Missed the fun at Ridgely on Saturday due to a sick cat the we had to take to the vet. So we missed out on seeing the bat glider.
Sunday, however, was pretty good. Topped out at 6k on first flight-- left to get back to the field with altitude. Another pilot stayed with the thermal and topped out at 7k. Duh. Should've stayed with it. I arrived over the field at 3k and caught another one back up to 4500 and played dodge glider with Joe Gregor who kept trying to run me over. It was working most of the day. Karen caught a good one, probably the last thermal of the day, to 4k at 5pm. Steve K., Joe Gregor, Steve Padget, Mark C., Carlos, Tad, Geoff Mumford, Mike Lee and Rhonda, Heather and John Simon and many others in attendance. Nice and warm and NO BUGS!!!! That won't last long.
Matthew
Ridgley Sunday
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
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John Simon
- Posts: 300
- Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 12:33 pm
Not Quite the Beach (long)
I missed the boat on Saturday and quite a few headed XC towards the beach, Tom and Bruce making it with 50+ miles. I was my typical self, late to show up, slow to set up and nearly last into the air. Not so good... everyone was gone and I sunk out in 20 minutes. Second flight a bit later, now after 4pm, was almost an hour. No XC.
Sunday comes, same blue sky... gorgeous. I am excited and arrive very early for me... I am ready to fly by 1:30 pm! Cav and I are on freq and ready to head East, a couple others are talking XC. Into the air and 30 minutes later Mark is down and I am struggling beneath Carlos at 1800 feet in broken weak lift. I finally find a nice core and get 400fpm but it doesn't last. I lose it and find 200 fpm... stuggle, find 400 and lose it again. On and On. Carlos has no such problems and goes from 200 feet above me to 1200 feet over me and I am struggling. He basically kicks my arse and specks out. He needs to go XC!
I finally climb up to him and at 5500 decide to go it alone into the empty blue sky. I don't go downwind but quartering tailwind/crosswind to get to Dewey / Rehobeth. Downwind is close to Dover and just 28-30 miles or so... I want more (greed).
It's tough going in the blue, alone and pretty cross at anywhere from 6-11 mph. I fight upwind whenever I can and track straight for Dewey at 46 miles. I am making SLOW progress.
There is plenty of lift, but I can't keep centered for long in any of it. I get some 500 fpm but can't hold it more than a minute and spend much of the day seeing 2-300 fpm. At 33 miles out and 5000+ feet I am one good climb away from Dewey and beer. I glide out 7 miles and see not one bump or drop of lift. It's the seabreeze and it's silky smooth and a headwind. I am on the ground 2:35 and 40.0 miles from Ridgely. 6 miles short of Dewey and less to Rehobeth.
Too gorgeous a day, wish I was not alone in the blue but so much fun and incredible vis. Great day but a bit short. Great retrieve from my bride. Try again soon, I didn't make the beach all last year. So far 0-1 in '07.
Take Care,
John
Sunday comes, same blue sky... gorgeous. I am excited and arrive very early for me... I am ready to fly by 1:30 pm! Cav and I are on freq and ready to head East, a couple others are talking XC. Into the air and 30 minutes later Mark is down and I am struggling beneath Carlos at 1800 feet in broken weak lift. I finally find a nice core and get 400fpm but it doesn't last. I lose it and find 200 fpm... stuggle, find 400 and lose it again. On and On. Carlos has no such problems and goes from 200 feet above me to 1200 feet over me and I am struggling. He basically kicks my arse and specks out. He needs to go XC!
I finally climb up to him and at 5500 decide to go it alone into the empty blue sky. I don't go downwind but quartering tailwind/crosswind to get to Dewey / Rehobeth. Downwind is close to Dover and just 28-30 miles or so... I want more (greed).
It's tough going in the blue, alone and pretty cross at anywhere from 6-11 mph. I fight upwind whenever I can and track straight for Dewey at 46 miles. I am making SLOW progress.
There is plenty of lift, but I can't keep centered for long in any of it. I get some 500 fpm but can't hold it more than a minute and spend much of the day seeing 2-300 fpm. At 33 miles out and 5000+ feet I am one good climb away from Dewey and beer. I glide out 7 miles and see not one bump or drop of lift. It's the seabreeze and it's silky smooth and a headwind. I am on the ground 2:35 and 40.0 miles from Ridgely. 6 miles short of Dewey and less to Rehobeth.
Too gorgeous a day, wish I was not alone in the blue but so much fun and incredible vis. Great day but a bit short. Great retrieve from my bride. Try again soon, I didn't make the beach all last year. So far 0-1 in '07.
Take Care,
John