality-Way of Adidam Ruchiridam.

                                                                                  2.


    During the period of the European Renaissance, there was a profound struggle to come to terms with the notion that the nature of the universe was not as it had previously been presumed to be. The "old view" had the Earth at the center of everything. In the period of the European Renaissance, people had to come to terms with the notion, based on physical (perceptual) observation, that the Earth (along with the other planets of the solar system) revolves around the Sun.
     The "old view" did not rightly represent Reality-Truth---but neither does the "new view" rightly represent Reality-Truth. In either case (whether "old" or "new"), if the "point of view" were shifted so much as a hair's breadth to the left or the right, the universe so described would no longer exist.
     Reality Itself is not any "view", or in any "point of view". Reality Itself is not merely the idea of "God creating and running the universe". Rather, Reality---Itself, and in the context of all conditionally arising appearances---is Inherently Divine (or egoless, Indivisible, Absolute, Transcendental, Spiritual and Perfect) in Nature.
     In Reality Itself, there is no center. In Reality Itself, there are no spheres within the sphere. And, yet (paradoxically), there is the appearance of conditionally arising events.
    Participation in the appearance of conditionally arising events can either be done on the egoless Basis of Reality Itself or on the basis of the illusion of egoity.
    Either there is the Enlightened Life (of egoless Self-Illumination in and by Reality Itself) or there is the mummery of "Narcissus" in ego-"world".
    There are no other choices.

                                                                                      3.


    People are full of habits---full of adaptation and presumption---based on living as if there actually were a separate "self", associated with a "world" of separate others and separate "objects" of all kinds (including "internal objects" as well as "external objects"). The egoic life is built upon this illusion---and a very complex pattern develops on the basis of this illusory presumption of universal separateness, of separate "objects", and separate "self". That complex pattern is bondage.
    People live habitually on the basis of this pattern. They are patterned by this pattern. In fact, there is nothing but this pattern---patterning itself.  Therefore, the "world" of egos is a mummery, an automaticity---conjunctions of mere patterns mechanically producing permutations of mere patterns
    The real practice of the only-by-Me Revealed and Given "Radical" Reality-Way of Adidam Ruchiridam is a profound matter of turning beyond ego-patterning, and being released of ego- patterning, by entering into profoundest devotional (and, in due course, Transcendental Spiritual) Communion with Me.

   The "knowing-subject" (or ego-"I") is the "shadow" (or "Narcissistic" reflection) of the "known-object".  The "knowing-subject" is the shadow of all "experience" that is presumed to be happening to a "point of view"---like a planet presumed to be the "center" of the Sun's revolutions.  The "knowing-subject" is an illusion, an illusory "self".  The "world" of human mummery is made of that illusion. The human ego-"world" is a mummery played on an illusion of "centeredness" (or the illusion of "point of view"). The "world" of conditionally apparent "experience" is very (and even, to any "point of view", incomprehensibly) complex, because it is multiplied within itself through all kinds of conjunctions played on time and space---thus producing a complex human life, and a complex totality of  human "world"-pattern.
   Real practice of the only-by-Me Revealed and Given "Radical" Reality-Way of Adidam Ruchiridam is a profound process of going beyond ego-patterning---actually going beyond it, shedding it, turning from it, and (instead) turning to Me and living in devotional Communion with Me.    If the Realization of Reality Itself is your true motive and impulse, your life can be made profound and egolessly one-pointed.  If the Realization of Reality Itself is not your motive and impulse, your life will remain essentially superficial and, generally scattered.

    The ruling presumption within the human ego-"world" (or the human mummery-"world") is of a separate "self" in a "world" of differences. In Reality, there is no separate "self", and there are no differences. However, the Realization of Reality Itself is not about dissociation from the apparent context of the "world". Rather, the Realization of Reality Itself is (most ultimately) a matter of the utter transcending of the separate-"self"-principle, and the Self-Abiding Self-Recognition of the "world" as Non-differentiated Field of No-"difference", or Indivisible and Non-differentiated Reality.
    The only-by-Me Revealed and Given seventh stage Realization is not a matter of "retreating" into the "knowing-self" at its depth---nor is the only-by-Me Revealed and Given seventh stage Realization a matter of "escaping" from the "world". In the only-by-Me Revealed and Given "Radical" Reality-Way of Adidam Ruchiridam, there is no requirement or necessity to "escape" from the "world", nor is there any requirement or necessity to somehow (strategically, and egoically) accomplish the "self-destruction"  of the ego-"self".  The seventh stage Realization is the Realization that there is no separate "self" and there is no field of differences. You do not have to disapear from here in order to Find egolessness and No-"difference". There is always already no ego-"I" and no"difference here.

    The only-by-Me Revealed and Given seventh stage Realization is not a trance-state, not any kind of state in which perceptual awareness is merely suspended. Rather, the only-by-Me Revealed and Given seventh stage Realization is a State of Perfect Divine Self-Recognition, Perfect (or Prior, rather than "achieved") egolessness---in Which, even in the context of the apparent event of the "world" and of human existence, there is no separateness, no separate "self" (or "knowing-self", or ego"I"), no "difference", no "objects", no others, no otherness, and no relatedness (or "subject-object-bondage).
    From the egoic perspective, it is impossible to comprehend how life could go on if you were to come to the point where there is no ego and no "difference". Of course, this is not something that you can"figure out".  When there is Most Perfect Realization of Reality Itself, it is always already "figured out".   The Realization of Reality Itself is a Transcendental Spiritual matter, a matter of profundity-beyond-mind.
    Realization of Reality Itself is not a matter of attaining some artificial condition, or some state of suspension, or some illusion. Rather Realization of Reality Itself is a matter of Realizing What Is Always Already The Case, even in the apparent context of the "world"arising.
   There is no separate"self", no mind, and no "difference"
   There is only a Spontaneous Happening.
   That Is "It"---As "It" Is.

From chapter IV,  As "It" Is,  of The Teaching Manual of Perfect Summaries,  The Revelation of The Preliminary "Perfect Knowledge" Teachings of His Divne Presence,  The Divne Avataric World-Teacher,   Ruchira Avatar Adi Da Samraj.

Once entered into devotional communion with this Master of Perfect Means, the "knowledge" expressed in this writing is Given directly, to your feeling Heart and Being, Prior to the minds attempt to figure it out. Find this Grace Given Truth and the shadow life will disappear in The Bright  of Conscious Light.

http://www.adidam.org/

St. Helena 4-23-17

Fred C. , Brian K? , Matt D., and Grant H, left to right, Scott H., didn't make the photo.  On launch getting ready to fly.  Strong cycles with some building winds but everyone got off ok.

Looking North toward Cobb Mt with the top of St. H. below.  I think I topped out around 5600' but the lift and air was a little rowdy in places.   The cloud streets were not looking like they would hold together in the 15to 18mph winds so I stayed local.

This is from the south side of Knights Vly looking toward Healdsburg and Lake Sonoma. The lift was better over there and the winds weren't as ratty as over the peak.

Got to 5800' under the street up behind Safari West.  Sonoma County Airport behind my side wire in the distance.

 Looking toward Rincon Ridge and Spring Lake in the distance.   Could have flown to Rincon Vly easily but with the gusty NW winds choose not to.

Calistoga from the same area, pretty shot looking down Napa Vly.

Back toward St. Helena and Knights Vly

Tried for an out and return to the divide between Knights and Alexander Vlys, pushing a head wind.  Got a little past half way after working some lift and losing ground as I circled up.   Ran out of altitude so with a little over 2200' left in reserve, turned and blasted downwind back to Janes.

Had a ok landing with a little runin with a cow pie freshlly made but walked over to the water trough and cleaned up.   A sweet day with the crew and some good spring flyin. Everyone had all the airtime they wanted.  Thanks Grant for coming out and driving for us.   The field has lots of lupine this year. Mt. St. Helena launch in background.

St. Helena, Airgasm 2 for (You).

Un-Enlightened human beings are characteristically involved in trying to find out if there is "Something Greater" in life, so that they can "feel better" about conditionally apparent existence. Such people are always looking to the body-mind complex and the physical universe to provide "proof" that there is "Something Greater". Neither the body-mind complex nor the entire realm of conditionally manifested appearances is the Source-Position in Which you, in Reality, Stand.  In Reality, you Stand in the Position of Consciousness Itself, not in the position of the conditionally apparent cosmos. If you are established profoundly in the Position of Consciousness Itself, you will Realize Its True Status--and, therefore, the True Status of all conditionally apparent beings, things, and events.

In the Most Perfect Stand of Consciousness Itself, there is no "me", no "someone" egoically "self"-identified with the body, no "subjective" awareness "somewhere inside" (being confronted by the "outside world" of apparently "objective" conditional manifestation).

In the Most Perfect Stand of Consciousness Itself, you Realize (Directly and Intrinsically, by means of My Divine Avataric Transcendental Spiritual Grace) that you Stand in the Indivisible Domain of Infinite Energy--and you Realize that every conditionally apparent being, thing, and event is simply an apparent modification of Infinite Energy.

In the Most Perfect Stand of Consciousness Itself, you do not even encounter the body--except as an apparent modification of Infinite Energy.

In contrast, from the egoic "point of view" of the first three stages of life, the body is encountered as solid "stuff", solid "me".

From that "point of view", the body is not encountered as an apparent modification of Infinite Energy. Rather, in the "disposition" of the first three stages of life, the body is the "point of view" from which even Consciousness Itself is examined.

From that "disposition", all references that are made to Consciousness Itself are made from the "point of view" of egoic "self"-identification with the body. All of that is, itself, an intrinsically false view of conditionally apparent existence.

You must have a right understanding of conditionally apparent existence. In the Position of Self-Existing Consciousness Itself, everything that arises to Consciousness Itself is "Perfectly Known" to be a merely apparent,  non-necessary, and intrinsically non-binding modification of the Self-Radiant Energy of Self-Existing Consciousness (or of the One and Indivisible Conscious Light That Is Reality Itself).

Even the most solid forms are only apparent modifications of Self-Existing and Self-Radiant Energy  (or Conscious Light). From the Position of Consciousness Itself, This Is Intrinsically Self-Evident.

In contrast, from the "point of view" of the body-mind-complex, it is not at all Self-Evident What the Status of individual conscious awareness Is, or What the Status of any thing, or any conditionally apparent state of being, Is.

From the "point of view" of the body-mind-complex, everything is just "stuff", "thingness", "seperateness"--or all of mere "self" and "not-self.

Apart from Most Perfect Divine Self-Realizaion, the Divine Status of conditionally apparent existence is not intuited or presumed.

In the Position of Consciousness Itself, It Is Intrinsically Self-Evident That There Is Only Consciousness Itself In and As the Indivisible Domain of Infinite Energy.

All kinds of beings, things, and events are arising conditionally, but they are only apparent modifications of the Self-Radiant Energy of Self-Existing Consciousness--or Divine and One and Indivisible and Perfectly egoless and Perfectly Acausal Conscious Light.

This Is "Perfect Knowledge".

This Is the "Knowledge" That Is Most Perfect Divine Enlightenment.


Adi Da Samraj,  The Perfect Knowledge Of Conscious Light,  from Volume One of The Aletheon, The Divine Avataric Self-Revelation of His Divine Presence.  By Avatar Adi Da Samraj.

May You Realize the Grace of This Truth, the relationship with Adi Da Is the means of This Realization, of this I'm perfectly certain.