PULPIT CLEAN-UP

[Matthew]

Hey All,

We need to cut the weeds around and below the PG launch, mow the set-up area and add a couple of boards to serve as wheel chocks on the old ramp. Shouldn't take too long. Sunday may be a Pulpit day. However, I'll be out of town this weekend. If Sunday does turn out to be a Pulpit day, will ya'll please bring your implements of destruction to take care of the above jobs and maybe someone could bring a couple scraps of treated wood and nanils to put the wheel chocks on the old ramp?

If Sunday is not a Pulpit day, let's plan on taking care of these items the following weekend.

Also, Gregory the Greek has volunteered to bring in some power tools to break up the rock on the right side of the PG launch, does anyone have a way of contacting him and asking him to do this?

Matthew

[dbodner]

Sunday's looking like a good day. If it's Pulpitable, I'll be there with implements.

[XCanytime]

The PM is looking real good for the Pulpit. AM/early PM chores and later PM flying. Bacil

[hepcat1989]

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[dbodner]

Shawn, that's great. I've actually got a bizarre allergic reaction going here (from handling a tropical hardwood), so I don't know if I could make it to the Pulpit on Sunday. I have the weedwhacker here if someone wants to pick it up.

[tdilisio]

Survey Says??? Go, or no-go?... I have a weed whacker, and machete I can bring. Hand saw?

Will there be observer(s) present to throw the H2's after the work is done?

[carweill]

I plan to go there

Carlos

[CraginS]

Leaving for Pulpit in 15 minutes

[tdilisio]

Heading out at 10... eta 1130-1200.

[tdilisio]

Was a nice day at the Pulpit. Fortunately for Janni, more than 2 people with weed whackers showed up ! We did a little weed whacking, so now the walk up to launch is more walkable. Brush was cut back on the PG ramp... Lots of people working, Joe Shad, Charlie, CraiginS, Carlos, myself and a couple others.. I don't remember their names. Carlos and Joe Shad get the Green Award for bringing a manual weed whacker and pruners, respectively.

As far as my second flight at the Pulpit... The day was pretty light, so Shawn launched the H2's around 3PM'ish... Nothing going on as far as lift... so it was a sled ride to the secondary LZ. My approach was WAY better this time, thanks to all the coaching from Shawn, CraiginS, and practice at BlueSky. Made it down in the 1st half of the field. The shed did not move into my flight path this time . My landings still need work. Getting vertical from prone, the nose lifted and I flared a little high with a dropped (stalled?) wing. Made it down un-scathed, though. Back to BlueSky to work on that.

DanTuck had an excellent first flight at the Pulpit... I'll let him tell ya 'bout that.

Till next time.

[bustedwing2]

I used to have the same nose raising problem when transitioning from prone to upright,I now make a conscious effort to pull in a little more just prior to moving first one hand,with a pause to check attitude be fore moving the second hand,seems to work pretty well. RichB

[DanTuck]

I got my first flight at the Pulpit yesterday. I had to go by work for a couple hours in the morning so I was late on the clean-up effort but it looks great! It was my 25th mountain launch and the fifth site that I've flown now and I only got a sledder but it was still a milestone for me. When I started training last year this was the first mountain launch that John M showed me. So the Pulpit became my goal and while I've flown 4 other mountains a bunch of times, this one was special. Now I've finally flown all of the "big three" mountain sites in our area - Woodstock, the Pulpit, and High Rock.

The wind was actually quite light when I launched. It was crossing a little bit from the left and I waited for a straight in cycle but it was only a few mph. When I got up to launch and it was light, I decided that unless I went straight up, I was going to head right out to land. So I ran all the way down the ramp for a good launch, didn't really try to work the tiny bumps that I was feeling, and headed out to the secondary. I did run into a few bumps on the way out that a better pilot could have probably worked but I'll have plenty of opportunities to soar there and wanted to have lots of altitude to set up my approach.

When I got over the LZ, Bacil gave me the signal on which approach to make. I had it all visualized in my head and did my best to make it happen. Well, I think it worked out pretty good. I'm extremely happy to have finally flown there. Like I said, it was just a sled ride but it was big for me. Thank you sooo much Shawn and Cragin for walking the fields with me a perfectly describing the approach patterns and also Bacil for the LZ signal. I couldn't have asked for more. I was especially happy to get my first one there before the fly-in.

Of course, Cragin taught us that patience is a virtue. He waited, conditions improved big time, and he had a nice soaring flight later in the day.

Here's the short video of my flight - http://www.vimeo.com/1687348

[hepcat1989]

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[hepcat1989]

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[carweill]

Great pictures

It reminds me that I need to fix the harness so I stay prone with less effort.

Interesting day. Dave P had a low save over the primary that took him beyond I81.
Bacil put a great fight. I messed right after launch with a tangle, see picture, and landed in the secondary. Loooong final, i missed the crest, had to use the brake from the Flinstones.
Cragin had the best conditions rightly rewarded for his patience.

I'll miss the fly-in but I wish many break all distance and altitude records, so I came back green with envy.

What is the distance record from the Pulpit?

Carlos

[CraginS]

I was second pilot to arrive, finding Dave P setting up about 11:00, and the last to launch, at 5:10.
A few soaring flights, including Dave, Bruce, Joe, and Bacil. A lot of sleds to the secondary. Shawn and I helped Dan and Tony launch after Shawn gave them the detailed lay of the land on both LZs. Good to have more 2's joining us.
I had thought I was going to be breaking down at the top, but at 5:00 the sky went grey and the wind picked up. I was able to fly 35 minutes, and reach 600 over launch. Not too bad. Good landing at the top of the primary, with an uphill landing heading toward the ridge. Good way to deal with the land shape there.

Special thanks to Shawn for his grounds work Friday and Sunday, and to Tony and Charlie for their whacking of the weeds on the hill.

See my blog for a much more complete report, along with my flight video (yes, with music!).

[markc]

Apologies for not being able to participate at the Pulpit cleanup, but I had to
be out of town this past weekend. Sure glad that those who went were able
to work, fly, and even get some soaring flights to boot! That's a rarity, usually
it's either clean-up or flying, but not both.

Congrats to Tony on his way-better Pulpit flight, and to Dan for his first
Pulpit flight! Sounds like you guys will be good to go for the Fly-In!

Cheers,

MarkC

PS: Will do some site-work penance on my next day out

PPS: Thanks Craig, Shawn, and Dan for the photos and videos of the day,
they really hit the spot!