the last i saw you was in spain and you seemed to be rocking and rolling. and your ever inthusiasm and banter was relentless so where have you gone?
cheers gary
jim bittlestone where have you gone
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Jim Bittlestone
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Hi Gary,
Spain was the last time I had the wing out, sad I know but that's the truth. I really enjoyed the week, I learnt a lot, Nick's a good lad, flying with the multitudes at Cabo, first thermals at Palomoret, first spirals, great company, a few varied sites, weather was canny. My first near miss, getting pushed into the cliff by the Italian bloke at Pena Rubia, my first car towed away, (must learn some Spanish) some good times, some not so good, mostly great tho.
Then came reality, landing at Newcastle with a winter looming.
I had enough bother finding someone to fly with in the summer. Since getting back I went out to Cringle but no one was about and the wind died off, went to Cookies once and ended up climbing on Roseberry Topping.
With work, kids etc I can usually only fly locally and mid week. Plus I don't know many sites. Only flown Captain Cooks, East Hill (once), Tailbridge and Marske (once) so far. I've had a couple of texts from Brian Nellist but I seem to always be working when he's been out at the weekend.
I need to take some time off and get out before I forget how to fly. Soon I hope as enthusiasm is dwindling.
Been teaching the kids skiing on the dry slope, ready for a couple of trips, doing a bit of climbing and sea kayaking, did a Farne Island trip in December that was a bit scary on my tod just to keep the cobwebs off and top up the adreniline tank.
I'm off to Alaska next summer to climb Denali with a couple of mates, thaught abut flying off the top, but the climb will be hard enough without carrying the wing up. Chances of getting the right weather at 6000m plus is slight to say the least. I met a French guy in Zermatt a couple of years ago who has flown off all the seven summits in a tandem with their lass in tow, including Everest from the South Col to base camp. One for Chris and Jan perhaps?
But aye, your right, I've been out of it and need to get back into it.
Perhaps I'll see you on the hill? I just need to find that big bag, where did I put it?
Cheers for asking
Jim
Spain was the last time I had the wing out, sad I know but that's the truth. I really enjoyed the week, I learnt a lot, Nick's a good lad, flying with the multitudes at Cabo, first thermals at Palomoret, first spirals, great company, a few varied sites, weather was canny. My first near miss, getting pushed into the cliff by the Italian bloke at Pena Rubia, my first car towed away, (must learn some Spanish) some good times, some not so good, mostly great tho.
Then came reality, landing at Newcastle with a winter looming.
I had enough bother finding someone to fly with in the summer. Since getting back I went out to Cringle but no one was about and the wind died off, went to Cookies once and ended up climbing on Roseberry Topping.
With work, kids etc I can usually only fly locally and mid week. Plus I don't know many sites. Only flown Captain Cooks, East Hill (once), Tailbridge and Marske (once) so far. I've had a couple of texts from Brian Nellist but I seem to always be working when he's been out at the weekend.
I need to take some time off and get out before I forget how to fly. Soon I hope as enthusiasm is dwindling.
Been teaching the kids skiing on the dry slope, ready for a couple of trips, doing a bit of climbing and sea kayaking, did a Farne Island trip in December that was a bit scary on my tod just to keep the cobwebs off and top up the adreniline tank.
I'm off to Alaska next summer to climb Denali with a couple of mates, thaught abut flying off the top, but the climb will be hard enough without carrying the wing up. Chances of getting the right weather at 6000m plus is slight to say the least. I met a French guy in Zermatt a couple of years ago who has flown off all the seven summits in a tandem with their lass in tow, including Everest from the South Col to base camp. One for Chris and Jan perhaps?
But aye, your right, I've been out of it and need to get back into it.
Perhaps I'll see you on the hill? I just need to find that big bag, where did I put it?
Cheers for asking
Jim
Jim, dont give up!
We have never actually met, although we have chatted at length.
You strike me as a person who will make a great pilot. The problem is that there is often the trough that you have to go through after leaving school. You are essentially on your own, no one there to make decisions for you, and you have the hasssle of having to ring strangers to ask them to go flying.
My thanks go to Ron Don, Andrew Billington and Bill Scott who got me through that trough.
Persevere, ring me, or anyone else, we are all happy to go flying if it is at all possible!!!!!
We have never actually met, although we have chatted at length.
You strike me as a person who will make a great pilot. The problem is that there is often the trough that you have to go through after leaving school. You are essentially on your own, no one there to make decisions for you, and you have the hasssle of having to ring strangers to ask them to go flying.
My thanks go to Ron Don, Andrew Billington and Bill Scott who got me through that trough.
Persevere, ring me, or anyone else, we are all happy to go flying if it is at all possible!!!!!
It is sad to measure your life in terms of hours flown...... but even sadder not to.........
You probably noticed by the state of the board that we are all going through the plight of the winter blues. The weekend looming seems no better, but soon, the spring,,,and the lambs, cute little things, 
As everyone says, give us a ring if it looks possible, I'm off on Thursday afternoons (and Thursday morning if it looks really good) every weekend and school hols. Glenn's a new pilot as well and seems to have some odd times off that may fit in with your shifts a little better and I know he is as keen as you are.
Hope to see you soon, cheers,
Brian
As everyone says, give us a ring if it looks possible, I'm off on Thursday afternoons (and Thursday morning if it looks really good) every weekend and school hols. Glenn's a new pilot as well and seems to have some odd times off that may fit in with your shifts a little better and I know he is as keen as you are.
Hope to see you soon, cheers,
Brian
See you out there!!!!!
Surf crazed and dazed
Livetrack24 Nezzy01
Surf crazed and dazed
Livetrack24 Nezzy01
Keep The Faith.......oh we gotta keep the faith
Jim,
I too have the post CP blues ....and a strange rash but enough about that.
I ve just moved Up North from slightly further South (but still in the North) and I did all of my training even further South still. I didn't have a clue where to fly and it always seemed to rain or be blown out whenever I had a day off.
Then I joined NHPC and got the site guide, a few mobile numbers and pretty soon I'd given up paragliding as I 'd taken up another new exciting and expensive pastime.
PARADRIVING.
I knew people were paragliding ,and for those with a masochistic streak, hang gliding. I could see the photos, watch the videos and read the blogs. None of that for me though! At one stage I couldn't log in to the forum. I couldn't bear the pictures of smiling faces and shots of gliders way above takeoff . It was torture.
Each time I went in the spare room there she was just looking up crying softly. My Gin Bolero seemingly abandoned to a flightless life of constant kidnappings in dark car boots ending up squashed into the back of my Clio being driven up and down the road to Coldstream only to end up back in the same place starvd of sunlight and air.
My New Years Resolution is just to actually fly, pester more people to tag along with and to perfect my top to bottoms.(no really)
Don't give up. Keep the Faith.
All the best Glenn
I too have the post CP blues ....and a strange rash but enough about that.
I ve just moved Up North from slightly further South (but still in the North) and I did all of my training even further South still. I didn't have a clue where to fly and it always seemed to rain or be blown out whenever I had a day off.
Then I joined NHPC and got the site guide, a few mobile numbers and pretty soon I'd given up paragliding as I 'd taken up another new exciting and expensive pastime.
PARADRIVING.
I knew people were paragliding ,and for those with a masochistic streak, hang gliding. I could see the photos, watch the videos and read the blogs. None of that for me though! At one stage I couldn't log in to the forum. I couldn't bear the pictures of smiling faces and shots of gliders way above takeoff . It was torture.
Each time I went in the spare room there she was just looking up crying softly. My Gin Bolero seemingly abandoned to a flightless life of constant kidnappings in dark car boots ending up squashed into the back of my Clio being driven up and down the road to Coldstream only to end up back in the same place starvd of sunlight and air.
My New Years Resolution is just to actually fly, pester more people to tag along with and to perfect my top to bottoms.(no really)
Don't give up. Keep the Faith.
All the best Glenn
You are only as good as your last flight........