Woodstock Saturday

[uplandann]

Any Observer willing to see me off Woodstock Saturday? Gonna be about 7mph NW.

Ann

[pch]

WX BRIEF, Leesburg,VA - winds aloft 24hr forecast; 3,000ft ASL 28-35mph @ 290 - 330. Maybe only an HG day.
Peter

[FelixH]

Thanks Ann, (and peter)
It may be a bit strong for Paragliders but I'll probably come along and see what is going on anyhow.
Sunday looks like the opposite problem, light and variable. Any sites take a wind veering from NE to SE?
Felix

[brianvh]

"Any sites take a wind veering from NE to SE?"

Bill's on Sunday.

[uplandann]

Bill's Hill. It is near Breezwood Pennsylvania.

Ann

[uplandann]

A

[RichH]

Im seeing the forecast for the wind direction to be the big problem for woodstock ..Right now its looking very North most of the afternoon from about noon on ...The further North you go from Woodstock the winds take on a small westerly component..You know the forecast is the forecast it can be wrong but I would try the more northern sites from woodstock like the pulpit or others..Right now what I'm seeing is woodstock may have a significant North cross. Good Luck!! Rich

[FelixH]

Thanks for all the advice and comments. Is anyone going to look at the forecasts in the morning and post where they are going? I don't know the sites so would follow the crowd!
Felix

[sailin]

Most likely heading to Woodstock tomorrow...eta 2pm. Bacil arriving around 3pm.

Jon

[mingram]

That's the consensus on the PG list. Hoping Woodstock won't be too north. Will check in the AM.

[XCanytime]

Meeting up with Jon to observe him after 3PM. There is such a thing as too much data. It only serves to confuse. Yes there will be some north in it tomorrow. Just turn the glider to the right after safely exiting the slot into the crossing wind. Be wary of rotor turbulence down low on the deck. Keep the SA at all times. Bacil

[dbodner]

There is such a thing as too much data. It only serves to confuse.

The man with a watch always knows what time it is. The man with two watches is never quite sure. Probably true for weather forecasting, too.

[carweill]

Finally back.

Planning to go Woodstock, probably before Jon and Bacil

Carlos

[jyoder111]

I'm going to wait till the morning to decide. Bacil, if I'm there around 2-3pm can you observe me too?

[RichH]

Blowing out of the NNW- N here this morning and fairly strong>>>

[carweill]

Heading to Woodstock ETA around 1PM

If too cross or too strong I'll stay on the ground

Carlos

[Pete Schumann]

Almost a repeat of last weekend. Conditions were good winds pretty much straight in, although a tad on the strong side.

Pretty much flew inbetween 2000' and 3000' + over for 2 hrs and 45 min. Flew north off the end to the river and back south past the coups. Had a great one step landing in the Bridge Field. Though winds were strong in the LZ, I turteled the glider after walking across the street and trying to turn around, thank god for Topless gliders

Got a ride to Z car from Ellis. Most of the PG folks got pretty high too. Carlos was there looked like he got really high, Gary S. & Randy ? flew early, Basil and John flew later.

Great day, visability seemed endless.

Pete

[XCanytime]

Got to launch just after 4P after working in the morning. Light on launch with moderate cycles blowing thru. Jon was set up and ready to go. I set up quickly, and Gary Smith showed up to help me help Jon launch around 5P. Jon had a great launch and got up immediately to around 1K' over. Laszlo and Matt Ingram were there to help me along with Gary get into the slot and ready for launch. A short wait for a nice cycle and up, up, and away I went. Had prearranged with Jon to follow me to Signal Knob since I was pretty sure it would be bulletproof today. Jon rigged up his radio and we were in constant contact as we slogged together NE against a moderate cross aloft. I stayed low and didn't get above 1200' over. John got at least 2K'+ over on the trip up. We turned around and made it back to launch very quickly with the quartering tailwind. I fought to stay out of lift; it was everywhere. Jon landed first, and I had trouble getting down again. Lift was pumping off a good bit of the area of the LZ. I finally found an inverse thermal and cored it to lose 800'. Jon gave me a wind direction of NNW on the ground, and the ensuing approach and landing was stress free. Carlos waited around to help us out and gave Jon a ride to the top. We met up with Carlos later at the Mexican restaurant in Strasburg where the old Cristina's used to be. Jon is a bit stoked about his flight; it was his first flight out of the normal fishbowl over launch that he's flown in. Congratulations Jon!

Bacil

[sailin]

Unbelievable day for me at Woodstock!! Early in the week Bacil had graciously offered to observe me this afternoon if conditions permitted....and they did. Bacil arrived in the late afternoon, like we had talked about, to find me set up and ready to go. Soon after he arrived, Gary S. and him helped launch me into a nice straight in cycle. Lift was not an issue...I went up right out of the slot and cruised down to the north finger where I climbed to 1000' over. Bacil launced about 10 minutes after me and found no difficulty in getting up either. And this is where it gets good
Bacil had mentioned yesterday that if conditions permitted and I felt up to it, we could do a follow the leader out of the fishbowl towards Signal Knob. I was in and the conditions were more than permitting it.
He lead out over the north finger and headed up the ridge.....and I followed...completely stoked to be out of the fish bowl in unchartered territory (well for me anyway We worked our way up the ridge, sometimes flying through STRONG lift. I easily got up to 2000' over and could have gone much higher, but I didn't want to push any penetrations issues and wave was also most likely present. Like Pete mentioned in his post, the visibility was unreal!!! At one point a red tail hawk was about 20 feet below me enjoying the lift as well. Before I knew it Bacil had lead us all the way up to Signal Knob!!! I couldn't believe it...not only had i left the fishbowl, but I was at the end of the ridge now!!! Looking down at Strausburg, the Strausburg Reservoir, and then southwest back down the ridge was awesome!! After cruising around for a short bit in some nice lift at Signal Knob it was time to turn around and let the northerly wind component push us home. It was a quick ride back, and I flew through some pretty strong lift that wanted to prolong my flight even more I made it to the LZ with lots of altitude, even after pushing the Falcon down button for a bit. Had a decent landing in a NNW breeze in the main LZ. Bacil landed minutes after me.
What a flight!!! 17 miles total distance, out and back. My longest and furthest flight to date. I am still completely stoked about this flight and probably will be for awhile....so if you see me with a goofy grin on my face, you know why
I gotta say a HUGE thanks to Bacil for not only observing me but teaching me too, and taking me on my first XC!!!I It is a flight I am surely never to forget......I really appreciate it!

Stoked!!
Jon

[jyoder111]

Way to go Jon! I'm jealous! Would have been out there too but I had a commitment midday.

[XCanytime]

BTW, where was everybody else yesterday? A gorgeous day in the mountains. Typical spring air. The Woodstock Gradient Effect was working a bit. Not too strong, not too light, just right. Bacil

[mcelrah]

COngratulations, John! And to all who flew. Ellis did pretty well on PG, got to 7k in decidedly rowdy conditions. Sailplanes were up at 12k. Spring flying! - Hugh

[cthornberger]

Sorry Basil , definitely would have been there. My girlfriend was in town and were doing training hill stuff over the weekend (can a get a noble applause?? ). Trying to get her back up to speed so she can start doing her mountain flights.
I am stoked, as usual, for the flying that has taken place. I'll be seeing you out there.
Jon - Very sweet!

[mcelrah]

CHris,
Glad you got Krista out to the training hill. Where and how did it go?
- Hugh

[cthornberger]

We got out to Smithsburg. She is looking good on her Pulse 9m. I think she is quickly getting back to her normal H2 self.
We went over some things that were sort of 'taught differently' from lookout. All in all - a great time.
She will benefit some good mentorship, hopefully down at Lookout. (ideally here )