Post by thevon on Aug 9, 2008 18:56:55 GMT 10
The peace and isolation of the Bracken Ridge Wasteland (BRW) was disturbed around 3pm today when a couple of rather agitated looking blokes lurched up the access road with a wheelbarrow overflowing with wings and gear. They were muttering something about “getting some of the gear up before Jeff gets here and maybe we’ll have time for a bungee launch”. The taller neurotic looking one called Andrew realized he’d forgotten his fin so bolted back to the car and the calmer one called Craig with the Multiplex Easy Star under his arm lit up a smoke and sat back to relax, oblivious to Andrew below yelling and waving that Jeff had already arrived and could he bring down the wheelbarrow?? Chris (Chamm37) and Jeffs kids piled out too and after lots of muttering and headscratching AvB bit the bullet and trotted back up the hill for the barrow.
The crew finally headed up in toto looking like a bunch of sherpas heading for Everest Base Camp with backpacks, a winch on a trolley and the barrow stacked up with another winch and toolboxes. On arrival at the top there appeared to be lots of conferring and head scratching again as the older and more confused ones worked out where to put the winch and gear, whilst Chris alarmed all the local hawks and related species by firing his Beevo off the Hosemonster bungee, making loud swooshes as it reached terrifying heights and speed.
Winch line was laid out across a huge distance and Jeff and Andrew put together large shiny fragile looking birds, in between Jeff giving Craig lessons on the Easystar. It was a race to see who would be launched first, then both were stalled by electronic glitches … Jeff’s radio was switching on and off and Andrew’s Fazer had an intermittent fault to the right aileron. Jeff’s problem grounded him for the arvo but AvB’s fortunately and mysteriously came good. At regular intervals Jeff performed an obviously spiritual ritual, holding the big white plane level with his head and muttering various things. AvB behind him stared at the plane too and then Jeff pressed a button with his foot and the big glider shot skywards like a kite in a cyclone, did a wild dive at the top to release from its tether and shot further up to quite amazing height.
The crowd appeared to be having a particularly good time, with kids playing, spectators occasionally watching, and planes shooting skywards regularly. The poor Jeff guy seemed to be doing all the work while AvB got to fly heaps, which didn’t seem fair but was a bonus for AvB, who learnt more about winch launching in a big hurry.
Then a couple of very suspicious characters called Mike and Felix came along and it appeared the original crew knew them as they were heartily welcomed and proceeded to point at the planes and make Aaaaah, wow, type noises as if they were interested. One of them (Felix) had a very floaty balsa builtup plane which Chris was rather infatuated with and he actually stopped sending the Beevo towards the stratosphere and ran around throwing the floaty plane.
The onset of darkness didn’t hinder activities and AvB took risks flying the Fazer way too far away where he couldn’t see it any more. Next launch he used the height to show off with about 7 cuban 8’s in a row before landing. By the time the humans seriously set about packing up their gear they couldn’t see it any more and some of it is probably still there. There were loud exclamations as they departed with the wheelbarrow crashing loudly into holes they couldn’t see.
There was lots more dear reader but dinner beckons. It should be a concern to local residents and hawks that these people had such a good time, as they appear very likely to do it again. Soon.
The crew finally headed up in toto looking like a bunch of sherpas heading for Everest Base Camp with backpacks, a winch on a trolley and the barrow stacked up with another winch and toolboxes. On arrival at the top there appeared to be lots of conferring and head scratching again as the older and more confused ones worked out where to put the winch and gear, whilst Chris alarmed all the local hawks and related species by firing his Beevo off the Hosemonster bungee, making loud swooshes as it reached terrifying heights and speed.
Winch line was laid out across a huge distance and Jeff and Andrew put together large shiny fragile looking birds, in between Jeff giving Craig lessons on the Easystar. It was a race to see who would be launched first, then both were stalled by electronic glitches … Jeff’s radio was switching on and off and Andrew’s Fazer had an intermittent fault to the right aileron. Jeff’s problem grounded him for the arvo but AvB’s fortunately and mysteriously came good. At regular intervals Jeff performed an obviously spiritual ritual, holding the big white plane level with his head and muttering various things. AvB behind him stared at the plane too and then Jeff pressed a button with his foot and the big glider shot skywards like a kite in a cyclone, did a wild dive at the top to release from its tether and shot further up to quite amazing height.
The crowd appeared to be having a particularly good time, with kids playing, spectators occasionally watching, and planes shooting skywards regularly. The poor Jeff guy seemed to be doing all the work while AvB got to fly heaps, which didn’t seem fair but was a bonus for AvB, who learnt more about winch launching in a big hurry.
Then a couple of very suspicious characters called Mike and Felix came along and it appeared the original crew knew them as they were heartily welcomed and proceeded to point at the planes and make Aaaaah, wow, type noises as if they were interested. One of them (Felix) had a very floaty balsa builtup plane which Chris was rather infatuated with and he actually stopped sending the Beevo towards the stratosphere and ran around throwing the floaty plane.
The onset of darkness didn’t hinder activities and AvB took risks flying the Fazer way too far away where he couldn’t see it any more. Next launch he used the height to show off with about 7 cuban 8’s in a row before landing. By the time the humans seriously set about packing up their gear they couldn’t see it any more and some of it is probably still there. There were loud exclamations as they departed with the wheelbarrow crashing loudly into holes they couldn’t see.
There was lots more dear reader but dinner beckons. It should be a concern to local residents and hawks that these people had such a good time, as they appear very likely to do it again. Soon.