Late day Pulpit Thursday 5/16

[XCanytime]

Got Thursday off. Looks good for a late day flight at the Pulpit after 6P. Anybody interested? Bacil

[Lostgriz]

Wish I could. Hope you get a nice evening flight.

Matt

[Dunegoon]

Bacil twisted my arm to come out flying. I had to leave work early by 4:00 and was on the road shortly thereafter. By the time I arrived at 6:00 conditions were still strong. Some gusts over 20 with sharp edges, but basically straight in. There was still some convection out in the valley with corresponding clouds. As I set my glider up I got to listen to Hugh and Bacil banter about work, life, and just how great it was to be out in in the mountains. Around 7:35 it smoothed out with a velocity of 12-15, and Hugh and Bacil threw me off. I was concerned that there was going to be some texture to the air, but I was greeted pleasantly with smooth broad lift easily taking me to 850+ over launch without any effort. Hugh joined me shortly thereafter and we flew our brains out. It wasn't really that great, just fly around anywhere you want for 43 minutes while watching the sunset.

When I finally decided to land I still had about 1500 agl directly over the LZ. Bacil vectored me down to land along the NE "runway" along side the grass. A high approach and light wind in the LZ resulted in a landing that was much longer than I wanted, but ended up with a good straight flair and ran a few steps. Many thanks to Bacil for hours of mentoring and sacrificing his own airtime to help me out. He had my "new to me" Honda CR-V waiting in the LZ for an expeditious return to the top to drop Hugh and his glider off. HG debauchary during the week is a good change of pace.

Note that the grass areas in the primary LZ are getting high so use caution. Furthermore, it looks like the dirt areas have corn planted so be careful not to damage the emerging crops.

Charley F.

[jyoder111]

Congrats on the flights, Charlie and Hugh! Sounds like a good day!

Jesse

[mcelrah]

I didn't require any arm-twisting. It was blowing 20-25 when I arrived at 3:30, so I set up and hang-waited. Bacil arrived just after 4 and we had fun catching up. Charlie arrived around 6:15 and it was backing down gradually, but with a lot of rough-edged gusts. Charlie launched at 8 in 12-15 mph and his Eagle 164 performed well, so Bacil helped me launch my Falcon III 170. I was able to crab along the ridge in the teens of mph at 5-600 over and watched the sun set for 25 minutes. Had 5 mph straight upwind without pulling in much. My landing was not stylish, but safe: wheeled it in on my belly. I recently adjusted my harness for more head down pitch and that may be why I never got upright. This was my first flight since having a corner bracket and sidewires replaced by the Ridgely boys (their usual fine service) and my first foot-launch HG flight since returning from the Philippines (one PG flight a few weeks ago). It's great to be back! Thanks to Bacil for talking the day up and coming out to crew without even bringing his glider! We have some of the most beautiful flying sites anywhere! - Hugh

[eggzkitz]

Agreed on the beauty...

Welcome back Hugh!