Pulpit 11/1

[XCanytime]

Looks good for baggers and plumbers. Shawn Ray and I will be there early to get the good stuff. Bacil

[hepcat1989]

November already! Hopefully this month will bring good winds,good velocities, good directions, good times....
Shawn.

[hepcat1989]

If it is Pulpitable Saturday, I'll bring my tool bag and see what for damage is done to the steps.
That Sucks...
Shawn.

[XCanytime]

Arrived just after 10A to find Shawn Ray just arrived, and a bunch of birders checking for and counting the migraters. Shawn put on his tool belt and proceeded to cut replacement boards for the two steps vandalized on the new ramp. I hammered a few of the nails. We set up and waited for some arrivals. In the meantime the conditions ranged from SW cross to straight in on the ramps, and the migrating birds showed that it was WSW aloft with their tucked wings. The sky had no cumies; it was totally blue. Finally after 12 noon Carlos, Dan, Matthew, Karen, Ellis, Ben the PG pilot, and Ashley showed up. Shawn led the charge around 12:30PM with a good launch off of the new restored ramp. He struggled for a while and got up. I got ready to go with Dan, Ashley, and Carlos helping me off of the old ramp. Launched just before 1P into a nice straight cycle. Turned left into the WSW cross on the ridge. It was tough going but was able to get a few hundred over. Didn't find any cohesive thermals for the half hour flight, got flushed, and had to go for the secondary instead of fighting a headwind to the main LZ. Landed to the south in the secondary while Shawn lasted another 15 minutes or so before he joined me in the secondary. While we were waiting for Dan to pick us up, Carlos launched and flew straight to the primary and landed. Then Ashley launched and got up easily to at least 1K' over. We also noticed to the north the signs of the front approaching, since low and high clouds started moving in. The conditions straightened out to a NW flow, and Ashley was still soaring when I left at 4:30P.

Bacil

Birders counting the migraters.

Shawn on top of The Corner.

The promontory Pulpit, as seen from the secondary.

[Ashley Groves]

I launched at about 1:30. Due to the short flight of the pilots before me and the warm temperatures at launch I dressed lightly. Turns out I was treated to hanging out above 1K above launch for the most part, peaks over 2K above launch. Flew for 2 hours 50 minutes. I was pretty cold by the end.

Unfortunately it seems as if conditions ramped up after I launched. A group of pilots showed up while I was flying, but none were able to launch. So I had the skys to myself.

I'll see if I can figure out how to post some pics. I had my camera along for the ride.

[img]URL=http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/20 ... 2533vOSMtS][IMG]http://thumb13.webshots.net/t/55/755/3/ ... MtS_th.jpg[/img][/URL][/img]

A nice day at the pulpit.

[Ashley Groves]

URL=http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/20 ... 2533vOSMtS][/URL]

[Ashley Groves]

http://thumb13.webshots.net/t/55/755/3/ ... MtS_th.jpg

[Ashley Groves]

[Ashley Groves]

Sorry about the multiple postings as I figure this out.



A nice day at the puplit. The view to the North.


Later in the day as conditions change. Front passing through. Note the darkness to the North. Greg (I think) hoping to launch on the New ramp.


End of the day. Note the primary highlighted in the last of the sunshine.

Big Thank You to Ellis and Dan for sticking around to wire me off, and to Carlos who came and picked me up. I had landed in a different field as the primary was sloping down into the wind and I was unsure of wind strength in the valley. No pilots were launching, and I had observed conditions change as I was in the air. That means I still have yet to land in the primary or bail out at the Pulpit!

[Ashley Groves]

Also a big Thank You to Shawn an Basil for the repairs on the ramp.

[hepcat1989]

I managed about 500 over at that time for a nice soaring flight. It was a bit sporty. I was just glad to see the fall colors from above for a while. I didn't know what was up with Matthew at that time. I just had the mountain to myself for a while. I didn't know why.Heal up Matthew.... Glad it wasn't worse. Hang in there Karen...,
Great pictures Ashley.......
I had fun...
Shawn.

[mcelrah]

Thanks, Shawn, for taking care of the ramp repair! It's people like you who make it work for all of us. (Let us know if there is a cost for the lumber etc. that the club can reimburse you for.)

Great pictures, Bacil and Ashley! Thanks!

- Hugh

[hepcat1989]

Here are a few pics I managed to take while still trying to fly.(Beginner).
Hugh, if you or anyone is browsing through Lowes etc., I could use a small box of 16's.(16d nails), ( 16 penny nails)..
No worries, glad we could get it fixed back up.
Shawn.

[pink_albatross]

Very cool pictures, Ashley and Shawn!

Less cool pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1f ... Hpo1E07keA
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Bb ... zLy_QN99PA
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xt ... i_ZnLqglyw

[Ashley Groves]

Sorry,
I can't help but post one more picture I like. I omitted it originally because it was a bit similar to Bascil's picture of Shawn. But mine looked over the back. I really like the view of the ridges and the haze. Too bad I had no fellow pilots to capture in my picture. *sigh*

But I have been enjoying it as my desktop background anyway.


Viewing to the South and over the back. Ridges and haze.