teach a vario/XC clinic. Yesterday was looking pretty
good with cummies cranking about 15 miles downwind of
the field. Lake affect was kicking up so we needed to
get the hell out of dodge! Wind on the ground was
strong but we figured it was a local effect that
didn't extend very high. Got up with Linda Salamone
for some XC training and started blundering downwind.
Top of lift was between 3,300 to 3,800 for the first
15 miles or so in the blue. We didn't have any big
plans as we headed south and I was VERY cold.
At the top of the figner lakes region my heart sank
when I saw how high cloudbase was. We were now
getting to over 4k and they towered above us. Linda
asked me on the radio why I was upset CB was so high
and I felt like a total wimp for whinning how cold it
was going to be when we got up there
. I was socold I conceded I could only go on another half hour
or so. Hands were useless brick on the end of stick.
Then, the inspiration hit. Last year Rhett egged me
into trying to fly to a nearby mountain site from the
park. Said it had been attempted, but never done. He
challenged my manhood, teased me, and inspired me to
try. Hmmm, is this his style? Thinking back I
realized 30 miles was a big flight for this place.
Here we were almost that far already, at 4k, with
cloudbase AT LEAST 4k higher, and a 16-20 mph
tailwind.
"Linda, we can land and get picked up easy, or we can
smash any record that Marty has got in the boooks?"
We were both in agreement so I started a vigorious
series of isometrics to get the hands back and refocus
our goals.
Course line was pretty much straight downwind. With
such nice clouds I couldn't bare to follow major
crosswind roads. Lift had been incredible consistant
in the blue and this held true for the clouds as well.
Lift was so good that instead of calling out the
cores I found on the radio I just put my head next to
the vario and keyed the PTT so she could hear the
wail!
Due to difficulty to sychronize our climbs and my
general wimpyness I regularly bailed out at least 1k
short of CB. I could never stop shivering but at
least my cheeks were warm with the ear to ear grin!
Our lines were usually good. Only once did we have to
stop for a rough one in the blue before reconnecting
with the good clouds. Once we got into PA the terrain
demanded a little more attention but the sky was still
on fire. Somewhere along the way Linda lost a contact
and I was a little concerned about the handicap this
might cause. Stong winds all day and "high relief
terrain" below makes for scary landings. Once past a
hundred miles I grab the most beautiful field I could
find after a tricky glide. I wanted long, I wanted
well oriented into the wind, I wanted a soft surface,
and no upwind upstructions, and DEFINITELY no
powerlines. I found a great long field in a north
south valley with freshly plowed dirt. If either of
use got too cranked by the always possible turbulence
at least the plowed field would be soft.
Landings were rock and roll white knuckle but Linda
made it look easy. The land owner thought I was
joking when I asked where we were. "No no, not what
town, what state!" He helped us onto his grass plot
where we waited for our fearless driver Mark. He is a
champ...took a hit from a state trooper while bravely
racing to our rescue!
Cloudbase probably got as high as 10k and I topped a
few over 9. It was C O L D! but epic. Good lift was
5-6 with every third or so good for 800. Winds were
never les then 15 out of the NNE.
Kev C