A HG sled ride is a glide from top to bottom with no lift on the way, which is the case in the early morning at Yosemite. I suspect that most HGs that have flown for a while have had some very close moments, I have certainly had a few. One close moment was when I was camping at Diaz Lake near Lone Pine in California, which has a great landing zone right next to the campsite. I was flying at Horseshoe Meadows, up and down the valley, and eventually headed out across the valley to Diaz Lake to land. By the time I got to Diaz Lake I was 5,000 foot AGL and roughly in the middle of the valley betweeen the two mountain ranges. Looking to my left I suddenly saw an F18 at my level heading direct at me, flying at probably 1,000 km/hr or so. The F18 must have already seen me because it was diving and within an instant was immediatley underneath me by only 50 feet. As they passed under me the 2 pilots both rolled their heads up and looked at me and I could see them clearly through the F18 canopy. Rotating my head to the right I next saw the 2 big blue flames out of the back, they were so large and so close, just like in the movies I thought. Next my thoughts turned to the turbulence that would arrive and I looked for my parachute grab loop, but the turbulence never arrived. Hence, I must have been just high enough to avoid the turbulence. Next I spiralled down as quick as I could to lose the 5,000 feet and turned in for a nil wind landing, with a huge stand it upright flare, close to my campsite. Dropping my Moyes XS on its keel I quickly climbed out of my harness and had only walked forward a few metres when I heard a huge roar from my left again. This time 2 x F18s were coming, flying directly over me at no more than about 150 feet. I gave them a big wave and the front F18 replied with a big wing waggle. Then they were gone, so fast watching them disappearing in the distance at low level. Nice of them to come back and check on me after the earlier close encounter I thought, and now it is beer time. What a day that was.
