Sun Jun 20 : Gotta be good somewhere!

[markc]

I'm seeing a variety of forecasts for Sunday: some stronger than others, some more W,
and some more NW. So I figure we'll have an opportunity to fly *somewhere*, just have
to figure out the best site!

Who else is game?

And does anyone want to make a prediction, HRock vs Pulpit vs Woodstock?

MarkC

[Dan T]

I'm game, weather permitting. Id' like to stay relatively close since I have to be up early the next morning. Haven't flown high rock in a long time, it would be nice to do again.

Dan

[markc]

The surface forecasts have been updated : WNW @ 5-10 for Pulpit & High Rock.
The Woodstock forecast includes "gusting to 20", so I guess we'll have to keep an
eye on that... But at the moment, the forecasts for 3k are pretty light. Keeping
my fingers crossed for the Pulpit!

MarkC

[DanTuck]

Mark,
I'm in for Pulpit tomorrow. I think that's our best bet.

[Dave Proctor]

I could be persuaded to go to the Pulpit tomorrow. Will check in morning.

Dave

[Matthew]

We wil steer towards the Pulpit. if flags or updates looks strong on the road, will divert to the Rock.

Matthew

[Pete Schumann]

I'm up for wherever is best.

Pete

[markc]

Argh.... Concerns about the timing of the frontal passage, the ADDS 3k which has been tweaked
upwards a bit, and the Unisys map which is now showing two frontal lines. Oh well, guess we'll
just have to see what we see....

Glider's on the truck though, ready to go!

MarkC

[markc]

Try the Pulpit and then bail to HRock if it's too strong?

Or just head straight to the Rock?

MarkC

[Dave Proctor]

Plenty of time to hit the pulpit first, then bail to the rock. I will be on the road by around 9 to the pulpit.

Dave

[markc]

Ditto, see you there!

[carweill]

Plan to make it
Don't know when yet

Carlos

[Dave Proctor]

Mark C and I are at the pulpit. Looks sweet. Setting up.

[mcelrah]

This just in: Ellis flew 47 miles from Woodstock to route 17 SW of Warrenton, via Strasburg and Front Royal. Tom Ceunen flew just a little further.

I'm especially stoked for Ellis because she gave up flying PG yesterday (it was good at Daniel's) to ride in the trike from the Father's Day fly-in at Shreveport North (near Dillsburg PA, north of Gettysburg) to Front Royal. My partner had flown the trike up Friday evening. Took us 3 hours in a building south headwind, arrived at Front Royal around 2 PM to find it blowing 15-18 across the runway. Pressed on to Luray to land on a south facing runway. Partner brought me 5 gallons of mogas (93 octane) and took Ellis back to FR. I landed comfortably there at 5:20, the wind having backed down. Ellis took 300 pictures...

- Hugh

[pink_albatross]

it was fun and all the 300+ photos are at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/pink.albatr ... ontRoyalVA#

[John Dullahan]

Ellis,

Congrats on your 47 mile flight from Woodstock; and thanks for the great pics of the ultralight fly-in and PA, MD, and VA countrysides from the air! We would love to hear the details of your 47 mile paraglider flight and see any photos you may have taken.

John

[pink_albatross]

details of the flight are in another topic. camera died. not sure what i got on it. i tried a few times to take pix, while still on the WS ridge

[XCanytime]

Ellis,
Congratulations on an excellent flight from Woodstock. I took a similar route 3 years ago, crossing the Blue Ridge following Rt. 522. Made it to Ben Venue on Rt. 211. Even more so, thanks for the great pictures of the trek from Dillsburg to the Page Valley in Virginia. What views!

Bacil

[DanTuck]

Nice day at the Pulpit. MarkC, Dave P, Tony D, Carlos, Karen and Matthew. I launched after Dave and Mark and didn't get higher than 300' over for a half hour. I never got below the ridge but didn't find anything good until I ventured out into the valley a little under some clouds. Finally found a good climb to 1,000' over and then another which took me to 2,000' over as I drifted over the back. Dave was in the thermal with me so when it petered, we went downwind. Didn't find much anything in the valley and only made 9 miles. Still, I had a nice landing into the wind and uphill in a recently harvested wheat field right next to a road so I was happy. Dave landed across the street in a similar field. After we broke down Dave went hitch-hiking and didn't get a single brake light for over 4 miles. Once out to Rt. 30 MarkC picked him up and they came and got me. Many thanks Mark and also Dave for joining me OTB. When we got back up top, a student of John's named Dan (another one ) had stopped by to check out the flying after his class at Kirchners Knob. He had picked up Dave P hitch-hiking after an XC a few weeks back and was very interested in the sport. Yesterday was his 4th lesson. A little later John M came by and conditions were perfect so he set up his U2 and had a nice sunset flight along with Matthew in his PG. Congratulations Ellis and Tom, awesome flights! Happy summer solstice!

[DanTuck]

A quick note about flying cross crountry through Front Royal. On 522 south of Front Royal is the Smithsonian National Zoo Research Center. They breed endangered species on 3,200 acres, lots of nice looking fields from the air. But I'm pretty sure no one would appreciate us landing and disturbing their breeding programs. Not to mention, they breed mammals including cheetahs. They say pilots taste like chicken. Another good reason to head south and cross the Blue Ridge down there.
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/CRC/Fron ... efault.cfm

[tomceunen]

Ellis Landing Place

Looks like the day is finished, no cummies left

[carweill]

Great flights Ellis and Tom!

How high did you get?

Forecast was inversion at 6000 at the Pulpit, but at 4000 I was very close to the clouds


Carlos

[tomceunen]

I consistently went on glide reaching 1800m asl. I believe cloudbase was 500ft higher. So I kept it legal and safe somehow. I did not have close airline encounters this time. I did see some of them closer to Ellis.

[RichH]

I mentioned this in another post but I thought I would post it again there is a great field on the North side of Front Royal on the banks of the shenedoah river 522 river bridge actually runs over it ..Ive landed there a couple of times in the past faces west and is a great retrival check it out on google earth..If you ever need a bail out its a great field..not sure if its planted now the farmer used to keep it in grass..

[pink_albatross]

cloudbase was about 5800 feet msl. i did get to 6000 once... oops
-- ellis