Woodstock tomorrow 4/21

[XCanytime]

Got the day off from work tomorrow. Anybody thinking of going to Woodstock? Bacil

[kcarra]

Matthew and I are possibly thinking about it but wouldn't get there until late afternoon.

[XCanytime]

How late is late afternoon? Tomorrow is too good to pass up. Thanks, Bacil

[rasmussenv]

Bacil,

Per nostepper winds aloft at 1700 msl and above are a bit high in the morning, and are in the mid/upper teens in the afternoon - but maybe you expect a bit lighter due to 'woodstock' effect? If you think conditions could easily be good for a Falcon and are willing to observe, I could be there, and be set up, at any time you suggest.

Valerie

[Matthew]

Our earliest ETA would be 4pm.

Matthew

[kcarra]

The ADDS and the hourly forecasts are looking pretty north in the afternoon. I don't think we will be going.

[hang_pilot]

Tomorrow's w/x looks better than the weekend's; I'm in. ETA around 12pm. Call me at 301-275-6584 if anyone wants to meet in the LZ to drop a car.

Best,
Daniel

P.S. I don't see the north Matthew mentioned, but the thermals look to be a bit shredded (bouyancy:shear ~3-4).

[XCanytime]

Got to launch at 11:30A. Gentle breeze wafting straight up the slot, with moderate thermal cycles blowing thru. Sky had cumies but they were drying up fast. Set up leisurely waiting for Daniel B. to arrive. He got to launch around noontime. Gary was due by 1P, but I decided that it was OK to launch with one helper. Had a good one at 12:45P and climbed out to 2K' over immediately in a ratty thermal out in front. The sky was completely dried up by this time. Headed to the NE and noticed that it was rather turbulent down lower. Got in a good one a few fingers north and got to 5400' MSL. Tried to penetrate upwind towards North Mt. Vineyards. Found a lift line that allowed me to lose only 1K' out to near Rt. 11. Went a little further upwind and started plummeting fast. Headed back to the ridge and went back to launch to check if Gary had arrived. He had, and I watched Daniel have a good launch and get up. Orbited around launch just a few hundred over until Gary executed a successful self launch. The 3 of us climbed out in a thermal by the power lines to the NE. They headed south, and I headed north against a now pronounced north cross aloft. Very turbulent as I maintained between 500' and 1K' over. Got in one just below the reservoir and climbed to 4200' MSL. Still pretty turbulent. Had had enough of the turbulence, so headed back and got low into the washing machine again. Saw Gary land in the bridge (an airstrip) field, so I headed that way. By this time it was 3P, and I couldn't get down. Everywhere I flew I was going up. Finally found the inverse thermal I was looking for way upwind towards Woodstock, cored it, and lost 1K' and went back to enter the pattern. Used up 2/3 of the field coming in high on final. This was the worst turbulence I have ever flown in, both in duration and in the way the glider was behaving. Experienced forces on the glider that I had never experienced before. I kept the airspeed moderate and the bank angles reduced to try to minimize the effects. Daniel ended up landing in the bridge field about an hour later after 2 trips up to the reservoir. Laszlo showed up later and Daniel stuck around to help him launch his paraglider. Dont' know how that went. Bacil

[jyoder111]

Congrats on what sounds like quite a dynamic flight, Bacil. Glad you got down safe and sound.

Jesse

[hang_pilot]

I launched at 1:30 and flew for 2.5 hours. I encountered much of the turbulence Bacil mentioned -- strong and disorganized thermals -- but I might have had a more positive overall experience. Although I didn't get as high as he did (max 4250 MSL, ~2500 over launch), I think I spent more of my flight time at least 1000 over where the thermal edges were softer.

Laszlo showed up around 4:30 and had a 30 minute, evening soaring flight before the north cross kicked in and made things rough on the ridge prompting him to come in to land. It was a short window for PG today, too strong early and too cross late.

Before I launched I had a chat with a friendly ranger in the parking pullout, Wade Bushong. He said the rangers had noticed that we've cleared brush in the slot and they would appreciate if we would sign a volunteer agreement before our next work party. He gave me his contact information and asked me to give him a ring to talk through the process. I'm fine making that call and will follow up with Dan T. off-line to see if there's any overlap with the Edith's paperwork ahead of time. (If you choose to comment on this, please remember that this is a public forum and the rangers know who we are.)

~Daniel

[deveil]

the forest service people have been working with us for well over the 30 years that i am personally aware. i feel that we need to be careful about referring to them in ominous and foreboding ways as though they were anything other than the good people that they have always been or that would belie that long history of us being good neighbors. i trust that your work on the volunteer agreement, as well as dan's work, is going well?
‘hope everyone is having a good easter holiday. i’m up early hoping to catch a glimpse of the easter bunny. that wily wascle has been ewuding me fo well owah 30 yeawahs now.
gary