Arrived to soarable conditions and blue skies at 9A. Set up and waited. Two birders showed up and were looking the wrong way when a bald eagle flew by from the south to the north. Shawn Ray, Mike Lee, Carlos Weill, Matthew and Karen, and John Dullahan showed up and set up to popping cumies all around us. Very thermally in the setup area as well as at launch. Old time pilot from the early 80's Kurt Sourbeer showed up with his soccer son. Last flight he took was on a Pro Star in 1984. I waited until it settled down some and launched around 12:30 into moderate conditions. Got up to a few hundred over quickly, and just as quickly found myself back down on the deck. Decided that the first time I got 2K' over I was heading OTB. It didn't take long. I got a few hundred back, headed out over the secondary LZ, and stair-stepped in the choppy lift to 4400' MSL. Turned tail to the wind and aimed for some nice looking clouds downwind. Once over Cove Mountain nothing but sink. Landed by Lemar Road just down from the elementary school to honking winds out of the west. Ground flew the glider 300 yards to by a shed in the back yard of the nearest house for wind shadow to break down the glider. Rich Donahue gave me a body ride back to launch. Thanks Rich. As I retrieved the glider, saw John Dullahan stinking high over Rt. 30 and St. Thomas. Back at launch Hugh McElrath and a few others were set up. Went and fetched Matthew, who made it to near Upton. Matthew got 4K' over. Back at launch a second time to debrief with John about his flight. He made it to just west of Chambersburg. He said past St. Thomas he hit nothing but sink. Hit the road to the High Rock party around 5PM.
Bacil
Pulpit Saturday 10/13
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Launched about 3 PM into strong rowdy air. Karen called on the radio asking whether it was appropriate for Falcons and the answer was clearly "no". I had a similar experience to Bacil, gaining some altitude, then losing it. Finally got a nice thermal out front to 3700 over and headed downwind. Kept calling on the radio as I climbed to announce my intentions but there was nothing but dead air. Had a nice glide over Lemaster, picked up a small thermal at the big farmstead halfway between Lemaster and Upton, got to Upton with some altitude, but decided the nice flat fields were preferable to the rolling country and smaller fields along 16. Put it down in a huge field behind the Upton Church of the Brethren on the north side of town. Youngish farmer James Meyers came out to take a look at my flying machine and ask questions while I broke down. The only cell phone number that seemed to work was Matthew and Karen's but they were already halfway to High Rock. They called around for me and Ellis, on her way up 270 to High Rock, generously volunteered to fetch me some 75 miles round trip out of her way. After I packed up, I hid my gear and caught a ride to route 30 with three young Mennonite men in their Buick with a Bible in the hole where the radio would be. Then a dude with an earring and a jacked-up pickup took me up the mountain to the Pulpit. Made it to the High Rock party in time for delicious food and was happy to see so many folks. One hour 40 minutes and 10 miles. - Hugh