Aloha all,
A very pleasant and enjoyable day at Daniel's... About 7-8 PGs (Ellis, Noah, Tom, Ben, Jim, Lazlo, and Texas Dave), couple of Ellis' dogs, and 2 HGs (Erik and Bacil) had a very nice day of it. The conditions were mixed, with blue thermals and a moderate south wind setting over the top of the ridge. I made it to about 1900' over launch and boated around a bit with the gang before trying to go xc across the flats, only to end up in the LZ... hope everyone had a blast!
Jeff
Daniel's Memorial Day
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Daniel's Memorial Day
Jeff Eggers
CHGPA President
USHPA 82627
FCC KK4QMQ
CHGPA President
USHPA 82627
FCC KK4QMQ
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pink_albatross
- Posts: 599
- Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 12:20 pm
- Location: Ellis from Arlington
Re: Daniel's Memorial Day
Later arrivals (after Jeff launched) included Ron, Ben and LE Herrick and HG David. We all had a fantastic time. The strong winds didn't materialize (can winds materialize?) until much later and I am wondering if I was stuck in a mini gust front when I was trying to get down. I'm sure everybody in the LZ was rolling their eyes when I complained that I couldn't find any sink. Sorry. Thanks to Laszlo for assuring me that panic was not necessary (yet).
I think it was Tom and Texas Dave who specked out above all of us, hanging out over the west ridge. But the rest of us didn't do so shabby either. I think most of us got to at least 3500 feet (MSL) (launch about 1600 on my altimeter) and had at least an hour flying. Texas Dave was all excited having beat his personal best by flying 5 hours. Tom's time was probably similar as he was already in the air when I pulled up at the LZ, P2 Ron was flying really well and we all commented that someone should go and give that guy his P3 already. Nobody had the forms along though. I shared a thermal with LE, trying to climb up and she friggin left me in the dust. How can we both be at the same altitude, doing the same circles and she climbs up and out and I'm stuck barely over launch having to look for the next thermal? Could it be that she's a better pilot? Nahh... I probably just need a new wing
Btw, she is flying a low performance wing which for hauling-on-hike-issues she bought one size smaller, so she's at the upper weight range for it.
Had a fun active landing. The winds had picked up and the spot I had picked was not, as I had thought in clean air. Thought I'd try what the hot shots do and instead of coming out of my harness 100 feet above the ground, just leisurely step out of it as I'm landing. Ha! I couldn't get out of the harness and it wasn't my feet which hit the ground first. As a consolation prize, when I got up, I realized that I had sat splat on my spot (I claim no skill. That was just plain dumb luck). Seriously though, it felt to me that I had more control sitting in the harness until the very end. I felt more confortable and in control through the active air, sitting in the harness than when I hang from my leg straps and use brakes only. So you might still see me doing sit down landings for a while, until I figure out how to get out of the harness.
It was so much fun flying with you all!
-- ellis
p.s. the dogs didn't fly
I think it was Tom and Texas Dave who specked out above all of us, hanging out over the west ridge. But the rest of us didn't do so shabby either. I think most of us got to at least 3500 feet (MSL) (launch about 1600 on my altimeter) and had at least an hour flying. Texas Dave was all excited having beat his personal best by flying 5 hours. Tom's time was probably similar as he was already in the air when I pulled up at the LZ, P2 Ron was flying really well and we all commented that someone should go and give that guy his P3 already. Nobody had the forms along though. I shared a thermal with LE, trying to climb up and she friggin left me in the dust. How can we both be at the same altitude, doing the same circles and she climbs up and out and I'm stuck barely over launch having to look for the next thermal? Could it be that she's a better pilot? Nahh... I probably just need a new wing
Btw, she is flying a low performance wing which for hauling-on-hike-issues she bought one size smaller, so she's at the upper weight range for it. Had a fun active landing. The winds had picked up and the spot I had picked was not, as I had thought in clean air. Thought I'd try what the hot shots do and instead of coming out of my harness 100 feet above the ground, just leisurely step out of it as I'm landing. Ha! I couldn't get out of the harness and it wasn't my feet which hit the ground first. As a consolation prize, when I got up, I realized that I had sat splat on my spot (I claim no skill. That was just plain dumb luck). Seriously though, it felt to me that I had more control sitting in the harness until the very end. I felt more confortable and in control through the active air, sitting in the harness than when I hang from my leg straps and use brakes only. So you might still see me doing sit down landings for a while, until I figure out how to get out of the harness.
It was so much fun flying with you all!
-- ellis
p.s. the dogs didn't fly
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pink_albatross
- Posts: 599
- Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 12:20 pm
- Location: Ellis from Arlington
Re: Daniel's Memorial Day
safety addendum: I was told that waiting until the last minute to get out of your harness (aka rocker up) is a good way to set yourself up for a broken pelvis... 