Launch Logs: Anne / NY

A Woman for All Seasons

We've come a long way since that first cold/snowy January day when I started. Jack as my friend from day one. As a lover of all things in the natural world, working outside (albeit rough at times) has been a joy for me. The nature around me glorious in all seasons - I sometimes feel I have stepped into a nature documentary! I love having a position that will contribute to protecting  the beauty and wonder of the earth.

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2025: Summer time and the living is (mostly) easy

Well, it’s summer time here at the WindBorne NY launch site. Every season brings its challenges but along with the challenges it brings the beauty of nature in full view. My first full year was an eye opener for sure, so let's take a back through my first year and first batch of seasons.

Winter 2023

My first day with WindBorne was a cold, snowy day in January 2 ½ years ago.

I remember driving to the site and up the long driveway and wondering what I had gotten myself into?! Would I be able to hack work that seemed completely out of my comfort zone?

Would I be able to handle the elements?

My initial fears were assuaged as I walked onto the property and saw Gene Bradley waiting for me. Gene greeted me warmly before asking if I was okay with big dogs - that was when I met Jack (now our NY site mascot) who trotted on over to greet me as well. It was then that I knew everything was going to be okay.

Now, while I love being outside, and was thrilled to be in a position that gave me unfettered access to the great outdoors, I wasn’t entirely aware of the experiences to come. It’s one thing to be out relaxing and enjoying a day at the slopes, its quite another when you are trying to navigate a new learning curve while it’s 20F degrees with 10-12+ mph gusts and trying not to have your launch fly into a tree! And yes, it happened… but as I look back now, I realize it’s a rite of passage for every launch operator.

Eventually I learned what I needed to keep warm (hot hand packs are essential!) and to keep the launches (mostly) out of the trees - to stay calm and have patience.

Spring 2023

Spring finally arrived and with it… more wind. March winds here are no joke (I know I know, the company name is WindBorne). Leaves filled the trees, covering my failed launch that mocked me in the nearest tree.

A fun spring challenge is that the launch site is a nesting place for swallows who fly hundreds of miles to come north and nest. While fun to observe, not so fun to deal with when they decide to make nests on the launch rig itself! I started every day with the removal of the makings of a diligently built nest (I was dived bombed and screeched at more than a few times).

Even when we covered the rig, the swallows managed to get underneath and start their nests as well as leave other AHEM "presents" all over the rig. LOL

Despite this, I was determined to keep them off the rig. It made me sad having to spoil all their hard work and remove the nests. The packaging the mains and envelopes arrive in was extremely helpful in covering every part of the main and fully securing the cover when not in use. Nothing like repurposing and recycling.

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Summer 2023

Biggest challenge: mosquitoes, black flies, and ticks oh my! Not to mention mud wasps. They laid eggs in the snorkel (ugh, disgusting!).  Used left over packaging to fully cover that too when not in use (pro note: it also helps to keep ice out in winter).

Biggest allies: Deet and the nesting swallows hunting for their chicks.  Fun to watch them dive bomb at all the insects.

Lots of frogs and snakes helpful as well to take care of the nasty pests. The resident chickens also do their part.

So much life teeming around me. Had a hummingbird one day think the red gas line on the rig was a red flower tried to grab a drink while I was inflating an envelope! Yikes!

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Fall 2023

Beautiful time in the Northeast! But as the leaves drop from the trees, I realized that my time would be best spent slowly preparing for winter launches. Fall is the best time to scope out the best boots and gloves and prepare to place another order of hot hands packs (and maybe even hot feet packs?!). I made sure to include a large container of dog treats for my buddy Jack in my order! Gotta keep the mascot happy!

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Reflection

So, there we have it. The short story of my first 4 seasons with WindBorne. Can’t believe I am in the middle of my third trip around the sun with this fantastic company. The time has flown by (no pun intended) and I’m looking forward to more seasonal adventures all while doing my part to assist with collecting weather data that will help protect this amazing earth.