I'm thinking about Daniels this evening?..I could be there about 6pm...maybe too late huh?
and it looks like it might be ok at Daniels for tomorrow...but possible thunderstorms?...again!!....STILL?!!...like every day!!!!!!!
Greg "from Elsinore"
Staunton, VA
951-551-8341
glaunt@aol.com
DANIELS, FRIDAY EVE, 08-03-2012 ?
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Re: DANIELS, FRIDAY EVE, 08-03-2012 ?
I know! It's been a constant threat of thunderstorms for weeks.! I'm planning to go tomorrow (Saturday) to do some site cleanup early and hope to fly.
Matt
Matt
Re: DANIELS, FRIDAY EVE, 08-03-2012 ?
OHH...Nevermind.
1st clue....colossal thunderstorm in that direction.
2nd....... sudden temperature drop (I'm sure just locally)
3rd......standing in the sunshine...getting pelted by very large raindrops.
Thanks for humoring me Matt!
Maybe I should take up Bowling....or *gasp*..find a girlfriend.
ok...maybe try to soar tomorrow!
1st clue....colossal thunderstorm in that direction.
2nd....... sudden temperature drop (I'm sure just locally)
3rd......standing in the sunshine...getting pelted by very large raindrops.
Thanks for humoring me Matt!
Maybe I should take up Bowling....or *gasp*..find a girlfriend.
ok...maybe try to soar tomorrow!
Daniel's Saturday
We're also thinking Daniel's on Saturday.
Will check forecast in the AM.
I'll charge up my weed whacker batteries.
Matthew
Will check forecast in the AM.
I'll charge up my weed whacker batteries.
Matthew
Re: DANIELS, FRIDAY EVE, 08-03-2012 ?
Generally a forecast of 30 percent chance of T-storms just means that it's hot and humid. Now that we have smart phones with radar, we can see if any storms are approaching--- and we can use our eyes to see if the cummies are starting to tower and/or turn black.
If the radar is clear in the morning, then any T-storms usually don't develop till late afternoon. And again, with a 30 percent chance, no storms may develop or they may pop up hundreds of miles away.
A 30 percent chance of storms is actually quite a useless forecast.
Matthew
If the radar is clear in the morning, then any T-storms usually don't develop till late afternoon. And again, with a 30 percent chance, no storms may develop or they may pop up hundreds of miles away.
A 30 percent chance of storms is actually quite a useless forecast.
Matthew
Re: DANIELS, FRIDAY EVE, 08-03-2012 ?
Off to Daniel's -- ETA 2:30.
No storms on the radar and forecast is now South 5-10-- no gust factor.
Ellis is also on the way. Matt Ingram is there now (11:30am) and reports clear skies, nice cummies and winds straight in.
Come out and play!
Matthew
No storms on the radar and forecast is now South 5-10-- no gust factor.
Ellis is also on the way. Matt Ingram is there now (11:30am) and reports clear skies, nice cummies and winds straight in.
Come out and play!
Matthew
Re: DANIELS, FRIDAY EVE, 08-03-2012 ?
Unexpected day! Clouds were really low on the drive down, but there was lots of sun. It was nice on launch at 11:30, with nice cumulus and steady 5mph breeze. Syrus and I cleared a runway down the slope. Some nice cycles were coming through, but it was clouding up so I told Syrus to get ready thinking the day might be over soon. Randy showed up and was convinced to setup, but by 12:30 it was clouded over and still. I went down to pickup Fabian who brought his two cute kids and a weed whacker!
Back on launch at 1pm I found Syrus helping Randy out of the bushes on the left. No damage. Launch is still very overgrown and our runway is small. After extracting Randy a huge cycle started blowing through for long time! Sweet! Syrus launched just after that cycle and elevatored up. I was just after at 1:50. I found a bird and climbed to 3k ft msl, but turning in it wasn’t very effective since there was significant drift. Flying straight with some brake was the best way to climb. Syrus flew for about 30 minutes, but lost the lift since he doesn’t have a vario (but a brand new Flymaster will arrive on Monday!).
I was flying just above ridge level for about an hour and a half watching the radar and listening to Beach House and Band of Skulls. Matthew, Karen, Ellis, and Syrus showed up on launch and found strong wind, but it never really overdeveloped. Clouds were growing taller and I noticed a small bit of rain just SE of Parker Mountain and a tall cumulus coming my way with a grey bottom that shaded the valley. I flew towards the LZ and to the left of it thinking I might have to land, but saw birds climbing on the front edge and joined them which got me back above the ridge. As that cloud passed over launch and at 3:30pm I found really nice wide 2 m/s thermal that I turned in to 4k msl, but not quite to cloud base which was probably 4500 to 5k. I left that to fly more East so I’d have a better chance at flying XC. I started pushing speed bar and hit some more strong lift along the way and big sink in between. I didn’t like my ground speed and altitude so decided to go downwind while still pushing East. Meanwhile Syrus had launched and when straight up again. He kept an eye on me while I dove downwind. I landed a few miles away next to 33.
Conditions really picked up by 4pm. Ellis had a rock a roll flight, but she landed ok. Syrus landed too after using big ears and came to pick me up. I was home by 7:30.
Matt
Back on launch at 1pm I found Syrus helping Randy out of the bushes on the left. No damage. Launch is still very overgrown and our runway is small. After extracting Randy a huge cycle started blowing through for long time! Sweet! Syrus launched just after that cycle and elevatored up. I was just after at 1:50. I found a bird and climbed to 3k ft msl, but turning in it wasn’t very effective since there was significant drift. Flying straight with some brake was the best way to climb. Syrus flew for about 30 minutes, but lost the lift since he doesn’t have a vario (but a brand new Flymaster will arrive on Monday!).
I was flying just above ridge level for about an hour and a half watching the radar and listening to Beach House and Band of Skulls. Matthew, Karen, Ellis, and Syrus showed up on launch and found strong wind, but it never really overdeveloped. Clouds were growing taller and I noticed a small bit of rain just SE of Parker Mountain and a tall cumulus coming my way with a grey bottom that shaded the valley. I flew towards the LZ and to the left of it thinking I might have to land, but saw birds climbing on the front edge and joined them which got me back above the ridge. As that cloud passed over launch and at 3:30pm I found really nice wide 2 m/s thermal that I turned in to 4k msl, but not quite to cloud base which was probably 4500 to 5k. I left that to fly more East so I’d have a better chance at flying XC. I started pushing speed bar and hit some more strong lift along the way and big sink in between. I didn’t like my ground speed and altitude so decided to go downwind while still pushing East. Meanwhile Syrus had launched and when straight up again. He kept an eye on me while I dove downwind. I landed a few miles away next to 33.
Conditions really picked up by 4pm. Ellis had a rock a roll flight, but she landed ok. Syrus landed too after using big ears and came to pick me up. I was home by 7:30.
Matt
Re: DANIELS, FRIDAY EVE, 08-03-2012 ?
Well, after seeing Ellis' flight of a thousand collapses and wild scary turns (right after launching!), I decided to wait.
It backed off about a half hour later and I gave it a try-- three tries actually. First time-- the wing came up and turned 90 degrees to the right due to the West cross. So I dropped the wing. Second time-- the wing came up straight, but then overshot me as I turned around. I didn't have enough room to run it out safely, so I dropped it again-- this time to on the right side of the slot lower down and in the semi weed-whacked sticker bushes.
Karen and I flew Tiger Mountain near Seattle on Tuesday. They don't have any sticker bushes at all! They have a giant launch area where a half a dozen gliders could launch at once and it's all covered in this low green stuff that we don't have at any of our launches-- I think it's called grass. Tiger was also devoid of those tall stick-like leafy things towering close by on either side of the launch area.
But I digress. Third time was a charm and I caught the elevator right off of launch. There were no penetration problems, nor much of west cross-- and the lift was everywhere, even way out in the valley. However, there was not a single iota of smooth air. The whole flight was like driving over random speed bumps and through pot holes. I got 1K over and went to land when Karen reported via radio that there were storms South of Charlottesville on the radar. That's about the time that Ellis launched after a myriad of aborted attempts.
The air over the LZ as I came into land was the most turbulent I have ever experienced in a HG or PG. It was active flying all the way to the ground. I reported this to Ellis and she picked a field next to Route 810 to land. Karen elected not to fly.
The storms never arrived and Karen, Ellis and I went to the winery (Early Mountain) near the Sheetz on 230-- it's open til 8pm on Saturday. It's pretty posh and they serve swanky food.
Matthew
It backed off about a half hour later and I gave it a try-- three tries actually. First time-- the wing came up and turned 90 degrees to the right due to the West cross. So I dropped the wing. Second time-- the wing came up straight, but then overshot me as I turned around. I didn't have enough room to run it out safely, so I dropped it again-- this time to on the right side of the slot lower down and in the semi weed-whacked sticker bushes.
Karen and I flew Tiger Mountain near Seattle on Tuesday. They don't have any sticker bushes at all! They have a giant launch area where a half a dozen gliders could launch at once and it's all covered in this low green stuff that we don't have at any of our launches-- I think it's called grass. Tiger was also devoid of those tall stick-like leafy things towering close by on either side of the launch area.
But I digress. Third time was a charm and I caught the elevator right off of launch. There were no penetration problems, nor much of west cross-- and the lift was everywhere, even way out in the valley. However, there was not a single iota of smooth air. The whole flight was like driving over random speed bumps and through pot holes. I got 1K over and went to land when Karen reported via radio that there were storms South of Charlottesville on the radar. That's about the time that Ellis launched after a myriad of aborted attempts.
The air over the LZ as I came into land was the most turbulent I have ever experienced in a HG or PG. It was active flying all the way to the ground. I reported this to Ellis and she picked a field next to Route 810 to land. Karen elected not to fly.
The storms never arrived and Karen, Ellis and I went to the winery (Early Mountain) near the Sheetz on 230-- it's open til 8pm on Saturday. It's pretty posh and they serve swanky food.
Matthew
Re: DANIELS, FRIDAY EVE, 08-03-2012 ?
Glad no incidents. Sorry your guys couldn't arrive earlier. I'd love to plow Daniels and put down grass.
Early Mountain Winery sounds awesome! Jim Kaplan will be coming back to fly Sept 1st and I hope I can convince him to ditch Sal's and go to the winery instead.
Matt
Early Mountain Winery sounds awesome! Jim Kaplan will be coming back to fly Sept 1st and I hope I can convince him to ditch Sal's and go to the winery instead.
Matt