Tuesday

[stevek]

WNW tomorrow. Woodstock, Rock, Pulpit anybody? 202 812 8305

[Roger]

I maybe up for WS. But I have to find a sitter

[rlweber]

I am up for Woodstock, unfortunately it will 6 pm at the earliest that I will arrive, unless I get some cancellations. Hoping for an evening glassoff.

RANDY

[silverwings]

I am somewhat interested in WS for early afternoon. Will look at forecast in the morning. As of now I think Pulpit will be to windy.

[Joe Schad]

I can get there a bit late, i.e. around 3pm.

Joe

[Roger]

Looks like it's all arranged here. I will be on the road by 8:30 to WS. If anyone can leave a car in the lz, I have room for maybe two people (and 2 more gliders) to the top.
Also, if anyone would like a ride from parts south on i 95, give me a call. With a heads up, I can drive my truck (I wanna check the new mega rack out anyway), otherwise I'm driving the small beater.
---roger---
252-673-8895m

[silverwings]

Steve and I are planning on meeting at the WS LZ around 1:15 PM. (202)409-2574 c

[DanTuck]

I'm willing to give it a shot so I'm heading out. I should be up at launch at 1:45 - 2:00.

[stevek]

Pretty sweet day. 5k over (which was not base but close I think). Very strong lift -- I saw 5 to 600 fpm fairly frequently.

John M went first in a PG. Very scary. Half the wing disappeared right off launch. It reinflated immediately tho. Happened again on approach. Not a PG day. John was going to come back up and fly his HG but he couldn't because I left my house key in the drivers side roof rack of my car instead of my car key. Being an old guy is such a hoot -- every day is bright new adventure in dysfunction. He eventually got back up and into the air.

[DanTuck]

Another great day at Woodstock. I arrived on launch first about 1:30 to light but soarable conditions. John M, Roger, and Steve showed up soon after dropping a couple vehicles in the main LZ. We watched some vultures soaring in what appeared to be smooth air so John launched his PG and quickly found out it wasn't so smooth. Steve was next with Roger following, both had real nice launches. I was last off around 4:00, self-launched into easy light wind. There was a West cross so there was definitely turbulence down low on the ridge. There was enough ridge lift to sustain you but it wasn't going high. After 20 minutes of that I found a thermal that I took up to 1,200' over and Roger and I headed South to the Gap where some nice looking clouds were. I got way down there with nary a beep, though I was in some zero for part of it. Roger found something which I bee-lined to and we got up about 2K over and continued. Didn't find anything else so I turned back home. When I got back to launch the lift was much improved, I climbed to 2,100' over and it slowly turned magic. I spent over an hour zooming around a few hundred over launch, full stuff barely going down. Roger noticed I was having all the fun and came and joined me in the smooth 200 fpm lift above launch. I chased a bunch of vultures, got real close to one, and got an awesome shot of Roger turning under me. Just as I landed a little after 6:00, John M launched his U2 and Gary and Randy also launched. Thanks Steve, for driving me back up. And Roger, glad you got another good one after such a long drive, it was way fun flying with you, glad to help on launch. I'll post some video later.

[Roger]

Thanks Dan, everyone. I'm looking forward to the video (as always). Another awesome day at WS. There were six hg's there and John flew both wings. Very good, albeit exciting flying John. I saw two of his three collapses of the day. First was right over launch, and the last was on final approach. He said it was just a little one, I'd hate to see a big one, because I noticed his "little" one from launch!
I thought it was mostly turbulent, disorganized lift down low early in the flight, but it turned smooth, later. How I described it was, punchy with soft edges (probably doesn't make sense to anyone else however) I thought it was a day with a lot of different conditions. I was watching the clouds more closely this time around and trying to position myself along the ridge to test my ideas for the lift. One theory worked out very well and was a blast. I believe it glassed off twice. The first was stronger than the later. The opposing ridge was deep in cloud cover for a good while and the ridge lift was the most consistent of the day. I ran the entire length of the ridge (no gap crossings) at 40-45 mph. What a blast. I was going to ask Dan for an impromptu ridge race. I go left, he goes right, to the opposite end, past launch, to the other end, and first one back to launch wins. That would have been a lot to say over the radio, and Dan was having trouble transmitting. Along the same time I noticed he was indeed having loads more fun playing around launch. So, I threw away a little altitude to join him. Soon after, I think he had had his fill and went out to land. I left launch and came back a while later and there he was again, so I thought. It was Randy (similar colored gliders). We thermaled together for a while until I realized I should land to retrieve my car. The lift was everywhere, what great day!
3:45 flight time, 4300' over launch, never did get to cloud base.

[DanTuck]

Ain't magic just too much fun!!!

[Roger]

Ain't magic just too much fun!!!

Yes it is!

[Flying Lobster]

Being an old guy is such a hoot -- every day is bright new adventure in dysfunction.

LMAO--but true, I know exactly what you mean. I'm a fresh inductee into the halls of geezerdom myself. Daily I walk into things--knock over stuff and break them--can't see things accurately--yet I still can't wait to strap into a blade wing. Gives pause for thought sometimes--but then I reach for a beer.

marc