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84 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, September 22, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 28, 2004 Gliders will soar from Woodrat Starthistle Fly-in is this weekend, Rat Race for paragliders is next week near Ruch By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune The skies over Ruch will be filled with unusual flying objects over the next 10 days. Local hang gliders and paragliders will host the 28th annual Starthistle Fly-in at Woodrat Mountain near Ruch over the Memorial Day weekend. Another group of fliers will come to Woodrat June 2-5 for a competition sponsored by the United States Hang Gliding Association. The "Rat Race" marks the first nationally sanctioned event for paragliders in Southern Oregon. Paragliders are steerable parachutes designed to gain altitude on rising air currents. Hang gliders are rigid framed gliders flown by a pilot suspended beneath the wings. The fly-in may draw 100 or more pilots, and 75 have registered for the Rat Race, said Kevin Lee, a Talent paragliding instructor. Some fliers will travel from as far as Utah and Wyoming to take advantage of the rising air currents on Woodrat Mountain, a 4,124-foot summit northeast of Ruch. Advertisement Lee said Wood-rat’s steady supply of predictable air currents makes it a particularly good place for nonpowered flight, and late spring is one of the best seasons to fly. "Later in summer, when it gets hot," he said, "the air gets bumpier. It’s kind of like a class 3 (whitewater) rapids now versus a class 5 rapids later." The fly-in is a gathering of local and regional pilots that raises money for local charities, Lee said. "The owners of the landing zone pick a charity and we donate in their name. It’s a good way to give back to the community. "It’s kind of like a reunion, too," he said. "This sport is fairly small, so you end up meeting old friends." The fly-in will feature equipment booths for pilots, and tandem flights will be available (for a fee) for people who want to experience nonpowered flight. The fly-in is open to paragliders and rigid-framed hang gliders. Spectators can watch the gliders in flight from the junction of Highway 238 and Bishop Creek Road, about a mile northeast of Ruch. The big field at the road junction serves as the landing zone. Launch times vary with the weather, but pilots generally launch around noon and again around 4 p.m. The Rat Race is solely for paragliders. Each day a "task committee" will set out a task for the pilots. They might be told to fly for all-out distance, or to fly to a specific point and return. "The tasks change daily with the weather," Lee said. "Each day the best pilots get the highest score. The pilot with the highest score wins." Points from the event will go toward determining the national champion. For more information about the fly-in, call 899-7327 or visit the Web site at: www.rvhpa.org p Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities