Having grown up surfing in North County, I can’t count the hours I’ve spent driving the stretch of Hwy. 101 between Del Mar and Oceanside in search of surf. There’s a relatively sparse section of the coast in south Carlsbad, just south of Palomar Airport Road, where a small group of remote control glider enthusiasts fly their planes. I’ve always taken note of them as I sped by, paying little attention as I scouted for surf, but I’ve always been slightly curious about them. Then I got the idea that they would make great subjects for some new portfolio pieces.

So one day I stopped by, camera in tow, and chatted with one of the guys flying a glider. He was the only one there on this absolutely gorgeous Santa Ana day, and it turns out he was alone because the conditions weren’t ideal for flying. The fliers favor more normal wind patters, with the winds blowing off the ocean. As the wind comes up the cliff, it creates this big updraft that makes flying the gliders pretty easy.

Much like my lawn bowls project, I plan on developing a series of images over the next few months. Stay tuned.