We had another of those amazing days today.\u00a0 Tuesday, when we were bumming around, we saw a sign for “Windy City Soaring.”\u00a0 Dear Husband was immediately interested, and we looked them up on-line.\u00a0 This is an association which gives rides in gliders, the planes that have no propellers or motors.<\/p>\n
We headed out to the farmland west of Chicago for the headquarters of the group, and asked if it would be possible for the two of us to have a ride.\u00a0 Gliders come in one seat or two seat versions.\u00a0 Since neither of us is a pilot, we would need to go up with an experienced flier.\u00a0 Both the front and back seat are equipped with the controls needed to fly the plane.\u00a0 The pilot explained what we were seeing and then told us not to worry, we wouldn’t do any of the flying.<\/p>\n
Dear Husband went up first, not because I was afraid, but because I wanted to see how it was done before I tried it.\u00a0 It was about 10:00 in the morning.\u00a0 The tow-plane started up, and moved into position so that the tow line was straight and taut between the planes and then they were off.\u00a0 Toward the edge of the field there was a\u00a0 fountain of leaves in the air as the tow-plane lifted into the air, and then it was just a matter of watching as they circled up into the sky.<\/p>\n
It was cloudy this morning, and I lost the glider in the clouds for a few minutes, but could watch for the rest of the flight.\u00a0 They were up for about 25 – 30 minutes, longer than I expected.\u00a0 When they came down, DH was smiling, and had obviously enjoyed the flight.\u00a0 Unfortunately, I had to wait for a bit.\u00a0 Someone had booked the 10:30 appointment.\u00a0 I got to watch them go through the same pre-flight experience and take off.<\/p>\n
When the glider came down, it was my turn.\u00a0 I got into the plane, (like stepping into a bathtub) and was secured in the seat with straps much like a baby in a car seat.\u00a0 Once they were satisfied that I was secure and the equipment was working, we took off.\u00a0 It was a little bumpy over the field, but we were up in the air right away.<\/p>\n
Dear Husband had been towed to almost 3000 feet in the air.\u00a0 We were towed to roughly 2500 feet. Those clouds that I mentioned had continued to move in, and the pilot was concerned about\u00a0 the lack of visibility,\u00a0 so I had a shorter ride.\u00a0 It was fabulous!\u00a0 There were no thermals to provide lift, so we circled around as we lost height.\u00a0 I enjoyed flying over harvested and un-harvested fields, over farm houses, creeks, roads and train tracks,\u00a0 farmland churches and cemeteries.\u00a0 I’m eager to go again, but it will probably have to wait until next summer.\u00a0 We’ll choose a clear day, so that we can stay up longer.<\/p>\n
Our pilot timed it just right.\u00a0 Ten minutes after I landed, and paid our bill, the first rain drops came down, and DH saw lightening to the west.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scot can be my pilot any day!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We had another of those amazing days today.\u00a0 Tuesday, when we were bumming around, we saw a sign for “Windy City Soaring.”\u00a0 Dear Husband was immediately interested, and we looked them up on-line.\u00a0 This is an association which gives rides … Continue reading