Carlos Kicks Ass

[Matthew]

Arrived at HR at about 2pm just in time to see Mark C. launch. He got up an yelled down that it was very cross -- from the North. Janni launched next and also got up. But he was on the grounds 20 minutes later as things lightened up. Cavanaugh landed ten minutes after that.

It was WAy cross on the block.

Hmmm... not sure if I even want to set up my glider.

It started to straighten out again enough for Danny to give it a try. So he carried his old Harrier up onto the block.

And the wind died. So we waited and waited and waited. Fnially a good cycle came in and Danny launched.

And he landed.

Hmmm...

So Karen, Carlos and I hung out on the block and talked to a bunch of cyclists who had arrived. They had all just finished a race and biked up the road for extra fun. It as still cross as hell from the North. The cyclists all wanted to see a launch. It straightend out and picked up. Carlos got into his glider as Janni and Mark returned. And all of the cyclists left. They couldn't hang out another ten minutes to watch a launch.

Weird...

Carlos launched, flew straight out and went straight up.

I set up my glider, got a good cycle, had a good launch and turned North. I was barley maintaining and started to get up-- 100 over. It was rotor city. Meanwhile Carlos is 500 over. Then I had a few uninitiated turns, one of which sent me diving back towards the mountain and it took all my strength to bring the glider back around. The trees were very, very close! Now a couple hundred below launch I headed back south and out into the valley. Almost hooked one over the railroad tracks. However, the drift was too fast. Thus, I landed after the shortest, most turbulent flight I've had in years and years. Three step landing.

Carlos stayed up for another half hour and landed on purpose due to the turbulence-- which had gotten even worse.

However, it backed down 30 minutes later and Janni flew again, made a few passes on the ridge and reported much smoother air.

Returned to launch to find it calm.

What a day!

Matthew

[RedBaron]

Three step landing.

Must have been blowing hard when you landed, what, 16 mph? LOL

My first flight was similar to Mat's experience, just nasty. Got up no problem in very active air, got kicked around a lot and felt very small on the glider. It then turned way N and the lift diminished, I was glad it was over. Lot's of mechanical turbulence in the LZ, too. It was blowing N at launch and W in the LZ, weird. Got kicked again. My second flight, although much shorter was much more pleasant. Mike, a new student of Richard's, helped wire-crew. Thank you.

[stevek]

Stocker was 60 x but the spines were working. Once up it was ok -- 700 over.

Found at Set up area black tie down strap with sewn loop. At Bridge field one blue sky bar mit

[carweill]

I wouldn't go that far.
Thanks to the patience at launch from Karen, Matthew and Janni, I picked the glider 3 times before I launch. I was able to get a decent cycle that let me go above launch and expand my options.
Once I lost some altitude and it got more turbulent, it was time to land.

Carlos

[Dan T]

I'm missing a bar mitt, but I think it's just plain black.

Dan T