Skyward Woman

I asked for something different for my birthday.  An experience. I made this so easy I even sent the link to the website to my husband.  Because the Saturday of my birthday weekend was cloudy and windy, the event was postponed for a week.

So last Saturday, I got what I wished for!   A GLIDER RIDE!  Cross one off the bucket list!

Getting into the glider was about like getting into one of Handy's former cars.  Ooh, I'm glad his current car is a tiny bit more sensible.

Bye-bye, honey!  He doesn't like heights.  He was happy to stay on the ground.  The glider pilot told me it was the same way with the earlier flight.  Earthbound man...

Skyward woman...

Anticipation...

We're already in the air! Wow, that was fast!

So smooth!
The plane towed us up UP up UP up UP!

Over the top of the mountains I saw the ocean blanketed in the June Gloom.




Ooh, the lake!  Many years ago, Handy's grandpa was the night watchman there.

Handy climbed one of those towers when he was 19.

Then it was time to pull the yellow lever!   (This picture was not taken at the exact moment.)

Tethered no longer.  Free floating.  It was magnificent.  And quiet.

People will tell you where they've gone
They'll tell you where to go
But till you get there yourself you never really know.
--Joni Mitchell

On top of the world!  Well, my little world.

That clearing earlier?  A close-up of a former President's ranch...

That tilt/shift effect is due to the curvature of the window.

A "castle..."

Descending...wineries just across the bridge.

The high school.  Not Hogwarts.

Landing all too soon.

It was so beautiful.

If my sons ever read this, I want them to know:  "It was WAY less scary than the paragliding at Tahoe."