Moving Rhonda

[Robb]

The roads are open, and I'd like to get Rhonda moved ASAP. I don't expect any functional issues, but I'd like find out early while the season is still ahead of us.

This weekend I have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday available. I think four people would be about the right number to pull this off. If you are available and willing, please post which days will work best. If we can't pull it together for this weekend, lets plan on next.

If anyone knows a lumberjack, or an internationally renowned rock climber, perhaps one who has been swallowed up by a legal career, lets be sure to volunteer them.

Thanks,
Robb

[Chris G]

I have an instructor clinic to attend this weekend but we might be able to convince Christian to climb a tree. He's not in town yet but at last check was thinking about rolling this way.

[Robb]

While I'm wading through the flood of volunteers to help install Rhonda (hmmm - 178 people read the post, 0 agreed to help. Guess I'm on my own) anyway, I'm working on a method to power the weather station that would not have the battery, power and data only while the sun shines. This will lighten the load by 35lbs, but also mean the barometric pressure will not be reported as the station will reset every day when it powers up.

Do any of you weather prognosticators have an opinion on the value of barometric pressure at launch? Is wind and temp sufficent, or does having pressure available also help?

[BobA]

Robb,

I'll help you install it, perferably this Friday. DD has told me he'll help as well. DD claims he knows the best tree to put on top of, and he has climbed it several times to retrieve items he left up there . Little John has orgainzed a bike trip this weekend, so several likely helpers will be doing that Sat & Sun. As for functioning, I say leave in the battery, several guys hoisting from below should make it easy to lift...what's a few extra support screws once your up there.

Bob Anderson

[Robb]

Hey Bob, thanks for signing up. I had an experience in the past where people *said* they'd help, but when the day came not enough showed up to do the job. I figured if people made the commitment here, they would show up to help.

Just to make sure no one feels misled, I said way back at the begining I hadn't figured all this out - like how to get a couple of people and Rhonda to the top of a 40' tree where the first branches are 30' off the ground. I didn't know how to fly when I first showed up at the training hill, but after some input from others it now seems obvious. Thats why I think having 4-5 people is important; also so someone can find the screwdriver I drop and pass it back up. I'm thinking 1-2 in the tree, 1-2 at the bottom sending things up and making wisecracks, and 1 down the road a bit with a radio to let us know if the neibors are poking around (and to bring coffee and dougnuts for the rest of us).

I'm traveling to SLO today and tomorrow; if this weekend is out due to the bike ride, can we plan on next weekend?

Thanks,
Robb

[JimmyZ]

I should be able to pull the following weekend. :-)

[DBLD]

I'm in for May 12/13.

DD

[Robb]

Hey guys, that's great. We'll shoot for Saturday the 12th.

Tomorrow afternoon I'm going to head up with OJ to check out some more possabile locations. If anyone else would like to help, give me a call; I'll drive chase back to Ojai if the winds back off.

Thanks,
Robb

[Chris G]

I'll go!

[faoro]

Why don't we just do the installation on Sunday, May 6th, with a small chance of flying afterwards?

[Robb]

The advance expeditionary force headed to the mountains to check out locations for Rhonda. The first thing we noticed was the winds were howling; the clouds were streaking across the sky and any bird foolish enough to stick his head out got sent packing.

The next thing we noticed was the cold. It was so cold that as we drove through the campground large flakes of ice and snow were coming down all around us and the trees on the north slopes were all covered in snow.

The most important thing we observed was that any tree of suitable height and location was swaying six feet or more at the top. All the suitable trees will require such extreme gymnastics to get Rhonda, the mast with wind meter, and the solar panel with southern exposure all installed, that we moved to plan B.

We want a location with clear windage to the north and south, where the equipment will not entice people to investigate further, and where the installation minimizes the level of effort and risk of bodily injury. We've decided to go back to a ground mounted system on the south side of the north launch. We bushwacked our way to that spot and decided it meet all our requirements.

If we find after installation that the location is not useful, we can call in the Impossable Mission Force (your mission, should you accept...) to relocate.

Meanwhile OJ is sparking up his welding equipment to build an enclosure designed to firmly dissuade anyone who gets that far from making off our girl Rhonda.

Please stay tuned...

[Robb]

We're Go for Saturday! Let's plan to meet at NHS Saturday 9am.

Bob, Jimmy, DD, Dean, and everyone else who said they'd help, we will need your support to get this done. Even though we're not going with the tree-mount Cirque de Soleil approach, we need people to help with - -

Rhonda's Chastity Belt! Our very own maker of mischevious toys (have you seen the tennis ball gun??) has built Rhonda a ground-based home gar-un-teed to stop buck shot, and give any two people a hernia. So to get that, Rhonda, the tools, and cement to her new home we need bodies to help. Also, please bring an extra gallon of water; you're going to be thirsty doing the work, and we will need it for the base.

I'll volunteer to dirve chase after the work is done.

[JimmyZ]

Sorry guys. Happy Mothers Day to weekend to everyone. I'm sorry to say that I've been nominated to move my parents into their new house this weekend in Santa Maria and will not be able to make it to both moving events. My bad. I hope this doesn't kill the buzz....