Anyone flying this week?....

[tdilisio]

... or is everyone, except me ... still feeling the high from Highland?

[Joe Schad]

I can't make it out on the 4th but may head to Blue Sky Saturday and Sunday.

Joe

[mcgowantk]

I am thinking of Dickey Ridge Thursday. I would get there in the late afternoon, if I can get away from work.

Tom McGowan

[Matthew]

Any thoughts on flying on Friday????

Matthew

[davidtheamazing1]

Friday, celebrate your independence from unfair taxes of tyrannous King George

... Ridgely?

[Batman]

Friday looks like a good chance that strong T-Storms will be in the area. Saturday & Sunday look marginably better, but not by much. I'm going to hold off and watch the forecast, but leaning towards Saturday if conditions hold up during the day.

[Joe Schad]

I am thinking Dickey's may be good thursday also.

Joe

[tdilisio]

I'd like to do Dickey Ridge...

Is it possible to get the proper paperwork/passes/whatever onsite?

Would need an observer, too. I'm willing to do a retrieve for observer sponsorship.

[RedBaron]

You need a national park permit, it took me months to get that, so fogeddabootit

I'm looking at the Hyner forecast and I'm not encouraged at all. Looks like all the good days have been used up earlier this week. I hate nothing more than being stuck with a wet glider. It's a haul, Leonie wants to dig stuff up on the Eastern shore so I'm out. I hope ya'll have good times and good flying. Try not to soil yourself too much. I'll be back and forth between watching leonie find gold nuggets on the beach, towing at Ridgely and getting bored at home. Give me a holler if a good day miraculously pops up and you want to go fly somewhere around here. 240-481-6337

[tdilisio]

Decided to head to BlueSky on Friday. Hyner's a little far for a day trip. Hope to see y'all down there. Thanks Janni... will keep that in mind next Woodstock day. Looks like I need to get a Cliff Launch sign off before getting the SNP pass... Rats.

[Matthew]

You also need a H3 or P3.

Matthew

[Joe Schad]

Blue Sky weather not looking very flyable saturday or sunday. Just might have to do other things.

Joe

[tdilisio]

Had 2 and a half truck tows at BlueSky, to about 7-800 ft. The half tow, I was at about 100 ft before the weak link broke (Line snagged). The wind was cross from the east. Rather than paying attention to which way the wind was going, I was more concerned about getting to terra firma, so I continued straight down the runway to land... rather than take a left to head into the wind. Bad decision .... I had plenty of altitude and time to turn. I setup the landing approach a little slow, then flared too late (left wing lifted slightly). The glider settled... ok... slammed into the ground on the wheels with a little side loading. My left down tube broke, and the glider nosed over. Mike came out to assist (Thanks Mike). Steve sent out a downtube while he fixed the rope issue. After mike showed me how to replace a down tube, I suited up and did one last flight for the day... I did not want to end on that note. Towed to about 850 and had a nice sled ride with a nice landing into the wind. The storms started moving in around 530ish... so I packed my glider and pride , and headed home. In hind sight, there were several things I should have done, and will pay attention to next time. Also... I need to order a spare down tube in case this crap happens at a mountain site. Until Next time....

[RedBaron]

My 4th of July was a bust, too. Arrived at Highland with great cumies forming, it looked very soarable. Set the glider up and noticed that the VG wasn't releasing during pre-flight. Pulled in more, still not releasing. Pulled it all the way, still not releasing. So I was stuck there with a fully and irreversibly tensioned glider and there was nothing I could do but cut the rope.
That's gonna be a bitch to repair, I'd rather have a broken down tube. Today I took my down tube with the vg pulleys apart and it appears the rope got entangled with one of the pulleys. No signs of intelligent design here !
We later drove to Ocean City so Leonie could go treasure hunting on the beach. She found one single whopping penny, on our way back we drove through the epicenter of the severest thunderstorm I've ever been in. Almost lost my glider in what seemed to be 60 mph cross wind gust. My truck got pushed sideways several times and lightening struck down all around us. Got home at 1 am with a soaking wet glider, great. I HATE JULY