April Mackin and Fay Holroyd had heard a lot about Morningside, but April had been there only once before, and for Fay it was a place that others talked about. They had become part of the hang gliding community through different routes, and had heard about each other but never met. Thanks to Rhett and Marilyn’s hospitality things were about to change.
Fay had been having fun living at Wallaby Ranch for a few months, getting experience of how the aero towing system worked doing a little flying here and there, and getting to know the community by taking their names for Malcolm’s yellow sheet at the launch point. Offers of places to stay and some good fun to be had tempted her to go off and see the hang gliding world. Morningside was a must, and the words from friends were simple: “you are going to have fun”. An invitation to get checked out towing on Rhett’s Dragonfly sealed the deal.
April, who had developed as an integral part of the Quest crowd, wanted to find a diverse flying community and Morningside was the perfect place. She was able to try her wings at paragliding along with all the other flying she enjoys. Over the years at Quest, April had learned to fly the Dragonfly, and foot launch at Lookout Mountain; she got her private pilot ticket and had learned to tow thanks to Bobby Bailey and the crew at Quest. This summer April found her way to Rhett and Marilyn’s couch.
Morningside in the summer months is definitely the place to be; under Jeff’s genial and good humored stewardship the full spectrum of flying possibilities are available. From the enthusiastic beginnings of first carrying a glider on your shoulders, to the meeting of old friends, who gather down by the runway to set up before a tow and a day of soaring, it is all here and will be delivered to you with a bit of fun, some advice where needed, and probably a frosty beverage at the end of the day after you have worked every puff of lift available to you. Whatever your wing of choice - either with or without aluminum, or your skill level, all are welcome.
Rhett’s green machine is busy all day, continuing a long partnership with Steve Prepost. The tandem glider takes awestruck members of the public up to 2,500 feet, for their first taste of the addiction that we call hang-gliding: bringing a grin to their faces with first views of mountains and trees, the beautiful Connecticut river, and the feel of wind in their hair. In the middle of the day, as the thermals begin to pop, the Dragonfly is in demand by the solo glider pilots. Fay had been having a great August, helping the boys out, getting as much handling practice as possible, and taking up any offers of towing that came her way. Long and sunny days flew by, with lots and lots of learning, sprinkled with great food from Rhett and Marilyn’s garden (yes, we all love your corn, Rhett!) And an education on wine. But the best was yet to come.
And so, on a glorious Wednesday afternoon in August over a bright green picnic table, and surrounded by chickens outside Rhett and Marilyn’s home, the two girls weighed each other up ….. surely one extra cat in the cathouse was enough?!! Polite conversation ensued. Parameters were tested. Rhett and Marilyn were softening the blow with easy hospitality and the ability to put up with almost anything.
Anyway be the end of the day, after plenty of frosty beverages, they found that they got along just fine. So thus began a crazy week of lots of flying, barely repressed laughter, and generally never a dull moment. The days started with “Princess Buttercup” April dishing out the orders for the day from under the duvet on the couch to those who had been up for a few hours already. She then got up at the crack of 9:40 and leapt into action with a para-glider, elegantly falling down the hill until she had got the hang of it. Meanwhile Fay was grabbing any suggested offer of some towing practice with willing volunteers, and getting some scooter rider training, whilst helping out with the tandem towing, also falling over elegantly whilst slipping the scooter on the wet grass. Marilyn and Rhett could not have been more accommodating: putting up with all sorts of chaos and noise, providing endless corn, and coping with a queue for the bathroom.
Everyone felt that a girl towing a girl would be a welcome addition to the Morningside atmosphere; with Steve Prepost’s movie camera attached to the back of Marilyn’s Falcon, and with the use of Rhett’s Dragonfly, the two girls enjoyed the evening air with a tow or two up over the beautiful New Hampshire countryside, and local history was made.
