If I had a plane there would be no time for Rupps. :doah: And Jeep... I seen one on CL once for 600 bucks that was a little Bi-Plane someone made from scaled down blue prints for like 600 bucks. was not covered and no motor looked damn good for 600 bucks. :doah: Bi-planes are squirely to handle though. The glider style high winged actual ultra lights would be much more stable.
Ultralights and motorcycling.
For years I wanted to fly an ultralight aircraft.
The idea to me of being up in the air away from humanity all alone with the birds and the clouds really appealed to me. I felt it was a calling the same as the way the sea calls to me this very day. (4 years on a sub hunting warship out in the ocean does get salt water into the veins.)
Patty always said that she hoped I didn't mind waking up with two broken legs because before I would ever fly one she would break both legs, not just one, both. Her reasoning was that she would rather have me alive with 2 broken legs than dead from an ultralight accident.
I never knew what her problem was as they were easy to fly, you don't need a pilot license to fly one so I assumed any idiot could do it and I felt I was just the idiot to take on the challenge!
A couple of years ago a friend who is a pilot offered to take my 2 kids and I for a ride. I jumped at the chance as both kids had watched the twin towers come down and really weren't sure that they would ever fly.
I thought a nice ride in a little airplane would convince them that it was safe and they could have fun flying, after all any idiot can fly, right???
Well, we met my friend at the airport and after the introductions he went through a second preflight inspection that was geared towards the kids to get them involved in the airplane.
After the inspection we climbed in, the youngest in front with the pilot, Chris and I in back and we were off towards the runway.
We sat and watched as several large and small jets took off and landed before our turn arrived and we were off at a blistering 100 knots.
As the propeller whined and the plane rolled faster and faster down the runway we found ourselves catching our breath as the wings got the needed lift and the plane literally "Jumped" into the sky.
Gaining altitude at low levels gives the sensation like that of a vacuum cleaner sucking you up not unlike a piece of lint or a candy wrapper.
WOW!
Our flight took us over our house and then north over farm lands to Lake Wisconsin.
As we were on our ride we noticed that the plane was bucking and jumping and our pilot was really struggling with it. The plane seemed to be determined to bounce and roll. When we flew over the big lake the thermals there put the plane into what seemed to be a sudden stop and we dropped what seemed to be a lot. the wind caught us and the lift was restored and we were jerked back into the sky. I assume we probably dropped 10 feet but is scared the CRAP out of us.
I looked at my youngest and he was very quiet to the point that he might want to just get out. I kept looking at the door for ways to hold it shut should he decide to attempt to just get out.
Then looking at Chris, he was looking pretty green at this point. He looked at me and said those magical words, "Dad, I don't feel very good."
Above the roar of the engine and the wind whipping by the plane, with headphones on, the pilot heard those 6 words and instantly handed back a barf bag.
I looked at our pilot and said, "I think they've had enough"!!
He turned the plane and with the tail wind we did 120 knots back to the Madison airport.
Landing couldn't come soon enough.
Ground, Glorious wonderful Ground.
(The last time I wanted to kiss the ground was when the ship I was on in the Navy docked in Jacksonville, Florida after 6 months in the arm pit of the Mediterranean, Naples Italy and several other filthy cities in the area.
Jacksonville, a HUGE city and I saw how clean our country was. Anyone who is uncertain of the quality of life we have here, join the military or go on a mission trip somewhere. You will come back and kiss the ground of even New York City!!)
After we said our thank you's and our goodbye's we walked to our car all feeling queasy not unlike sea sickness or the feeling you get from a fast spinning ride at the county fair.
We all went home and had 2 tablespoons of pepto bismol and went and laid down.
I used to look at the "Ultralight Aircraft" section on Ebay, dreaming of one day flying up with the birds and the clouds, after all you don't need a pilot license so any idiot can fly one.
So how does flying an ultralight tie into riding a motorcycle?
Well in 2008, Patty and I went on a 2427 mile ride that took us through the hills of southwest Wisconsin, the cornfields of Iowa, the continuing climb of Nebraska (1200 feet to 6000+ feet) the highlands of the Rockies, the coal fields of Wyoming, Sturgis and back.
The feeling of freedom was ever apparent.
I realized that I didn't need wings to feel the freedom of life.
Riding with one arm outstretched going up and down like a wing gives me the inspiration that tells me I am alive.
Seeing the beauty of our country without window glass is truly awe inspiring.
Sure their are inherent dangers in riding and with the proper training I can fly an ultralight too but I have no desire to fly except on the seat of my bike.
The only words I can come up with that explains the feeling I get on the bike is:
Freedom!
Freedom!
For years I wanted to fly an ultralight aircraft.
The idea to me of being up in the air away from humanity all alone with the birds and the clouds really appealed to me. I felt it was a calling the same as the way the sea calls to me this very day. (4 years on a sub hunting warship out in the ocean does get salt water into the veins.)
Patty always said that she hoped I didn't mind waking up with two broken legs because before I would ever fly one she would break both legs, not just one, both. Her reasoning was that she would rather have me alive with 2 broken legs than dead from an ultralight accident.
I never knew what her problem was as they were easy to fly, you don't need a pilot license to fly one so I assumed any idiot could do it and I felt I was just the idiot to take on the challenge!
A couple of years ago a friend who is a pilot offered to take my 2 kids and I for a ride. I jumped at the chance as both kids had watched the twin towers come down and really weren't sure that they would ever fly.
I thought a nice ride in a little airplane would convince them that it was safe and they could have fun flying, after all any idiot can fly, right???
Well, we met my friend at the airport and after the introductions he went through a second preflight inspection that was geared towards the kids to get them involved in the airplane.
After the inspection we climbed in, the youngest in front with the pilot, Chris and I in back and we were off towards the runway.
We sat and watched as several large and small jets took off and landed before our turn arrived and we were off at a blistering 100 knots.
As the propeller whined and the plane rolled faster and faster down the runway we found ourselves catching our breath as the wings got the needed lift and the plane literally "Jumped" into the sky.
Gaining altitude at low levels gives the sensation like that of a vacuum cleaner sucking you up not unlike a piece of lint or a candy wrapper.
WOW!
Our flight took us over our house and then north over farm lands to Lake Wisconsin.
As we were on our ride we noticed that the plane was bucking and jumping and our pilot was really struggling with it. The plane seemed to be determined to bounce and roll. When we flew over the big lake the thermals there put the plane into what seemed to be a sudden stop and we dropped what seemed to be a lot. the wind caught us and the lift was restored and we were jerked back into the sky. I assume we probably dropped 10 feet but is scared the CRAP out of us.
I looked at my youngest and he was very quiet to the point that he might want to just get out. I kept looking at the door for ways to hold it shut should he decide to attempt to just get out.
Then looking at Chris, he was looking pretty green at this point. He looked at me and said those magical words, "Dad, I don't feel very good."
Above the roar of the engine and the wind whipping by the plane, with headphones on, the pilot heard those 6 words and instantly handed back a barf bag.
I looked at our pilot and said, "I think they've had enough"!!
He turned the plane and with the tail wind we did 120 knots back to the Madison airport.
Landing couldn't come soon enough.
Ground, Glorious wonderful Ground.
(The last time I wanted to kiss the ground was when the ship I was on in the Navy docked in Jacksonville, Florida after 6 months in the arm pit of the Mediterranean, Naples Italy and several other filthy cities in the area.
Jacksonville, a HUGE city and I saw how clean our country was. Anyone who is uncertain of the quality of life we have here, join the military or go on a mission trip somewhere. You will come back and kiss the ground of even New York City!!)
After we said our thank you's and our goodbye's we walked to our car all feeling queasy not unlike sea sickness or the feeling you get from a fast spinning ride at the county fair.
We all went home and had 2 tablespoons of pepto bismol and went and laid down.
I used to look at the "Ultralight Aircraft" section on Ebay, dreaming of one day flying up with the birds and the clouds, after all you don't need a pilot license so any idiot can fly one.
So how does flying an ultralight tie into riding a motorcycle?
Well in 2008, Patty and I went on a 2427 mile ride that took us through the hills of southwest Wisconsin, the cornfields of Iowa, the continuing climb of Nebraska (1200 feet to 6000+ feet) the highlands of the Rockies, the coal fields of Wyoming, Sturgis and back.
The feeling of freedom was ever apparent.
I realized that I didn't need wings to feel the freedom of life.
Riding with one arm outstretched going up and down like a wing gives me the inspiration that tells me I am alive.
Seeing the beauty of our country without window glass is truly awe inspiring.
Sure their are inherent dangers in riding and with the proper training I can fly an ultralight too but I have no desire to fly except on the seat of my bike.
The only words I can come up with that explains the feeling I get on the bike is:
Freedom!
Freedom!
Soup run sounds good, Sign me up. Do you do the Leland crud run up near Baraboo ? Better yet the fall color ride in Tomahawk . I have a house up in Boulder Junction Wi. so i stay there (about 1 hr past Tomahawk) . We will have to talk about it OVER SOUP... I am going to upload photo of my ultralite to MY PHOTOS
you definitely had a bad experience flying. the pilot was trying to show off. i went up in a cessna before going out on the ocean (CVN74). the sea does call. where the plane dropped, that is usually attributed to a microburst. they can send a plane up or down 1000 feet pretty easily. bikes are fun, but soaring with the birds has to be far better. i've been looking into wingsuits. they seem more free, but also inherently more dangerous.