Wingsuit Flying

My buddy Reto sent me a link to this video. It's amazing. I would consider getting into this is if didn't require so much dedication to get to this point.

Hangin' with the Lees

My friends - Jim, Kathy and Rachel Lee - whom you may remember reading about in my blog over the last year and a half, are on their way south again on their sailboat.  They've spent the last 2 days anchored in St. Augustine and are waiting on the cold front to pass so they can head down the coast toward Melbourne.When I found out they were in St. Augustine,  I looked for and excuse to make the hour drive north to go see them.  With good excuse in hand, I headed up there on saturday and  met them at the dingy dock at the marina.   We went shopping at the Sailor's Exchange and Target and then headed over to the Conch House for lunch.  Also, we were joined by Jay and Barbara from  'Jupiter's Smile' - an Island Packet that has been traveling in the same general route of 'Stardust' (off and on) since last winter.

After lunch as we were headed back to the dingy dock, I mentioned that my uncle Jerry's boat 'Poppie' was moored out in the anchorage and that I don't think he'd been on it for a year or more.  Jim offered to take me out to find it and after a little jockeying, the ladies took one dingy back to 'Stardust' and 'Jupiter's Smile' on the north side of the bridge of lions and Jay took Jim and I toward the south anchorage to look for Jerry's boat.

In short order, we found it just fine and it looked very much the way it looked a year and a half ago when I met Jerry there while he was down from Hickory NC.   

Jerry has not been able to spend time on the boat for a while and so it needs a bit of TLC to be back in spiffy shape.

Here's a photo of Jim and I on 'Poppie' as well as 2 more shots taken as we were leaving.

Below is a photo of Jerry and I back in March of 2006 on the dingy dock in St Augustine when I met him while he was on a trip down to check  on his boat.

Random Stuff

I've been spending a lot of my time at the marina lately working on the boat.  Since I work college football, there's a lull in my schedule, so it gives me some time to catch up on some neglected areas of the boat.

While  there,  just like anytime you spend some time around the water, you get to see some pretty as well as interesting things.   Below is a photo of a water fowl that was swimming close to the boat.  I noticed something on it's back and upon closer examination, it's a radio transmitter (I assume  it's  not a receiver - unless this is a  remote control bird).   I'm guessing that someone is tracking the habit's of  this type  of bird.   I wonder how they keep the transmitter attached.

I had to take a photo of the reflection of the sky in the perfectly calm water.  I was standing on my boat looking toward the north in the photo below.  That's the radar dome on my boat in the foreground.

Here's a photo from a couple of weeks ago.  ABC put us up in the Hyatt Riverfront on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville.   Since it was the ACC championships, someone splurged for some pretty spectacular fireworks.   I was already asleep when the show started at 10pm and it startled me like you can't believe!!  After I realized I wasn't waking up in  Bagdad, I enjoyed the show from my 16th floor balcony.

We've had banana trees since we lived on Harborview Dr in Kill Devil Hills, but this is the first time we've actually had bananas.  I just noticed them  a few weeks ago.  They aren't very big, but at least they're bananas.

Posting to the Blog

I haven't posted for a couple of weeks and my posts in general have gotten leaner.   There's a couple of reasons for this, but the most overwhelming reason has to do with something that's happening in my life that has me very troubled.

In short - I'm being sued in civil court - both Federal and State.   This has been going on since June, but at first I didn't even take it seriously, then I started taking  it more seriously by getting a local lawyer - THEN I had to take it really seriously by getting a federal case lawyer.  I can't go into details on the blog and in fact, I don't really like talking about it at all which is one of the reasons  that (up until right now) very few of my friends  have even known about it. Suffice it to say - that  I didn't do anything immoral  or evil - rather I just pissed off the wrong person and they are now using the courts to show me who's boss.

Likely, we will have to sell everything we own except the house (which is protected in FL from judgement) by the time this is over. We currently have no more liquid assets.  It has put me through a tremendous roller coaster of emotions like you can't believe.  I've spent more on lawyers in the last 6 months than you can fathom.  If  it wasn't for my wonderful wife reminding me that we've 'not had money before' and that it'll be okay, then I'd be crazy by now. I've lost many a nights sleep over this and gone days in a very depressed mode.   I'm just along for the ride at this point. 

So - there, I've put it out there for my friends to know.  If  you think you need more details, feel free to ask me on the phone.  It's a long, slow process that has very little update from one week to the next and I really prefer not being asked 'how it's going' in regard to this.  I can't talk about it without getting angry.

I won't bring it up again on the blog (except maybe when it's all over) and I'm going to try to get back to normal postings.   I just had to put this out there because I felt like I was omitting something very large in my life on the blog.

ACC Championships

Im back in Jacksonville for the acc championships this week. I worked
this game last year as well.
I'm in a riverfront room at the Hyatt. Its the best view of the year -
hotel wise.

Busiest travel day of the year

When agreeing to work on the busiest travel weekend of the year, I
asked to fly out of Morgantown WV on Sunday- since its the busiest
travel say of the year.
My idea was to avoid long security lines in Pittsburg.
Still, I decided to get to the airport more than an hour early in
case the small airport security was overtaxed.
There is no one here except 2 security people and they can't process
me through until its time to board the plane.
I was talking to one of the security guys and he said that they have
processed 35 people through in one day before.
Small towns - you gotta love 'em.

West Virginia

Here's the stadium before the game. The production trucks are on the
forground. It is really cold here with snow flurries yesterday.

Seeing Friends on the road

An interesting situation exists in relation to my friends.   I have so many good friends all over the country (even the world), but none where I live.  It's a byproduct of traveling in the hang gliding industry for so many years and then moving to a place where I know no one.

Being on the road for Sportvision has reminded me of how many friends I have spread out across the U.S.   While doing Nascar and Football gigs, I've been fortunate enough to see some of my friends on the road - albeit briefly.  Here's a short run down of recent ones.

Photo above is Donn with Sam and Alex.

Donn and Nora Denman in Mountain View CA.  I've known Donn since about 1998 when I stayed at his house in Las Gatos.  He was a hang glider pilot at the time.   A nicer - more even keeled person  you'll not find.  Donn was instrumental in development of the Mac computer at Apple back in the 1980's.  I do wish I could spend more time with Donn.  He has a lovely wife Nora and 2 boys (Sam and Alex).  Being around Donn makes me feel important.  He has that way about him.  I know what a smart guy he is and he always is interested in my opinion.  A wonderful friend.

This photo is of Bill and Michelle at one of my favorite happy  hours in Key West. 

Bill and Michelle are close friends of Jan and mine.  I was able to visit with them on the Outer Banks last season while doing a football game at East Carolina.  Bill is a boat captain, entrepenuer and all around super great guy who I feel fortunate to hang out with.  Michelle is a positive bundle of  human tissue.  Her outlook on life is really refreshing.  We are blessed to have friends like these.  They have houses on the Outer Banks, Key West and now Ouray, Colorado where they have just moved to begin a new chapter in their lives.  I really wish we could spend more time with these 2.  I don't see us moving to Colorado, so we're going to have to settle for cross country trips.   Bill is planning on sailing to the Bahamas  with me this winter.

Above is a photo of a group of us after flying Makapuu Point on Oahu in 1992.  From far right is Jerry, Toni, Jan and I.

Jerry and Toni Forburger are great friends from Lubbock Texas.  I was working a Texas Tech game in Lubbock a few weeks back and got to see these awesome folks.  Jerry's history is one of  an innovator in the field of hang gliding.  He invented/perfected the 'platform launch' payout winch system which allows us to launch from the back of a moving truck/car/trailer/boat and tow up to altitude.  Numerous world records were set using this launch method.    

I first met Jerry and Tony back in the 80's (but we couldn't pinpoint where).  I would run into them at various hang gliding events and gatherings all around  the country.   In the early 90's, Jerry's expertise was requested in a new 'startup' flightpark in Hawaii, so the couple moved there and was nice enough to invite Jan and I over for a visit.  It was our first trip to Hawaii.  The photo below is from that trip in 1992.  Jerry is a true Texan and his success in hang gliding as well as life is (much like mine) largely attributable to his wife.

On my recent  trip to Lubbock, I was able to see their ranch - a cool spot called the 'loose wire ranch' .  We had a barbeque outside with a bonfire and a great fireworks show.   I wish I could spend more time with these fine folks.

Photo above is David Glover on Jockey's ridge a couple of years ago.

David Glover and Jayne Depanfilis are 2 hang gliding buddies from way back.  Dave taught hang gliding at Kitty Hawk Kites in the early 90's when I was there and Jayne was a major manager there at the time  as well.   Dave became one of my best friends over the years and I really enjoy spending time with him.  He's  quite the idea man and a connoisseur of condiments.  Dave has followed in my footsteps in a lot of the things I've done professionally in hang gliding and he's done quite well for himself.  He just finished remodeling is first house in Oklahoma City and I was able to visit with he and Jayne a couple of weeks back when I was there for a football game.  I wish I could spend more time with these guys as well.

Here's Steve manning camera 3 on the roof at Richmond Speedway.

Steve Pauls, as well as his business partner Ben Sproul are my best friends on the Outer Banks. Steve and Ben own and run the Pit Surf Shop.  When I was recently in Richmond, VA for a Nascar Race, I invited Steve up to hang with me.  Steve drove 3 hours up to Richmond to see the race and visit.  I've not had anyone I know including family to put in that much of a drive to visit with me (although my longtime buddy Doug did drive 2 hours to visit me during a game in Salem Va last year) .   It meant a lot to me.   Steve is a very important friend who I wish I was able to spend more time with as well.

It's nice to catch  up with friends and I hope to continue to be able to spend more time in one way or another with them in the future.

Atlanta raceway

We're having technical problems during qualifying on Friday night. I'm
on the roof working on our gear and just caught this pic of the
western sky -just after sunset.

Nevermore

A few days ago, I was leaving our neighborhood and I passed this owl - laying on the side of the road - on my way out.  I had to come back and get it out of the road.  I don't know how long it had been laying there.  It's face was pretty smashed in.  It was obvious that it had flown into a vehicle head-on.   I figure it died pretty much instantly.    I thought about it for several hours.   It was just sad.

More about Bette Davis

Don't worry, I'm not going to constantly write about the new cat.  I know that pets are a lot like kids - everyone thinks that theirs are special - but I do need to update the blog with a least a photo of Bette Davis out of 'captivity'.

I arrived home from Texas yesterday and she took to me like she'd known me her whole life.  She's a very loving kitty and I think we're going to be a very happy family.

New Addition to the Family

Most of  you reading this know that Snowy died back in January.  Jan and I have felt a terrible void that has only slight improved since her death and at times - it's a very 'loud' silence in the house.   Still, when I come home from a trip, I have the urge to say "Snowy, I'm home" as I enter the house and it makes me sad when I think about her not being there.   She was very 'dog like' in her affection for us.

Well, we've made weekly trips to the humane society since Snowy died just to spend some time with the cats there.  About 5 weeks or so ago, we decided that it was time to seriously start looking for the cat that connected with us.  This was a difficult task that we learned a lot from.

While I was on my Minneapolis trip last week, Jan met a cat in the Edgewater facility named Bette Davis (because she has very big eyes).  It really connected with Jan and so Jan asked me to go check her out on Monday.  

When I first met Bette, she grabbed onto me and hugged me tight, but then after a few minutes realized that I was holding her in the middle of the room full of cages and she tried to get away.  I kept holding onto her for about 5 minutes and although she tried to get away, she was very patient and did not get aggressive toward my retraining her.     I put her back in her cage where she became very friendly.  It was obvious that she was not comfortable outside of the cage.

I went home and thought about it and spoke with Jan on the phone.  Jan reminded me that Snowy was like that when she first met us - she wanted to be with us on her terms - where she was comfortable.

I left the house an hour early yesterday on the way to the Airport and drove down to Edgewater again to see Bette.   We had almost the same experience, but this time - before taking her out of the cage, I asked for a chair to sit in.   When Bette got 'antsy', I sat down and put her on my lap which helped a lot.  Still, she wanted to be in her cage.

I knew that Jan really connected with Bette and I really enjoyed my time with her.   Before I left the shelter, I filled out the adoption information and gave them a $100 bill (for the adoption fee and I donated the rest).  The ladies at the shelter were very happy.  They really like Bette and said they couldn't wait to tell the other workers who weren't there at the time.

Since I was on my way to the airport and Jan is in Nashville, Bette will be there until Saturday afternoon.  Jan will pick her up after work and take her home.   We're both excited about it.

Dawn Launch

Literally.  This rocket was called the 'Dawn' and as I was talking to Jan on the phone this morning - just past dawn (remember -she's in Nashville),  I was standing outside in the pool area.  I looked back through one of the windows and saw on the news that a rocket was just about to blast off from somewhere.  It said "LIVE" up in the corner of the TV screen.   Of course, there aren't but so many places that rockets blast off from, so I turned and looked toward the SSE sky.  In about 20 seconds, the rocket cleared the treeline.

I wonder how many more I don't see just because I don't know that they are launching.

I'm off to Austin TX for a football game.

Days at home with Clouds

I'm at home alone this week because Jan had to go to Nashville for work.  She's really enjoying her job with Cracker Barrel.

The clouds in Florida are about the best on a regular basis of any that I've ever seen anywhere. 

The marine influence really produces some beauties.  In early morning and late evening, they're really lit up in spectacular colors.

Today, while at the marina, I notice the skyline just full of cumulus clouds and as I was about to get something out of my car in the driveway yesterday, I noticed how good the reflection looked in the rear window.  I like clouds.

Thoughts and Images from Last Weeks Trip

Last week's trip to Minnesota was enjoyable enough.  It was my second football game of the year, but my first as lead tech.  There's a big difference between working as a tech and as lead tech.  When you're lead tech - everything falls on your shoulders in regard to responsibility for the show coming off properly (yellow line wise).    My first week of football (in Michigan) was working with Charles.  You may remember Charles from my days of building houses in California City.  Here's a photo of Charles and his dad that I took while we were putting the roof on my house in California.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of Charles and I while we were working together a few weeks ago.  Charles has been working with Sportvision for 5 years or so  and he (as well as Rick and JB) are responsible for me getting a job there.

So this week, I worked with Kent.  Here's an interesting twist:  I also  worked with Kent in California City, but this time he's the new guy.  In fact, Charles and I are responsible for Kent getting a shot with Sportvision.  Kinda cool how it all comes together huh?  Here's a photo I took of Kent and I in the  production truck.

Here's a photo I took of Kent while we were working in California about a year and a half ago.

When I first got to Minneapolis, I got off the plane, got my rental car and went directly to the "Mall of America" to check out the Apple store and take free seminar they were offering on .mac.   This is the largest mall in the world (I think-   at least it's the largest in the U.S.).  It was so large that it had multiples of the same stores on different sides of the mall.

In the center of the mall is a theme park of sorts.  With a number of rides including  a ferris wheel and a roller coaster.  It's a pretty cool place with 3 full levels of stores.

Here's a new feature I'm going to add to my blog.  "Clever porta-toilet names".  I've  noticed almost everywhere I travel, the porta toilets that are supplied to the TV compound have some clever names.  As I see them and remember to take photos,  I'll post them here.

Football in Minnesota

This weekend I had a game in Minneapolis at the Metrodome. The dome is
kept inflated solely by air pressure. To enter the building, you have
to either come in a revolving door or through an air-lock system where
only one door can be opened at a time.
At one point during the weekend, we went out an "emergency" exit and
it seemed like we were going to be blown half-way across the parking
lot.
Here's a photo of the field just before a Twins game. After the
baseball game ended, they converted the stadium to football in about 3
hours.

More From New Hampshire

This week has been a good week for us so far.   We've not had any significant problems here at work and there's no Busch race associated with this week's schedule, so it makes it a significantly more enjoyable schedule -especially when there's no technical problems that take our time.

I had written that this was my last race for the year, but I was just asked to work the Atlanta Race at the end of October, so I'll be working that one.  Should be fun after being away from racing for 6 weeks at that time.

While walking to dinner last night, we passed a store that had an interesting manequin, so I had to take a photo.  Manchester NH is a nice place this time of year.  It's raining right now, but we don't think it will affect our schedule.

Wheels ready

I'm at the new hampshire speedway this week. While working on the
camera 6 platform I noticed all the wheels out and ready for Goodyear
to put tires on. Thought i would put a photo on the blog of it.

Outta here again

I got home on Sunday afternoon and I left my driveway for the airport
before noon today (Tuesday).
The transition from Nascar to football is a busy one where nearly
everyone in the company is on the road because of the sheer volume of
shows.
I'm on my way now to new Hampshire for this Sunday's race. This will
be my last race this season. I'm looking forward to the big change in
weather. Change is good.

I meet the King

Nope, not Elvis - the other King.    King Richard Petty.   I was coming out of the garage area today and Richard Petty was there on a scooter by himself.  I handed my camera to my buddy and told him to get ready (you don't always get a long time to get your photo taken with these drivers.

I went up to him and told him that my dad was his biggest fan and that he told me if I ever met Richard Petty to tell him that "if it's good enough for Richard Petty - It's good enough for him".   So I did.   The king said "well he sounds like he's a good guy".

Pretty Cool

Back in the Football Game

It feels really good to be back in football.  Arriving in Michigan to highs in the mid 70's and a perfect sky, it felt like football weather.   Im working with Charles who I built houses with in California City.   Charles has been with Sportvision for 8 years and I wish I were going to be working with him every week, but realistically, this will be the only week.

This is the first week of the season and so we had to come in a day early to install all the computers on the truck and get the equipment ready for the season.

The game is at noon on saturday.  I'm looking forward to it.

Delayed for a stupid reason.

So while waiting to board the flight to Lansing, there came a big rain/
thunder storm. It was pretty substantial- a real "frog strangler". Of
course, no one likes delays, but most people can "roll" with a weather
related delay.
But here's the kicker: some moron left the door open on the uncovered
airplane and it filled up with water. Yep, the captain came into the
terminal and I heard him tell the gate agent that they was over an
inch of water in the plane for a short time and that he could see
water bubbles running down the emergency lighting on the floor.
So now, we've been waiting almost an hour while maintenance checks out
the plane and they suck all the water put with a wetvac.

G.W. Meadows

Sent from my iPhone

More Non-security

>
For some reason, the whole post did not show up below. Here's the
rest of it;

> As I was coming through security, they pulled my "carry on" bag off
> of the conveyor belt for closer inspection. After looking at a
> special adapter that I had in the bottom of the luggage and asking
> me what it was, the screener rubbed his hands all inside the bottom
> of the luggage against a small adjustable wrench that I had taped in
> there with black gaffers tape. I had put the wrench there on my
> last flight when I checked the bag and I forgot all about it.
> You're not supposed to "carry on" tools at all - I've even had some
> tools confiscated before.
>
> The screener even told me that the x-ray machine showed a small
> metal bar in the bottom of the luggage. How he missed what he was
> looking for -when he even ran his hands right across it is amazing.
>
> After he was done looking through the luggage, I offered to pack my
> stuff back in it for him. As I was doing so, I discovered the
> wrench that I had forgotten about.
>
> Maybe I disposed of it before my flight. Well, of course I did-
> right?
>
> So, this incident reminded ne of what I've known and proclaimed for
> a long time- the security at the airports is there for only one
> reason- that being to make us feel safe enough to buy tickets and
> continue to fly. Any one truley determined to get something on a
> plane will be able to do so. That adapter plug was shaped NOTHING
> like a small adjustable wrench.
>

Non-security

I'm at the airport - about to fly out to my first football game of the
season. The game is in Michigan , at Lansing which is the capital of
the state. Its a game that will air at noon on Saturday on ESPN (I
think).

Race over!

Its hard to describe how much the tv crew wanted the race to be done
yesterday! They started the race on time but in the fog. They ran
the first 10 laps under green/yellow flag - which just means that they
went around the track behind the pace car at 100 mph without changing
positions.

The "spotters" for the cars complained that they couldn't see the cars
well enough on the backstretch and so they stopped the race until the
fog lifted some.

We all started screaming at our monitors because the threat of a
rainout was eminent. They have to get half of the race plus one lap
on for it to be official. The fans in the stands weren't too happy
about them stopping the race either.

Finally with about a 1/2hour to 45 minute delay, the fog lifted enough
for them to race.

They got the whole race in and it rained a little afteward.

I'm in the airport now headed home.

Sent from my iPhone

Foggy

There's a racetrack our there somewhere.

After 2 days of postponing, they're about to start the race in very damp conditions.  We only need to get 101 laps (of the 200 lap race) to make it official.  All fingers are crossed.

Woodstock Revisited

So, what happens when you mix lots of drunk slobs with about 3 inches of rain?  You get a trashy mess that your car has to be towed out of.   This photo above is taken from the exact same angle as the one about 3 blog posts below.   Lots of people  had to go home on Sunday night and monday morning, so they weren't able to watch the race (which hasn't happened yet as I write this).

2 days of rain.....and counting

This was supposed to be a Sunday afternoon race.  As I'm writing this on monday morning, it looks likely that we won't get the race in today either.  If not, we will try again on tuesday.  If we don't get it done on tuesday, they will put it off until after Thanksgiving.   Yeah, good idea - a race in Michigan in late November.

More Fun in the infield

As posted before, you see all kinds of things in the infield.   This of course is a working replica of Fred Flintstone's car.

Morning in the infield

Fun at the track

People have all kinds of goofy things that they bring to the infield.  This is a paddle boat that someone has turned into a tricycle.  

Michigan speedway

From the camera "3" position in turn 1

Mongolian Bar B Q

Ann Arbor

Music towns

As I got off the plane here in Detroit, I realized I went from music
city (Nashville) to Motown in less than 4 hours of elapsed time.

Sent from my iPhone

Air travel woes

No doubt, you've read in the papers or heard on the news about how
horrible air travel has been in the US this summer. Well, its no
exaggeration. I'm currently sitting on the first flight/trip that I've
taken all summer that wasn't late.
Passengers as well as the airline employees are always on the edge of
being pissed off.
On my last trip to the Pocono race, my luggage was lost both on the
way there as well as on the way back.
Something is going to have to change. Either the price of flying
needs to go up or they bees to expand the capacities of the airports
and flights.
Flying commercially us something that you certainly no longer look
forward to and actually pretty much dread.

G.W. Meadows

Sent from my iPhone

Nashville

Jan has been in Nashville since Sunday and I flew out here on Friday
to spend the weekend with her before heading off to Michigan for next week's race.  

Above is a photo in downtown Nashville last night in "The District". Interesting area with club after club of "up and coming" country singers and bands.

After my friend Jamie posted that she was able to figure out how to post photos to her blog from her iPhone, I emailed her and she told me how. This post was from my phone.  I'm happy that I can post from my phone again.  I'm disappointed that I didn't figure it out myself.  Thanks James

Shuttle Launch

Finally, I have something to post about.  I've worked a race since the last post, but I think it's pretty boring stuff to blog about since I've blogged plenty about the race gig already.

Jan is in Nashville training for her new job that she started about a month ago.  I  went to the boat today and  started preparing it for the hurricane season.  I'm going to be working a lot over the next 6 weeks and it's likely that a storm of some sort will affect the area, so I wanted to get the boat ready.   I removed almost all of the canvas (bimini, dodger etc) and doubled up on the dock lines.  Tomorrow I'll go back and wrap the mainsail (with the cover over it) with line so that it can't catch air.

The space shuttle was scheduled for launch at 6:36pm and so late in the afternoon, I decided to head south to Titusville and watch the shuttle launch from only about 5 miles away.   I was most interested in hearing and feeling the shuttle.

The shuttle launched on time and after about a minute, you could begin to hear it.  It sounded like a jet plane at first, then it started to make the low 'rattle' sound and you could feel the rumble.  It  was really cool.