Crestline Soaring Society

The Flypaper

Newsletter for the Crestline Soaring Society
USHPA Chapter 16

P.O. Box 9052, San Bernardino, CA 92427-9052 · www.crestlinesoaring.org

March, 2005

President's Report

What a wet winter we are having. Hard to imagine how we were in the throes of a drought just a few months ago. Someone out there is still doing the rain dance we were asking everyone to do last summer. Cut it out!

Patience is a virtue. This too shall pass. There are many folks in the world hurting for one reason or another WAY worse than what we have going on here with the rain and its effect on our flying desires.

Seems that Cal Trans has their work cut out for them with the ongoing road erosion. Hwy 18 has been closed almost more than open so far this year. It can be frustrating getting them to have consideration for pilots needing the highway to access Marshall Peak. It is one thing when the highway is unsafe and they close it. But when the highway is fine and they just don’t consider that anyone needs to go up because they can’t get to Crestline it’s a frustrating battle. A couple of weeks ago we did make some headway and managed for a few short days to get Cal Trans to consider our flying needs. I hope this consideration resurfaces after the floods have settled down.

The Marshall road has been holding up but I hesitated to brag about the work we’ve done as the mudslide gods might not like such an attitude. If need be, the CSS will repair 2N40.

The Andy Jackson Airpark has had some recent landscaping work as well. Close to 1000 cubic yards of silt had piled up on our approach apron over the last year. We have moved it some 300’ to the east off of the LZ plateau. It temporarily has enhanced the hang gliding approach by making several thousand sq. ft. of extra flat area, but given the loose nature of the material it could easily wash away in the coming weeks. A labor by Dianne McKenzie, Kathy Rhodes and myself has established a nice 100’ long rock drainage ditch to help reduce the erosion of this new extension on the approach. Bikers are apparently liking this silt pile as a jumping ramp as reported by Timmy at the LZ. Looks like it needs perhaps some of our excess railway ties properly placed at the base of the slope to make it less attractive for such an activity.

The elections had more voting response than I’ve ever seen before. Strange given the obvious lack of choices as all offices only had one runner. Usually this leads to apathy on returning votes. But 48 votes were cast in all. It was a unanimous victory for the incumbents and the 2 new officers. (what a surprise!) Anyway, I would like to welcome 2 new officers, Dave Davenport (activities) and Gary Brock (safety). Maybe the large turnout of voting had to do with the desire for the average CSS member to give a pat on the back for those dealing with all the $#!+. And just to remind everyone who has been in the drivers seat over the past year, thanks go to: Ken Howells (website and newsletter), Dianne McKenzie (site coordinator), Alan Crouse (treasurer), Kathy Rhodes (secretary), Len Szafaryn (vice pres) and myself (pres).

Here are the current officers for 2005:

I would like to thank everyone for supporting the CSS. It has grown in so many ways over the years. Though the weather is the worst that I’ve seen since I arrived in 1979, the CSS is stronger and more respected in the community than it has ever been. Remember that the current standing the CSS enjoys has a bit to do with recent work, but overall it’s more a reflection of all the work by everyone who has ever helped this association since it started as the San Bernardino Hang Gliding Association in the mid 70’s. We are standing on the shoulders of giants as they say. Thank You!

If there is anything you wish to contact me about, remember that the best way is to drop an email to president@crestlinesoaring.org

- Rob McKenzie, CSS President