Waiting for the Wonder

Waiting for the Wonder

By Gingher Leyendecker

“Wonderwind.” “The Wonder.” “Ze Vundervind.” We heard it called many things during our visit to the Southern Tier Sky Surfers’ territory in the Finger Lakes area of New York. All I knew was that I wanted in it! Jimbo and I had four days to fly with this great group of pilots, and were hoping to at least get a few launches in. We knew the weather would be unpredictable, and storms were forecasted for the week.

But just looking at the forest blanketed hills and vast fields for landing made our hearts jump! No rocks, no cactus—could it be true? We began making lots of phone calls and got on their forum. They would be meeting at Indian Cliffs that afternoon (because you can fly all afternoon in the summer…).

Since it was 4^th of July weekend, tons of pilots were out, from all over New York and Canada. We met so many great people, hangies and baggers united to wait for “The Wonder.”

We heard the phrase a few times before we realized it meant the glassoff, which could start early and last until after sunset. Standing on the edge of Indian Cliffs launch I could hardly believe my eyes! Green everywhere—and an LZ that went on for miles!! The launch was also grassy green, with trees to sit under while we waited for our chance.

It turned out that day that the wind died down instead of glassing off—to pretty much nothing. Jim and I were calculating the extra $150 round trip each that taking our wings had cost us, and were determined to forward if necessary. Many pilots broke down their gear. Two paragliders went and got nothing. But the view was gorgeous, launch was over a river and into farm fields, so we decided to take the sledder. Besides, we were representing AZ with our forwarding skillz—so we went for it.

Short flights yes, but beautiful. There was a trick to those gigantic landing zones though. The grass was 4-6 feet high! It looked like it was about two feet or so as we got close to the ground, but that top two feet was concealing a thick undergrowth. Everyone who sledded called it “Velcro” because there was no running it out! Then trying to find somewhere to fold the wing was almost impossible, I had to stamp out an area to do it. The funny thing was that our wings got cleaner—the dust disappeared as we wrestled to fold them in the high grass.

Next day everyone agreed to go to Bristol, a launch across from a ski resort. Again beautiful launch and a large (mowed this time!!) LZ. In fact, the rest of the launches and LZs had to be mowed with big riding lawnmowers because they are so huge!!! So we trecked up past the sheriff’s cabin (where much drinking and shooting was happening—good thing they like pilots!) and peered off the grassy hill.

Took an early flight about 3:30 and it was pretty much an extended sledder. Some pilots packed it up and went home. However, calculating our luggage again, Jimbo and I decided we better get as many tries in as possible! So back up we went and waited a bit. Then, it happened…..the windsock gently blew straight out and stayed. The Wonder was upon us!! When flying in the wonderwind, everything is gentle and smooth. You can ridge soar just feet above the forest canopy with hardly a care. There was a gaggle of hangies and paragliders that played for hours—we stayed up until the sun went behind the ridge. Jimbo top landed twice, crabbing in perfectly above the trees, the second time using big ears. The local pilots loved it and so did the sheriff’s posse! Once I got a couple thousand above the mountain I could see the finger lakes. I just wanted to stay up there forever in the gentle wind above the vast green and blue landscape. We stayed up for about 3 hours and were the last ones down after the sun had set behind the mountain.

The next day conditions looked good for Harris Hill, the famous glider port. Less pilots this day because of weekend family time….but another huge launch and an LZ that was cut out of the cornfields as an emergency landing for gliders. It was over a half a mile long!! There are no dustdevils to be seen around these parts—but you can track the winds in the corn, and thermals look like circles—“corndevils” we called them. There wasn’t much activity that day, but we each got 4 flights that were decent. A bear could be seen wandering in the field, and beavers in a river below. During the waiting times, a local pilot named Carl (Carl and Katrin helped us a lot with directions) brought out books for everyone, but I couldn’t concentrate on Shackelton’s Valliant Antarctic Voyage because of all the fantastic scenery. Jimbo and I stayed until sunset, until everyone was gone but Doug Stoner, who stayed with his riding lawnmower to take care of the launch.

Between flights we went to a convenience store for drinks, and they had a vending machine outside for live bait! It was all glossy like a coke machine and stocked with nightcrawlers and other critters you might like to use on your next fishing trip.

Next day was the 4^th, so we hung with the family. We would have one day left to try and fly. The final day no one was available—except for Doug’s brother Chuck Stoner. So we met at the same Burger King where two days before a man told me that the bible says tattoos are a sin but they just kind of work for me. Hammondsport was our destination.

No promises about this day, Chuck said. We didn’t care, we were happy to be along. Passing through gates and lots of cows, we got to the launch. Actually there were two launches at one place, on either end of a huge hay field with rolls of hay being moved around by a farmer. The LZ was way off to the left, and bailout was about a mile away from it, with forest in between. We waited and waited for the wonder, and it wasn’t looking good. We decided to launch anyway, and had short flights with a couple passes before heading to the LZ. I landed in the field, Jimbo in the bailout. We couldn’t go out like this!!! We had to try it again, it was our last chance!!

Back on launch the wind picked up some—could it be?? We hesitated. I finally agreed to be wind tech. And then it happened—Wonderwind!!!!!! I couldn’t go wrong!! Gently the altimiter beeped and beeped, up up up. By this time locals gathered and I followed them, and caught a thermal and shared it 2000 feet up with a hawk that I could lock eyes with! Jimbo and Chuck launched and joined, with Jim doing another two top landings. I had never tried one before outside of Torrey, so after almost two hours of soaring I went for it too. So did Chuck. A little shaky air coming in, and my wing went over me at landing—but I did it!! Yippeee! I’ve also always been afraid of taking pictures in the air, on account of letting go of the brakes. But up in the wonderwind everything was smooth so I got some shots of the lake, Jimbo launching below me on one of two launches, and the mandatory helmet self portrait.

So Chuck decided to call it a day since his truck was up top, and Jimbo and I went for one last flight so we could land at our car. After saying goodbye and walking into the low evening sun, Chuck turned back and called out—“tell everyone in Arizona that we fly every day here!” (That was a joke, but I like to think they do). We played a little longer in the still buoyant air and then headed out. It was like magic.

Thank you so much to the local pilots who helped line us out, met us, drove, gave us protocol, and shared their wonderful air—Todd, Doug and Chuck, Katrin and Carl, Bob, Lisa, Josh, Dan, Dave, and all of the crew—we really appreciated your hospitality and hope you can come to AZ for some high desert thermal action one day!

The wonder was definitely worth the wait….