Fly with Eagle Day

Similar to the question, "would you like some chocolate?" when somebody says "would you like to fly with the eagle?" the natural and immediate response of any foot launch pilot who has been flying for any length of time is "of course I would!"

Blue Mountain Wildlife had, I was told, rehabilitated a juvenile bald eagle and were ready to return him to the wild. (Lynn and Bob Tompkins, www.bluemountainwildlife.org) They were looking to put on an event, grab a little PR, coerce some coinage into the jar, and wondered if the local paraglider pilots were interested. Turns out the eagle (dubbed 10-007) had munched on a euthanized carcass and overdosed on barbituates, flown into a power line, and crashed in a field. Requiring also a course of treatment for lead poisoning, and now clean and sober, 007 was tearing down the flight cage in his determination to get back in the air. Could we put together a little something, uh, soon? Great, no problem, let's ignore the vagaries of February weather not to mention the difficulty of mobilizing a gaggle of pilots sluggish from their winter slumber.

When the weather started to show clearing skies and favorable north winds for Kiona, it was time to seize the opportunity and mobilize the forces. Lynn and Carol started the presses energizing the media, Lori went to her sketch pad to put together a memorial t-shirt, I dug my old friend Bernie Cliff out of the woodwork to see if he would do a little eagle blessing, and a couple postings to the regional paragliding web sites went out to sample the waters.

The weather went through more convolutions than Brett Favre but finally decided to play ball--kinda. Pilots slowly began to show interest, even the mythical El Diablo from Whidbey Island decided to come visit! The sketch emerged and the T-Shirts went to the screen printer. The media releases made it out. The eagle was going to fly!

On the day of the event I as I was putting out wind streamers at the base of the hill, winds were looking rather strong. A report came down from the ridge top, "Hey, whats going on? I've had a couple flights on my tandem up here, picking up a bit now." Leave it to mythical pilots to get there early and grab the first flight of the day! Shortly thereafter, and as the guests began to arrive, the wind up on launch built to a howling thirty mile an hour gale! Oh well, back to the bottom of the hill to park cars and get the eagle folks situated.

Oddly enough, the day then proceeded to unfold like a children's storybook. Lynn and Bob showed up with two eagles, Ula to visit with the crowd, and 007 hunkered down in a kennel waiting to grab his freedom. In no time at all they were set up to meet and greet, a table for Lori's t-shirts magically appeared, and the folks started to show up. Pilots launched speed wings and reported improving conditions. The TV and newspaper reporters arrived, families and kids were enjoying the sunshine and admiring the gorgeous golden eagle on her perch. The release time was set for 2 pm. Would the winds drop enough for me to launch in time to be in the air when 007 made his play?

Leaving the crowd at the bottom and headed back up to our "high wind launch," I could see that Preacher had managed to huck himself off the hill and was starting to work into the wind towards the eagle release site. With a little help from El D. and Mr. D. Bockle I managed to struggle my way into the air and headed after Preacher. On the radio I could hear that Alan Cliff had made it and that a ceremony was underway to prepare the eagle for release. As I finally made it around the corner and over the landing area Bob B. announced on the radio that the eagle was free, and was headed for the hill!


Looking down I could see 007 zig-zagging his way up the ridge right beneath my feet. When he finally decided to make a circle I dropped in right above and joined him for a couple turns, then he squirted away down the ridge looking for better stuff. Winds settled down and more and more gliders took to the air, the ridge was working nicely throughout the afternoon and on to dusk! We spotted 007 a couple more times down range, I last saw him about five hundred feet below the ridge top, tucked and cranking down-wind going for a speed run and living large. Doug H. launched his tandem and took Lori for a flight, and every pilot who wanted airtime was able to fill their flight log. Folks were top landing and re-launching. I flew until I was tired and getting chilly, then dropped it down next to the truck for a cup of coffee.

By the time I packed up and got down to the bottom, only Preacher, El Diablo and his buddy Don remained. One glider was in the sky on a pretty sunset flight, and the scotch and cigars came out. It was suggested to me, as Preacher, Doc and the Devil mulled the universe that I could expand my somewhat literal interpretation of the doctrine of fallen angels, loosen up some of my held since childhood Catholic instilled theological concepts and begin to look a little deeper at the almost Darwinian spiritual evolution of mankind. Seemed a fitting way to close the page on the story of "Fly with Eagle Day." (Photo credits Lynn Tompkins, Tri-Cities News Herald. Original eagle sketch by Lori Harris.)