Had a nice day at the Pulpit today. Arranged to meet Jim Griffith at launch by 11A, and get in the air by 12 noon since he had to get back to Shippensburg University where he is a professor and teach a class in the afternoon. Got in the air around 11:45A into moderate conditions on launch. Mucho thanks Jim. Got up quickly in a north cross on the ridge. Headed towards The Corner since it seemed cross from the north and the only clouds were to the south. Found somewhat ratty lift consistently down the ridge and stayed a good 700' to 1000' over the ridge by circling in the strong shots. Finally found something congealed and climbed to 5300' MSL, drifting OTB to Cove Mt. Lost a few hundred and decided to fly down the spine of Cove Mt. Didn't find too much and drifted into the flats at 3500' MSL, heading for the Whitetail Resort Golf Course. Lost to 1800' MSL and making the course was looking iffy. Found some lift and climbed back up to 3500' MSL. During this climb something brown whizzed by under me. I looked back towards Cove Mt. and 2 redtails were 50 yards behind me and above the horizon. Almost had a midair
. The goal was made, so I just flew around and enjoyed the view of Whitetail Ski Resort, the Blair Valley, and the course below, allowing gravity to do its number on me. Lined up with a nice fairway pointing due west, and had a nice landing just before 1P on Hole # 2's fairway. Carried over to an abandoned barn next to the fairway, and a course worker in a golf cart drove up, inquiring where I had come from and how was I going to get back. A careful nudge was rewarded with a ride all the way back to launch from Bob Estep, who's retired and works part time at the course. I showed Bob the grounds, and Tom McGowan pulls up at 2:30P. I retrieved the equipment from the course and went back to help Tom launch if he chose to do so. It was honkin' big time back at launch. I'd say gusts just above 25. Tom and I waited for it to back down, but it didn't, and he pulled the plug just before 5P. Pics tomorrow.
Bacil