Woodstock Tue.

[hankh2rbc]

If the forecast holds Tue. is looking good. Any other mid weekers wanna fly? I've not gotten NEARLY enough airtime this year.

Hank

[mcgowantk]

I am very interested. The weather does look promising.

Tom

[tdilisio]

I'm interested.

[tdilisio]

I'm interested.

Car died on the way home today... so I'll be under it, rather than the top of WS.

[silverwings]

I am up for flying Woodstock today (Tuesday). ETA LZ around 1:30 PM. Please let me know if we other takers going today. (202)409-2574 c.

[hankh2rbc]

Great day at the Stocker. Arrived at 11:30 or so with Bruce E. to find Tom M. and Dave P. setting up. Launched after Tom into a nice cycle and went straight to 4000MSL without turning. Went south and started across Edinburg gap at 3700 MSL and made it with ease finding lift in the gap itself. Tom and Dave already jumped over the back into Luray valley with the intent of trying for Manquin flight park. Unfortunately I found the valley to be a rather large blue hole and landed just north of Stanley along 340. Personal flight stats:
1:50 duration
23 miles
6854 MSL max alt.
850 FPM core right over south end of Short.

Others in attendence were Dan T., Tony D.,Steve K., Pete S., Gary S., and John M. (hope I didn't miss anyone)

Hank

[DanTuck]

Had another great flight toay, this time at Woodstock. I launched into an elevator and got up quick. Within 10 minutes I was 1,400' over launch and actually found it a bit difficult to penetrate. No biggie, it was just a strong cycle and after I dove down a couple hundred feet, it had gone through. I decided to stay way out front just to be safe and there was tons of lift even out there. I got to fly with more large raptors today which was very cool. My shoulders and neck were actually still really sore from Sunday so after an hour I decided to head out. Flying out from the ridge I was still climbing, and I made it over the LZ at 1,500' AGL. I got to have some fun burning altitude and had a nice fast approach with another no-stepper. I got 1 hr 11 minutes and 2,150' over launch and would have done better had I not been so sore. I guess I need to work out...or just fly more.
Thank you John M for throwing me off today!!!! And big congrats to Tony!! I'll let him tell his story.

[tdilisio]

As DanTuck and Hank said, it was a great day at Woodstock. The previous day I
read the forum and saw that people were thinking about heading to WS. That got my
blood flowing. After missing High Rock and BlueSky due to domestic duties, I was
jonesing for some air time. I started planting the bug in my bosses ear that I
would be out Tuesday.

Monday, after the rains, the alternator decided to die on my way home. Lights
out and no wipers... I made it to within 15 miles of home. Called the tow truck
and an hour later was at home. Tuesday 0700 I was under the car removing the
alternator. It took a half hour to get it off the car... and another 2 hours
trying to figure out how to get it out of the car. Damn front wheel drive makes
it hard.

Anyway... running late, I had to cancel my 12PM WS meet with Hank (Thanks for
agreeing to throw me off WS, Hank). I saw that John Middleton posted he was going
to WS, and contacted him. Dan Tuck and I met John at the LZ around 2 and walked
the LZ... looking good. Loaded up and went to launch. GaryS was there almost
finished setting up. He launched first, then shortly after Dan launched, then myself.
Launch was good into a lighter cycle (Thanks John)... probably about 8MPH. I was
kinda looking at doing another sledder... because that's what happened the last 2
times I went to WS. It was a pleasant surprise to start going up, and up. I
pretty much just stayed between the 3 fingers to the left and right of launch...
but there was plenty of lift to be found. I headed to the right of launch and
found some more lift that eventually took me to 1800' over launch. Really great
view from up there. I finally got to see what the back side of WS looks like.
Beautiful. A Bald eagle was about 75' at my 4 O'clock soaring along with me for a
few moments. That was way cool... wish I had a camera, and the confidence to use
it... but flying the glider was #1 priority. A while later soaring back and forth
along the ridge, 2 more bald eagles were doing the same thing, several hundred
below me. I practiced some diving turns... turns... played with different bar
positions in lift... and just basically screwed around for 1hr and 40 minutes,
enjoying being up there. It was a blast. As I heard someone say... best legal
high you can get. I headed out to land when my arms/shoulders felt like jelly.
It was actually hard to get down... I'd pull in, do a couple diving turns....
then hear the fast beep, beep, beep of my vario. Crap... so after resting a
little, I headed out a little further and was granted some sink. Had a decent DBF
and a few stepper landing to the crest of the hill. All in all... a great ending
to a day that started like crap.

[tdilisio]

BTW... Should have mentioned this was my first real soaring flight. Up to this day... 2 attempts at Woodstock were a sled ride, one day was a hang wait exercise. Up to this point, my longest flight was about 9-12 minutes at BlueSky.

[KathyC]

Tony,

I'm glad the bad day turned good. Congrats on your flight!!

Kathy

[mcelrah]

Ya, big congrats Tony - that's a big milestone! Now you see what all the fuss is about... - Hugh