Salamone, Linda <<email>> writes:

I had read about Scot Trueblood’s operation in the Oz Report so I talked Mark into a detour to Bonita Springs en route to Naples. My new Garmin Nuvi was proving it’s worth when Lauren gave me Scot’s address. He lives on a canal near to “Doc’s”, a restaurant right on the water.

Scot put a call into his boat captain, to try to get a New Year’s Day flight in for us, and while waiting we headed to the local hot-spot, “Doc’s”. Doc’s has a beach-fare menu and a kiosk on the beach where they rent water motor sport vehicles, paddle boats, and parasail rides. Knowing that Scot had already had a slight run-in with this operation, after lunch I approached the guy at the kiosk and asked if this was where they did the “hand- gliding”. He said “no, we do parasailing” and when I asked if he knew anything about the hang gliding operation, he looked me dead in the eye and said, “Nope, not a thing”.

This guy had already called the authorities more than once to screw with Scot, who is competing in the same niche, and his lie was so deliberate it was actually comical.

Back at Scot’s, his boat captain couldn’t be lured from another job so late in the day, so we headed to the beach to see a spectacular sunset, and some dolphins herding a school of mullets just twenty yards away from us in the gentle surf. My sister and her family joined us for the aquatic show and later we all had dinner with my mom.

In the morning the plan was set: four flight parks in three days. Friday- Paradise Hang Gliding and the Florida Ridge (forecast was less windy now). Saturday- Wallaby Ranch. Sunday- Quest Air.

Not having had a flight on the first of the year was a bummer- especially after reading about some flights back home.

At Paradise, Mark took a tandem with Scot, I took a tandem with Mark, then I had a solo flight.

Scot’s operation is slick. He went over everything with me and even though I haven’t platform towed in many years, this was simple. Q Wilson, Scot’s partner, and a really great photographer (lots of these photos are his), was on the release when I yelled “clear!”

For the first 50 feet, I was sure I had forgotten how to fly a hang glider and I wouldn’t live to see another day. But as soon as I eased the bar of the 225 Falcon 3 out to trim, I just started grinning and didn’t stop until right around yesterday!

They towed me up until 2000’ of line paid out, and when I saw the boat make a big U-turn back at me, I hit the release. The huge wing handles beautifully even with my solo weight on it, and I wanged around a little in the morning breeze. I could see the whole coast line (what a view!) And I scanned the water for dolphins or rays or schools of fish.

I set up an approach to land on the starboard side of the boat and even though I rounded out early, splashdown- I mean landing- was easy on the floats Scot has outfitted for the wing. Flying above water is such a freaky trip. I was conscious of where all the hook knives and other cutting implements were before I ever launched. But it was all so easy and everything went perfectly.

The ride back to the dock was like a bonus eco-tour.

The next stop was the Florida Ridge for an afternoon soar, so we hightailed it outta there while there was a lot of day still left.

I really can’t say enough good things about what Scot has going there. He’s thought everything through and delivers a really good time, whatever your skill level. His contact info:1-888-WINGS-FL (or a land line at 239-947-8940) and hope that anyone headed to Florida this season makes a flight off the gulf coast in Bonita Springs part of their winter getaway.