Mari,
I checked out your website and saw some pretty interesting things. I grew up in Concord, CA (just outside San Francisco), so I can relate to your comment about nice weather. I even did my flight training at Buchanan Airport in Concord. I also attended Los Medanos College there where I majored in Trumpet Performance. I was supposed to go back east to Eastman, New England or Manhattan with a full ride, but I gave it up to study aircraft - my first passion. I dissapointed a lot of people with that decision. Do you still play at all??? We'll have to get together and read some charts down.
On that note, for all you who think pulling G's is hard, try playing lead trumpet in a big band for a three hour gig. The air pressure in your lungs when hitting "double G's" to "double C's" can perforate the lungs of an untrained individual. The pressure can also cause you to black out - which I've done more times than I can remember. Whenever I come off a gig, I feel like I just ran a marathon and usually have a pretty big headache.
James