Ridgely Saturday

Ashley Groves · Post by **Ashley Groves** » Sat May 26, 2007 9:20 pm

The forecast was unsettled, but the day turned real nice. I launched maybe 11:30 or so. I toured the surrounding towns finding plenty of thermals then headed 19 miles downwind (South) with another pilot. I think I could have gone further had I played my end game better, but I had about 3 hours flight time. Topped out around 5K.

Post by **Dan T** » Sun May 27, 2007 7:32 am

Ashley, I had to be the other pilot. While I launched later my experience was very similar to yours. Picked up my first thermal after searching for a fair amount of time south of launch. I took it to about 4,000 where I saw you coming up towards me and decided two wings might be better than one. Then we hooked up together and topped out at 5,200 somewhere near Denton if I recall right.

Somewhere past Denton we were both near 5,000 feet and went on a long sink cycle glide to the ground, with little more than a few choppy lift points along the way. It seemed like there should have been enough lift to get back up, but like you I couldn't quite pull it together. I think the fact that you couldn't either supports the conclusion that it wasn't as easy as it seems like it should have been.

Anyway I landed 3 or 4 miles north of Federalsburg for a pretty nice flight. it was nice to meet you in the air.

Dan T

PS where did you land?

Post by **lbunner** » Sun May 27, 2007 12:46 pm

Given the high humidity I didn't have high hopes for the day. Christian T said the blips showed good lift and relatively high top of the lift however still... CT and PK had mapped out a route with multiple waypoints around the airport (~35 miles) all within a glide back should things get dicey. I was game so we all got in the air after 1:00 and headed to Goldsboro. CT got low and headed back while PK and I continued on course. On the second leg to Denton I passed up good lift heading for a cloud over town while PK stopped for a 400 fpm ride to 5800'. We connected again west of Denton and continued on course to the west into the blue in spite of my pleading for us to abort the task and stay east where all the good clouds were. PK found a nice 350 fpm over Queen Anne's and we left above 5000' again toward the north. The next thermal was sweet too as a bald eagle came over to sample the air with us. Further north I lost visual and radio communication with PK and missed the final turnpoint. We were back under the clouds and they were working well, 350 fpm to 5000'. PK came under me way low and beamed back up on his way to the airport. I headed NE to several clouds that were lined up topping out over Jonesboro then on to Goldsboro and was headed back to Denton when I faintly heard my wife (Sue) back at the airport. We had planned dinner up near Chesapeake City so I aborted and spiraled down to land. A little over 3 hours and 43 miles on what I thought was to be a marginal day and it was my birthday to boot! Couldn't have asked for a better present. Thanks Y'all! Bun

Ashley Groves · Post by **Ashley Groves** » Mon May 28, 2007 10:16 am

Hey Dan;

I think you were the other pilot. After I returned to Ridgely I asked around about a discription of your glider. People thought it may have been Dan T.

I was pretty low fearing I may be landing soon when you, much higher than me, when you went on what turned out to be final glide. I stayed in the scrathcy lift and eventually climbed up a few thousand before I lost it. There were clouds above, so I was kicking myself for pushing downwind istead of searching (again!) for the cores that seemed to be dancing around sporatically.

I passed over you and landed South of you, also near Federasburg. The easiest answer would have been to spiral down to your LZ and see if you had a retrieve or something (I had no plans), but I was greedy for the hope of one more thermal. No dice.

A passing car stopped minutes away from when I was finished packing. They were an elderly couple on a Sunday drive, the gentleman was an old flyboy himself. He was actually thinking of driving to Ridgely to see the gliders flying. So I offered a full tank of gas for a return trip, and a deal was struck.

I kept an eye out for you on the left side of the road, but you were already gone.

Turned out pretty well, all and all. Thanks for flying with me. I was aching to go X-C, but I had no driver. A fellow pilot was all I needed to coax me away for a fun afternoon.

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Mon May 28, 2007 3:19 pm

Saturday worked out well for me. Arrived around 1100 and launched around 1:15. Tow was pretty bumpy with lift tossing me around. When my nose popped up 45 degrees, I pinned off and realized I was barely over 1100. Luckily the thermal was working and I climbed up to 1600. Decided to leave the thermal and was immediately down to 900 with major sink. Caught a ride up with some feather friends over the south field and climbed up to 3000. Drifted to the southeast and contemplated jumping the river, but each time I got to the river I was back down around 2500. Headed back to the chicken coups and regained altitude and headed back to the river but again lost it. Finally after the 3rd try, I gave up as the only field I knew I could make past the river was the football field shaped one, and I didn't know how to guide someone in to retrieve me. I finally chickened out and headed back to Ridgely. Toyed in some lift over the south field again and then entered the pattern. Enjoyed a flight just over an hour. Planned on taking another flight, but ended up feeling pretty woozy & icky. Think I was dehydrated when I got there and the heat/humidity just made it worse. Time to start planning better with Summer now here in full force. Less coffee on fly days and more hydration! Really enjoying the new wing!

Flying Lobster · Post by **Flying Lobster** » Mon May 28, 2007 8:38 pm

Sounds like great fun! Can't wait to fly at Ridgely in a few days after I shut down the Chat House! Tennesse Treetoppers had a wonderful flyin over the weekend--spectacular flying continues with the drought--8 to 10 K and more has become commonplace for the past few weeks.

marc

Post by **hang_pilot** » Tue May 29, 2007 11:34 am

I joined in on the Ridgely fun this weekend, too. One sled/extendo early for a tow and landing refresher. Then flew later for about 50 minutes. Got as high as 3880 but never found the elevator up to the next floor where lots of folks were in the midst of enjoying 3 hour flights. It was a really good day, I might have been a little too persistent with the wrong thermals.

Enjoyed conversation, a ribeye sandwich and a couple of $1.50 Yuenglings later with Dan T. and Rich A. at a biker bar that I'm sure we'll be visiting again next week during the ECC. Totally pysched for it.

Nobody stuck on Sunday, including me.

Best to everyone,
Daniel

Ashley Groves · Post by **Ashley Groves** » Thu May 31, 2007 8:36 am

My experience Saturday was that there were no beaming thermals. Cores danced and were scattered. To get high took a lot of persistance and patience and always researching for the current core, especially around the 3500 mark and the inversion. I believe I could have gone further than 20 miles with more patience.

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