Pulpit 10/8

[XCanytime]

Jesse Yoder and I flew the Pulpit today. We both arrived a little after 11A to blue skies and strong conditions. Jesse helped me launch just before 12 noon in a moderate cycle. Spent the first hour between launch and Rt. 16, getting 1400' over max in choppy, ratty lift. Went south in search of better lift. Wasn't working much down near The Corner. Got very low, only 100' over the ridge at times, until I found some lift to buoy me up a few hundred. Found it blowing SW at a few hundred over down there. Sped back to Rt. 16 with almost a direct tailwind. Along the way saw a mature bald eagle, a sharp-shinned hawk, and many redtails. Back at Rt. 16 I ran into a north cross. Found some lift by the house by Rt. 16 and gained up to 700' over. Went out and landed just before 2P on the driving range of the golf course across from the main LZ. Before I could call Jesse, he pulled up in the parking lot. Stashed the glider in the woods by a fairway and rode up to launch with Jesse to fetch the truck. After retrieving the glider, Jesse and I waited for it to back down. Around 5:30P it started showing signs of backing down, so I assisted Jesse in launching at 5:40P. Jesse had a strong launch and kept running in the air even though after initial liftoff the glider sank back down to the pad at the lower lip of the pad. The fact that Jesse kept running came in handy since you can never predict when and if the glider may hit sink and drop back down to a slope after initial liftoff. Jesse flew nicely away from the mountain before kicking into his harness and going to the basetube. He got up easily in smooth air, and flew almost an hour, getting around 800' over (no altimeter, just a visual calibration). He had a good approach and a nice landing in high weeds in the main LZ. We grabbed some food and drink at the bar before I headed home. Jesse is staying overnight in preparation for flying the Pulpit tomorrow. Bacil