WOW!(Wave over Woodstock) 3/24

[XCanytime]

Met up with Gary Smith and Dan Tuckwiller this afternoon at Woodstock. I got there around 12:30P, Gary about 20 minutes later. Smooth to moderately strong cycles with very little gust factor and a clear sky. We leisurely set up, and I got airborne in a smooth light cycle around 1:45P. Got up to the SW and figured out the air while waiting for Gary to self launch. Gary got airborne safely and I headed down towards the Edinburg Gap while Gary followed for a while then turned around back towards launch. Found some choppy lift to 2k' over, saw Gary a little higher by launch, and continued on. Down by the first rockpile found a ratty one to 4700' MSL. Flew over the second rockpile and found nothing. Back to the first rockpile and more choppy lift to 5100' MSL. Started flying out into the valley and started going upstairs like a bat. Recognized immediately it was wave and continued flying forward and going up at 800'/minute. Pulled out of the wave at 5800' MSL, freezing. Flew back NE as now it was after 3:15P and Dan was due at launch at 3P. Got back to launch at 3:30P and saw Dan standing in the slot. Cored sink and went in to land. Saw Gary land in the bridge field. The N corner of the LZ was lifting off big time. Got it down OK, a little long, but went for the diagonal and landed just past the crest. Gary got a ride up to the gate, intercepted Dan on his way down, and they high tailed it back up to launch so Gary could help Dan set up and get airborne by 4:25P. Gary came and got me, and sure enough, unbeknownst to me, during his flight Gary saw me high down by the Gap, came down, thermalled up to the wave, and rode the wave up until his face got cold. Gary's vario registered an instantaneous 1100'/minute up in the wave. He bailed out of the wave around 5900' MSL. I'm betting if the wave was that strong, 800' to 1100'/minute up, that it went up to 8k' to 10k' MSL Dan had a nice flight, getting to 2400' over and landing at the bridge field around 5:45P.

Bacil

[XCanytime]

Looking SW behind Short Mountain.

The power line clear cut at the base of Short Mountain.

Looking NE down the valley.

Looking east towards launch.

Down to warmer altitudes!

[DanTuck]

I almost didn't escape from work yesterday. Finally I managed to get on the road about 1:30 but hit traffic on 66 so I didn't get to launch until 3:15. It was a little light in the slot and I wasn't so sure it was soarable. But Bacil and Gary were nowhere in sight which was encouraging. Then Bacil came cruising back by and went out to land. I was only a few switchbacks down the mountain when Gary flagged me down from the truck he was hitching a ride up in. He suggested we get back on launch and get set up since the wind was lightening up. Setting up a U2 is much faster with 2 people, thanks Gary! I picked the beginning of a good cycle and easily got up over the ridge. Found a few small light thermals and was getting about 1,500' over for awhile. About a half hour in I found the best thermal of my flight, solid smooth 300'/min up to 2,400' over. I didn't get high enough to get into any wave and just played around with a bunch of black vultures, chasing them and thermalling together. Had a good landing in the bridge field and Bacil drove me back up to my car, thanks! Hoping for more good weather this weekend.

[RichH]

You probably would go much higher I once took a wave in that area with fellow pilot Bob Lowe up to 12000' we both climbed out together and bailed out due to air traffic flying into Dulles airport..I was on the back side of the mass. mtns yesterday doing business and noticed wave cap clouds in the valley behind @ 4 pm ..Gad somone got the chance to fly in it..

[theflyingdude]

Whatever happened to Bob "The Albino Rhino" Lowe? The last time I heard his name was when I went Maui and hooked up with some of the local pilots for a flight. When I told them I lived in Maryland, they looked at me with some scepticism as the last pilot they flew with from Maryland was Bob Lowe and he apparently made a bonehead decision to land somewhere he shouldn't have and broke himself. I assured them I would be more careful and since I was actually from West Virginia, they could rest easy.

JR

[XCanytime]

Bob moved to Colorado many years ago, at least a decade ago. He was flying a rigid wing last I heard. Bacil

[Richard Hays]

The story I got from Bob Lowe ( saw him at one of Jerry Nielsons parties in Georgetown ) was that he landed in high grass. In the grass was lurking lava rock and when he dropped his legs out of his pod harness, the razor sharp lava rocks cut him to ribbons. He never saw the rocks. Almost bled to death. Having a radio on him saved his life. Was still in a cast when he was telling me this.

Rich Hays