Friday/Saturday - November 5th and 6th

[mcgowantk]

I am in for Sunday. Looks like a Pulpit day but will check later. Have fun today.

Tom McGowan

[mcelrah]

I'm in the High Rock LZ now (11:10 AM). - Hugh

[deveil]

uhm, well, 'never did get a response about what time to be there and as you gave no word that you were going off line i thought the conversation was ongoing. the factor most relevant to flying is in a pm that i sent you. 'hope the day turns out well.
gary

[deveil]

not meaning to be snippy or snarky or anything (believe it), just thought i should indicate that i myself am going offline.
gary

[chuckok]

Cooold day at Woodstock! Really light conditions ... even the PG's were taking their time. But, we did fly

Jesse was the first HG to launch. Unfortunately, a bit early for the day. But, a nice ride to the LZ and great landing. Joe took his turn about 45 minutes later ... And up he went! Then Bacil, then me, ... Managed to catch a little to get to about 400 over launch. But was drilled sliding back by launch. A 20 min flight ... but a nice ride none the less. (And a learning experience for not waiting to circle back into the lift )

[uplandann]

Nice Video Chuck! I was looking at what the weather readings were for Woodstock today (weather underground) and it showed a lot of North as well as North east... were you getting that at the site too? I guess it wasn't too bad since people were flying...

Calling for North at WS tomorrow, Sunday (although graph shows NNW). I'm thinking of going to WS Monday with Hank. While it's calling for WNW on Monday (not sure which is better; more North or more West?) it could change more favorably, and the temps are going to be warmer.

Ann

[heaviek]

Was nice at High Rock this afternoon. Not nearly as much direct sun as expected (pretty much none). I would guess most flights were between 20 and 45 minutes. Maybe 400 to 500 over. The launch conditions were perfect. Enough breeze to be buoyant, but light enough to be tame on the rock. How much sun was at Woodstock?

I am looking at going to Woodstock tomorrow, but I haven't dissected the weather reports yet.

Kev

[heaviek]

DER! Should have checked the video for the sky cover before asking. Looked like a bit more sun then we saw up at High Rock. Cool video!

Kev

[Matthew]

Great day for bagging it at WS-- I think all of the PGs got up. I got 2:20 and 2300 over in my paraglider and landed just before sunset. The sun glowing on the mountains at the end of the day was awesome! My foot warmers did the trick and my new wrist warmers also helped A LOT! My hands got several times-- but everytime I decided to land because it was too cold, I'd warm back up when I got down to under a thousand over. So I'd take another ride up. The lift out in the valley was everywhere!!! I also flew with my hands under my butt quite a bit to stay warm.

Eight of us finished the day with dinner at Christine's-- they had a very young band playing fairly good Bluegrass.

Matthew

[DanTuck]

I had a nice flight, launching around 3:45 with help from Mark and Karen (thank you) into no more than 3 or 4 mph. Got in close to the ridge and maintained with the ridge level heading North. I was hoping the North side of that first finger would be working and it was. Also working that lift were two bald eagles and they quickly left me in the dust. As I flew a little further up the ridge I noticed two more fully mature bald eagles sitting in a leafless tree. They remained there my entire flight while I flew over them dozens of times. That bowl was consistent and I slowly got up to 1,100' over launch. Towards the end of the flight the air got much less smooth and the lift dropped off. I was pretty well frozen by then anyway so I went out landed. My flight was about an hour. It was cool getting to fly with all the PG's.

[XCanytime]

A nice relaxed day (save for one incident) at Woodstock. Got there at 1P and leisurely set up under major cloud cover and light conditions. First launch around 2:45P was a PGer who got up maybe 200' over and headed out into the valley to land. Jesse Yoder was up next and he executed a fine launch and landing during his extendo. Jim Kaplan attempted to launch next and it got a bit strong and gusty for a PG. Jim graciously allowed Joe Schad to go and Joe got up after a little bit of work. Ben was next and launched his PG and got up. By this time it was 3:30+. I got up and launched, turned right, and worked very hard to get up. After some work and still not above(50' below) I decided to head for the NE corner of Cox Ridge. As I am coming up on the old launch slot in the supposed north cross my left wing gets lifted radically and my nose pitches down. At this point I'm about 100' above the treeline. I pull in and roll level and the glider is diving at the trees. I roll left and fly out away from the mountain over the middle of the old launch slot. If there were trees there, I just don't know how close it would have been . Lucky Anyway the rest of the flight was nice. Finally got above the ridge and found smooth lift to 1300' over max, and saw two mature baldies down on the deck just NE of Cox Ridge. They looked like 2 pairs of white dots moving over the treeline. Went back by launch and got drilled in some turbulence. Came in and had a nice landing in a north cross in the LZ. Dinner at Christina's with the gang and some bluegrass. Got a few nice pics of the sky. Post them soon. Bacil

[XCanytime]

PGer soaring out in front.

PGer soaring on the horizon.

Big dark cloud shading the mountain.

Roll cloud???

[lbunner]

Matthew, what are the new wrist warmers you mentioned?

[Matthew]

Hi Larry,

The wrist warmers are little fleece pckets with a strap that goes on at your wrist and you put a disposable chemical hand warmer in the pocket. It warms the ulnar and radial wrist arteries going to the hand.

I think the company making them went out of business-- Karen bought a box of them at REI. She'll look around later in her sea of forgotten gear to check if we have any left.

Matthew

[mcelrah]

The High Rock LZ is now beautifully groomed. Kelvin arrived first to fly his U2. I set up the tandem awaiting Ann-Marie, David Churchill, Chris Hornberger, Jon Brantley, Kevin Carter, and Dave Bodner. Chris and I shuttled a car back down to meet Jon in the LZ for his High Rock familiarization. Up top, Kelvin had launched, made a couple of passes in 8-12 smooth straight in under a broken overcast, and landed in a different field. Ann-Marie has been helping me fly off my T1 tandems several times, so we were able to hook in and launch without much ado. A couple of passes and we had to head out to land. This was the pattern for all three tandem flights even though most solo pilots had soaring flights. May have missed the soaring window between flights, but I think it needs to be brain dead soarable and it wasn't quite. Kevin showed up with wife, daughter and father-in-law - and borrowed the Kinsley/Janni/Ellis/Hugh Sport 2. Jon's first ever launch at High Rock was nice and strong in *perfect* conditions - and he got a 22 minute soaring flight! A couple of appalachian Trail through hikers showed up and were exceited to see hang-gliding. Also a guy from Takoma Park promoting offshore wind energy. He asked us to hold up a banner about it while we had the tandem on launch and he took photos - mighta missed a soarable cycle behind that... Chris was my second tandem co-pilot; he and I have flown tandem aerotow, but this was his first High Rock flight! Kevin strafed launch repeatedly to the delight of the spectators. With the help of "glider caddies", we got back up in time for the 3rd tandem (Ann-Marie again - thanks! - someday we'll get a soaring flight...), while mystery man Steve Kinsley was soaring overhead (there was some speculation that it was Carlos based on similar colors on his U2 and Steve's Sport 2).

I took blanks of Emma Jane's waivers to copy - she needs more blanks for all the new pilots we are registering.

There will be further announcements but David tells me THE HIGH ROCK FLY-IN WILL BE 20-21 NOVEMBER (weather permitting of course). It will be pot luck - no Richard and Leigh extravaganza. We investigated the two grills, which seem to be serviceable, lacking only full gas bottles (there's one empty there).

Some of us found a new dining option: Carmine's Italian restaurant in suburban Smithsburg.

Jon and I got the scenic tour of Hagerstown because I took a wrong turn departing. Got home late as usual to find that my T3 tandem instructor package from USHPA had arrived, so the window is now open to take laymen and-women (with nice masses) for rides.

- Hugh

[John Dullahan]

Hugh,

Thanks for the HR report, and congratulations on attaining the stepped-up tandem rating.

Does that mean you can collect fares for flights from the great unwashed?

[sailin]

Hugh pretty much summed up the activity at High Rock on Sunday. Thanks Hugh for throwing me off the Rock!! Thank you too to the wire crew of Chris, Ann-Marie, and Hugh....without you guys I don't think I would have made it up the stairs to get on the ramp!!!

David and Kevin were already soaring when I launched. It took a a little bit before I was able to climb out over launch...never getting more than about 300 ft over. Let me say that the LZ at High Rock looks very far away....kind of like the primary at the Pulpit and it is just as intimidating to a first time pilot After flying for a while and gaining and losing altitude pretty regularly I came to a point where I didn't really feel like I was going up anymore and I was staying just even with launch......I kept eyeing the LZ and it wasn't getting any closer so I headed out. Of course I arrived with plenty of altitude (geez maybe I could of stayed longer around launch looking for lift) and landed with nice straight in wind. Kevin and David both landed not long after. All in all a very cool 22 minutes flying at a new site for me. It was cool to meet Emma Jane and all her cats at the end of the day too.
We headed off and had a great meal and some good beer with lots of laughs.
I ALMOST spent the night in the Pulpit parking lot with all the talk of Sunday being a Pulpit day but decided not to after I checked the after dinner weather reports......seemed like it was going to be a 50/50 toss up between Woodstock and the Pulpit and I didn't want to be out of position It paid off because I got to sleep in a warm bed and flew Woodstock this morning....
Big thanks again to Hugh for observing

Jon

[mcelrah]

John,

I *can* collect fares, and would charge if a total stranger wanted a ride, but I'm more interested in being able to take friends who aren't even beginner pilots. I also think the insurance is worthwhile, contrary to all the complaining from some instructors.

- Hugh

[Kelvin Pierce]

Hugh, that must have been my evil twin that launched before you and Ann Marie and landed in a different field. I hate it when he does that
I myself waited for you and Ann Marie to get back to launch and then I helped you launch. I launched about 15 minutes later and had a 20 minute soaring flight in light conditions at 100-300' over launch. I landed in the main LZ as you and Ann Marie were packing up. It was nice to fly the Rock again and to see you all. I took some pictures and measurements of the steps at launch before heading home so if anyone is interested in brain storming some repairs please contact me. I am happy to help out in any way I can.

[mcelrah]

Doh! Sorry for misrepresenting you flight based on hearsay.
I wonder if Eddie snuck in there... Thanks for being on my keel and nice seeing you again after a long time!
- Hugh