Flying Sunday

[mcgowantk]

Sunday is looking somewhat promising with nws text forecasts of nw winds at 5-10 mph and maybe some sun. I have permission to fly and hope to get some airtime.

Tom McGowan

[lbunner]

Let's go, I'm game. Tell me where.

[RedBaron]

Glen, Gregory and I are game, too.

[davidtheamazing1]

looking NNW... Pulpit or HR?

[Matthew]

A bit North cross. So we're heading to High Rock. Anyone up for tubing at Liberty afterwards?

Matthew

[DanTuck]

I'm game for flying at HR. Looks like it's going to be better earlier than later.

[hepcat1989]

.

[carweill]

I'm in too

Carlos

[mcgowantk]

I am thinking Pulpit, but will check in the morning.

Tom

[markc]

If it's not too north-cross, I'm hoping for a training hill day at Smithsburg
to knock off some rust and give a sore shoulder a shake-down cruise.
Aiming for early afternoon at this point, and will likely head up to the Rock
later (maybe fly, maybe just crew). Christy mentioned that she was thinking
of a t-hill day too. Additional sufferers would be welcome!

MarkC

PS: Assuming that some work stuff goes according to plan...

[mcgowantk]

I am still thinking the Pulpit would be better with the light wind forecast, but who knows.

Tom McGowan

[lbunner]

Where we flying at today? Pulpit, HR? Please respond as I am getting ready to head out.

[lbunner]

I'm headed to the Pulpit. Expect to be there around 1100. Hope to see some of your smiling faces there.

Ciao

[Matthew]

Breezy and North Cross! We're going to High Rock. Anyone wann meet in the LZ at about noon to drop a car?

Call us on Karen's cell.

Matthew

[hepcat1989]

.

[carweill]

HR it is

Carlos

[hepcat1989]

.

[markc]

Things worked out really well at the training hill today.... Thanks to the generosity
of Rich A, Christy and I shared his Falcon 170 in conditions that range from NW5-10
up to NW10-15 (later in the day). I had four (five?) flights, and Christy took a couple.
All were very successful, and the sun and the breeze felt great! Ran into a couple
of PG pilots (Griff and Ryan) who were getting ready for a flying adventure in....
Guatemala I think?

We saw pilots soaring High Rock at various times during the day, but I don't know how
they did. Went up there at the end of the day and it was blowing pretty strong.

Sorry, no pics to share because Rich was shooting video. But maybe we'll see his work
online at some point!

Looking forward to hearing how everyone else did.

MarkC

[hepcat1989]

.

[hepcat1989]

.

[mcgowantk]

A big thanks to Dan and Shawn for launching me, Pete, Larry, and Bruce. Winds were light but there were some nice thermals. Pete landed in the primary as I climbed to just over 5000 MSL. Figuring he could help out with launches (although I admit that was probably not a good assumption) I headed east and just followed the clouds. There were lots of clouds to mark the way. Bruce, Larry and I made High Rock. I could not have had more fun.

Thanks again to Dan and Shawn.

Tom McGowan

[davidtheamazing1]

Good crowd at HR. Lets see Kelvin, David, Myself, Glen, Matthew & Karen, Carlos, with Janni watching and helping. Hmm... who else? 5MP - basically over the ridge... Mostly extendos and sleds. Ridge wasn't really working much. Three gliders made it over to from pulpit... Let them do their own gloating :-/

[hepcat1989]

.

[Matthew]

The old adage of when in doubt, go where Tom goes, should still be followed. Should have gone to the Pulpit. However, we had to return to of the spayed cats to Emma Jane (she wanted these two back) and the intellicast and ADDS forecasts showed a North cross. Text was NW 10-15. Anyway, Karen, David B. and Kelvin each got above lunch for a bit. Me, Carlos, David C. and Glen had sleds. Big thanks to Janni for coming out for the day and wiring crewing.

Tom, of course, flew across from the Pulpit with a 3.5 hour flight. But then again, Tom is always having magical flights. He lands XC and is retrieved by a beer truck. He flies to the beach and dolphins are breaching and mermaids are singing. A few of us think he's sold is soul to the devil. That's what it must be.

Matthew
PS Mark, Bacil and Gary-- I'm only kidding about Tom selling his soul to the Devil.

... or am I?

[DanTuck]

It was pretty much perfect when we got to the Pulpit. We set up and the usual "how are we going to get everyone off?" conversation ensued. With six pilots and no extras, that meant four would go and two would stay and wait. So Shawn and I let the others go since they have topless gliders/ATOS and it was midday. We were happy to get a radio report that it was not too strong, cross or punchy. By the time I launched at about 3:00, it had backed off a lot but with decent, straight in cycles still coming through. I stepped onto the ramp as a good cycle was blowing right in my face at 8-10. I cleared Shawn from my nose and had a nice smooth launch. And then my vario said Boooooooo! I launched right into the backside of the thermal that was coming through. That was dumb! I know better than that and should have been a little more patient. Ah well, still had a nice tight approach into the secondary, landed on my feet. Nice to get another flight at the Pulpit. Thanks Shawn, Gary, and Pete for helping me launch. Golf course, eh? Maybe next time. Tom, Bruce, Larry, and Shawn, all your flights were inspiring. Nice!