"Until then, this one goes into my book as the GRANDEST THERMAL EVER. And the magic ingredient was, it found us exactly when we needed it least, painting the sky with a brush of unforgettable wonder."
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Crystal Squadron celebrates two diamond victories, with pilots mastering Mojave's thermals and tackling Owens Valley heat. Mike Koerner's 456-mile journey to Elko showcases strategic prowess amidst shifting lift and cirrus challenges.
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"After running alongside, catching a wingtip, and proudly helping the pilot push off, I was anxious to know how in the world he got this far on such a weak day, but first extended a smiling hand, 'Hi, I’m Dale.' That’s when he chose to remove his parachute, staring beyond my ear for signs of human activity at our little terminal building. Crickets, as they say."
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I got bored and worked my feet down through those openings beside the aft pedals, so my legs were hanging straight into a coffin size space below the floorboards. This left no quick access to rudder control, revealing more about my judgment than any supposed trust in that particular front-seater. And worse, having committed the sin, it was impossible to get my feet back up…
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First time I soared from Crystal to Big Bear, the outbound leg went so quickly I never bothered to look down, so on the way home I stopped, determined to go no further until identifying Hesperia airport. I loitered over the wide city bleeding altitude, scanning everywhere left and right more than once, and could find no open spaces even big enough for an airport.
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One November evening I was standing out front of the empty lodge on the flat below those cliffs and heard a sudden boom that sounded like a shotgun..
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