Copyright 2001, John Gossett, Austin, Texas
So I turned to golf. I have played that game since the early 90's, but in the last few years, golf has lost some of its shine because I just couldn't seem to get better. Sure, I hit some of those stick-it-close-to-the-pin wonders that re-ignites the fantasy that I could actually become a decent golfer. But then I whacked my ball into the weeds, woods, and water, and shot a five or six over par over the next several holes to painfully pop that "decent golfer" bubble.
The way I got into RC sailplanes is not that interesting, but how I got unequivocal support from my wife for this new hobby turned out to be interesting. Some might call it devious, but I really didn't do it on purpose.
I turned 40 last year and began seriously eyeing motorcycles. I had always been mildly curious to learn to ride one, but had never taken the time or effort to do so. But now I decided, "by golly I'm 40 and I'm going to learn to ride a motorcycle!" So I started surfing the web about motorcycles and reading about how to ride motorcycles and about where I can find local riding lessons, and how much it costs to buy one, and so forth. Then I bought a motorcycle magazine and took it home. When my wife saw the magazine and I expressed my new-found interest in riding motorcycles she went through the roof! "Under no circumstances will I let you ride a motorcycle!" was one comment. There were other comments that involved widows, children without fathers, colorful language, and the most common theme was, "mid-life crisis."
One doesn't stay married over twenty years without recognizing a line one shouldn't cross with the wife. Her attitude on motorcycles wasn't just a line in the sand, it was the arms-crossed, tapping-foot, concrete wall of determination, and since I like being married to her I surrendered motorcycle riding to the land of unrealized dreams.
Within a week I stumbled on a web site about radio controlled gliders. Wow! I didn't even know there was such a thing. And like motorcycles, I had always been mildly curious to try to fly those buzzing noisy model planes I have encountered in various places. I researched the web as usual and decided I liked the idea of catching thermals a lot more than buzzing around a field. So I went to my wife and proposed that, "If I can't ride a motorcycle, can I at least fly radio controlled gliders?" (Isn't it amazing how much like a little boy that sounds?) She was visibly relieved that my new interest was so benign and said, "you can fly all the gliders you like."
Three months later I had my highlander built and flying (thanks Tim for the trimming help and initial lessons.) I am now flying a skeeter, which is a lot more fun and responsive than the highlander, and I am building a foam cutting workbench so I can build a Terminator. My wife supports this and she even flew the highlander once. It's nice to have a wife who is supportive of my hobby/sport, especially when it doesn't involve motorcycles!
Copyright 2001, John Gossett, Austin, Texas