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Pyramid Point 2010
Slipped in a fabulous day flying on lake Michigan during recent family holiday. I've been very much an armchair pilot in the last years so it was nice to know I still felt at home in the air.
Pyramid Point is one of the four coastal soaring sites in the Sleeping Bear Dunes area of northern Michigan. All the launches are tight (1 glider at a time) sand dune launches surrounded by trees, scrub and obstacles, so they are not for beginners.
Once you are flying, the blazing blue-green of crystal clear lake Michigan stretches to the horizon, with a narrow strip of golden-sand beach below and beautiful forested rolling hills as far as the eye can see inland. I was flying in shorts, running shoes and and a sweat shirt in glorious Michigan sunshine. The effortless 100 minutes cruising the mile or two of 400 foot sand dune was a real treat. One of the things I love about Michigan is how clear the air and water is. Reminds me of my home country of New Zealand.
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The only other pilot that day was a Scott Towne from Colorado taking a rest from big mountain flying...
Below is the view from the hike up to the Empire launch, looking towards Sleeping Bear dune, which is just visible in the distance. Sleeping Bear is the longest site, at about 3 miles of steep sand dune cliff.
Pyramid Point 2010
Slipped in a fabulous day flying on lake Michigan during recent family holiday. I've been very much an armchair pilot in the last years so it was nice to know I still felt at home in the air.
Pyramid Point is one of the four coastal soaring sites in the Sleeping Bear Dunes area of northern Michigan. All the launches are tight (1 glider at a time) sand dune launches surrounded by trees, scrub and obstacles, so they are not for beginners.
Once you are flying, the blazing blue-green of crystal clear lake Michigan stretches to the horizon, with a narrow strip of golden-sand beach below and beautiful forested rolling hills as far as the eye can see inland. I was flying in shorts, running shoes and and a sweat shirt in glorious Michigan sunshine. The effortless 100 minutes cruising the mile or two of 400 foot sand dune was a real treat. One of the things I love about Michigan is how clear the air and water is. Reminds me of my home country of New Zealand.
View Larger Map
The only other pilot that day was a Scott Towne from Colorado taking a rest from big mountain flying...
Below is the view from the hike up to the Empire launch, looking towards Sleeping Bear dune, which is just visible in the distance. Sleeping Bear is the longest site, at about 3 miles of steep sand dune cliff.
