A couple of days ago the forecast for Saturday was for light WSW and SW winds-- perfect for Taylor Hill or Daniel's or Highland for their opening day. Now its West 15-20, gusts to 30... and 3K winds in the 40s!
AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
There are some indications that the winds will clock around to the East on Sunday. Keep your fingers crossed for Bill's Hill.
Anyone wanna go climbing at Carderock on Saturday? Give me a holler.
Matthew
Stupid Weather!!!!
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
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Danny Brotto
- Posts: 709
- Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:29 pm
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
I might give Smithsburg a go in the afternoon.
Danny Brotto
Danny Brotto
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Interested in Smithsburg also
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Would love to try and catch an early evening flight at Pulpit or High Rock if isn't still blown out. Anybody think they will be around?
Jon
Jon
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Looks great at HR in the late PM. Bacil
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Really??? I'm still seeing strong gusts till sunset. Going climbing late AM through early afternoon. Might throw gliders on car if Saturday morning forecast looks good for a late day flight at High Rock.
I can't believe that Bacil is calling for High Rock.
The Pulpit is gonna be jealous!!!
Matthew
I can't believe that Bacil is calling for High Rock.
The Pulpit is gonna be jealous!!!
Matthew
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gdezarraga
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 10:25 pm
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
I'd be interested in Smithsburg also if the winds are PG safe. Definitely need to get a training hill day in to start the season. Please keep us posted.
Gaston
Gaston
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Danny Brotto
- Posts: 709
- Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:29 pm
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Dry cold front progressing through the area this morning. The strong SW winds will turn more westerly and even touch NW in the late afternoon. Smithsburg should be a riot (fun) at least for HG; might be sporty for PG until late in the day. Chance that valley effects keep things cross from the SW though.
HR might be doable later in the day. Full crews likely needed.
Still thinking of Smithsburg in the afternoon after the community cleanup at the gliderport.
I'm pretty sure it won't be Falcon-able at HR today but if someone decides to go and needs crew, please post here. I can home up and help out.
Going to be a nice 50's/60's today... right before more snow!
Danny Brotto
HR might be doable later in the day. Full crews likely needed.
Still thinking of Smithsburg in the afternoon after the community cleanup at the gliderport.
I'm pretty sure it won't be Falcon-able at HR today but if someone decides to go and needs crew, please post here. I can home up and help out.
Going to be a nice 50's/60's today... right before more snow!
Danny Brotto
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Why not Woodstock today?
Cross from the West, granted, but slowly swinging more NW in the afternoon. Lower 60's. Gusts in the low 20s. 3k winds aren't horrible.
Even if it's a hike up the back.... We've got the extra daylight now, and at least we wouldn't freeze after that workout.
MarkC
Cross from the West, granted, but slowly swinging more NW in the afternoon. Lower 60's. Gusts in the low 20s. 3k winds aren't horrible.
Even if it's a hike up the back.... We've got the extra daylight now, and at least we wouldn't freeze after that workout.
MarkC
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
I am up for a late afternoon flight at Woodstock. Gary Smith 540-686-0351
Gary Smith
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Gary and I are heading to WS, will meet on the front side first to drop a vehicle (bridge field), and then we'll drive around to the back side for the hike if the road is still closed. ETA at the bridge field is 11:45am.
MarkC
MarkC
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
I think the road is open.
Matthew
Matthew
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Mark,
If you are able to put a quick post up on here saying if the road is closed or not , that would be greatly appreciated.
I won't be back in town until this afternoon, so won't be able to make the hike up, but if the road is open then I will try for a late flight there.
Thanks!
Jon
If you are able to put a quick post up on here saying if the road is closed or not , that would be greatly appreciated.
I won't be back in town until this afternoon, so won't be able to make the hike up, but if the road is open then I will try for a late flight there.
Thanks!
Jon
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
The reason I said HR is that I suspect Woodstock Tower Road is still closed. The last snow just happened 12 days ago. It usually takes 3 to 4 weeks for the road to open after a snow event at this time of year. And with the crap predicted to move in on Monday, I would hope that the Woodstock Tower Road will be open by Saturday April 12th for the Silent Airshow day. Bacil
Last edited by XCanytime on Sat Mar 15, 2014 11:05 am, edited 2 times in total.
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silverwings
- Posts: 1243
- Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:29 pm
- Location: Bethesda, MD
- Contact:
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
The Woodstock police department indicated that the road should be open! I am thinking of going.
john middleton (202)409-2574 c
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FlyingFelix
- Posts: 418
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- Location: Baltimore, MD
- Contact:
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
May be a bit windy but thermals should be mad strong today according to the BLIP maps. I only wish I could of joined in today at Woodstock!
Felix.
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
I hope it settles down and straightens out for you guys so you can get a flight in. Bacil
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
I have to go to Ship U. today, so might as well go the rest of the way to Smithsburg. Anyone interested please give me a call or text. I can help launch at HR also if need later on. ETA about 4:00pm for SB.
717-82nine-4nine4three text or voice
Charley
AB3SF
717-82nine-4nine4three text or voice
Charley
AB3SF
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Greg,
Thanks for the update on the road being open. I am doing my darndest to try and make it in time for an evening flight. We'll see. Hope you guys get some nice conditions and get off the mountain for some sweet flights.
Thanks!
Jon
Thanks for the update on the road being open. I am doing my darndest to try and make it in time for an evening flight. We'll see. Hope you guys get some nice conditions and get off the mountain for some sweet flights.
Thanks!
Jon
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Time is not on my side today..... Not going to make it. Hope you guys have wonderful flights!!!
Jon
Jon
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
No food, workin' on the write-up.... It. Was. Gooooooooddddddddd!
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Checked my log: Last time I had a bonafide lovin-life soaring day was way back in early November. Couple of "ehh" Daniel's days, couple of training-hill days, and sled-days, then High Rock last weekend.... But whoa, *today*! Finally, a damn sweet one!
Gary and I made plans figuring that it was going to be a hike up the backside, but as luck would have it the road was open. That really changed things for the better: After meeting up at 11:45 at the bridge field, we just cruised up top, and were setting up at least 1.5 hours sooner than planned. Woo-hoo! Winds at launch would occasionally gust-up, but I didn't see anything more than 15, 15+. West cross, definitely. But with no foliage on the trees at this time of year, that really helped keep things laminar & benign in the slot. Lulls were 7-8mph. The cycles were very long, and you could hear the strong stuff coming from a long way off.
John M and Greg S arrived about an hour later, and conditions just seemed to keep getting better. After a bit of "Could it really be this nice?", Gary and I flipped a coin. I won/lost, and was first off the mtn, maybe 2:30-ish? Had plenty of help getting into the slot, many thanks guys!
My launch felt pretty good, straight out, one foot in the boot, and a bit of a climb leaving the slot as I turned left... Not much though, and I was initially below ridge-top, burbling along through lift. I turned back to the north to chase after it, and that worked well initially. But I went a bit too far downwind, and got into the turbulated air to the right of launch. After a few uh-oh moments, I started climbing, 180-ing back and forth to work my way above the tower.
And that's when things just totally turned on! Thermal after thermal, tracking from hard west, and I just started taking them downwind, further and further downwind of the tower, and higher and higher.... 2k over, then 3k, then 4k over! (well, ok, 3976 over, not that I was counting, *smile*). Totally blue, but the lift just kept coming, along an incredibly well-defined lift-line.
After I had my fill of altitude, I tried to follow the line out into the valley, figuring that I could surely continue to connect with it.... But no, wasn't meant to be, and I was soon the low-man on the totem pole, looking up at John and Greg and Gary. I wallowed around for a while, finally getting to 1000' over the ridge... And that's when I saw a pair of mature Bald Eagles cruising south. They were in cruise-mode, no chance of chasing them.... But then there was a second pair of birds flying around, big, couldn't figure out what they were!
Lost track of them for a while, concentrating on lift.... And then WHOA, I look up and one of them is feet above my nosecone! As I was climbing back up at the finger north of launch, both of them were DOGGING me, completely! Multiple passes, one of my left wing and the other above and to my right. Then both swinging back around and coming at me co-altitude, doing a 90-degree roll and showing talons! Couldn't believe it! Their underfeathers were very brown & white, and I thought maybe redtails? But there was none of the classic redtail color on the topside.... So I'm thinking maybe immature balds? They were big. They were ugly!
Did I get any video? No! Figures! I had the GoPro tucked into a harness pocket, thinking that I would try some handheld footage, but I never felt comfortable enough to dig it out in the air. Though things were good, it was definitely strong up there: not a day to be hands-off on the bar.
I headed south at that point, maybe a couple miles short of the gap. After some gnarly air and big sink, I found some really good lift down there, back up to 2000' over, and then 3000' over. With those conditions, I started drifting back downwind toward the bridge field, staying Way out in the valley, just bubblin' along, out near Route 11. It was really fun!
I landed last : Things were still very strong, and I tried to time my approach so that I wasn't coming in during a thermal cycle. I did a left-hand approach, and that was NOT the right choice given the conditions..... I don't land in that field often, and I have an aversion to turning onto base heading *toward* the power lines along the road. But today? That would have been the safer choice! With my left-hand approach, I turned onto base downwind, towards the tree line that follows the river. I knew I was going to be kicked in the ass by the W cross, and as I brought it around, my "No! No! No, not lettin' that happen!" was clearly audible from the ground.
Strong West day? Bridge field? Do a right-hand approach, believe me!
Getting the glider off the field took a while, things were crankin'.
But after a stop for a cold beer in Front Royal, I got back onto I-66 East : Beautiful full moon rising in front of me, and a bright, cloud-free sunset behind me, equally high in the sky, it was *perfect*. And the flags? They were perfect too, I really suspect that conditions at launch were good at the end of the day. Kinda bummed not to be on the top of the mtn at that point, shoulda just camped out up there!
MarkC
Gary and I made plans figuring that it was going to be a hike up the backside, but as luck would have it the road was open. That really changed things for the better: After meeting up at 11:45 at the bridge field, we just cruised up top, and were setting up at least 1.5 hours sooner than planned. Woo-hoo! Winds at launch would occasionally gust-up, but I didn't see anything more than 15, 15+. West cross, definitely. But with no foliage on the trees at this time of year, that really helped keep things laminar & benign in the slot. Lulls were 7-8mph. The cycles were very long, and you could hear the strong stuff coming from a long way off.
John M and Greg S arrived about an hour later, and conditions just seemed to keep getting better. After a bit of "Could it really be this nice?", Gary and I flipped a coin. I won/lost, and was first off the mtn, maybe 2:30-ish? Had plenty of help getting into the slot, many thanks guys!
My launch felt pretty good, straight out, one foot in the boot, and a bit of a climb leaving the slot as I turned left... Not much though, and I was initially below ridge-top, burbling along through lift. I turned back to the north to chase after it, and that worked well initially. But I went a bit too far downwind, and got into the turbulated air to the right of launch. After a few uh-oh moments, I started climbing, 180-ing back and forth to work my way above the tower.
And that's when things just totally turned on! Thermal after thermal, tracking from hard west, and I just started taking them downwind, further and further downwind of the tower, and higher and higher.... 2k over, then 3k, then 4k over! (well, ok, 3976 over, not that I was counting, *smile*). Totally blue, but the lift just kept coming, along an incredibly well-defined lift-line.
After I had my fill of altitude, I tried to follow the line out into the valley, figuring that I could surely continue to connect with it.... But no, wasn't meant to be, and I was soon the low-man on the totem pole, looking up at John and Greg and Gary. I wallowed around for a while, finally getting to 1000' over the ridge... And that's when I saw a pair of mature Bald Eagles cruising south. They were in cruise-mode, no chance of chasing them.... But then there was a second pair of birds flying around, big, couldn't figure out what they were!
Lost track of them for a while, concentrating on lift.... And then WHOA, I look up and one of them is feet above my nosecone! As I was climbing back up at the finger north of launch, both of them were DOGGING me, completely! Multiple passes, one of my left wing and the other above and to my right. Then both swinging back around and coming at me co-altitude, doing a 90-degree roll and showing talons! Couldn't believe it! Their underfeathers were very brown & white, and I thought maybe redtails? But there was none of the classic redtail color on the topside.... So I'm thinking maybe immature balds? They were big. They were ugly!
Did I get any video? No! Figures! I had the GoPro tucked into a harness pocket, thinking that I would try some handheld footage, but I never felt comfortable enough to dig it out in the air. Though things were good, it was definitely strong up there: not a day to be hands-off on the bar.
I headed south at that point, maybe a couple miles short of the gap. After some gnarly air and big sink, I found some really good lift down there, back up to 2000' over, and then 3000' over. With those conditions, I started drifting back downwind toward the bridge field, staying Way out in the valley, just bubblin' along, out near Route 11. It was really fun!
I landed last : Things were still very strong, and I tried to time my approach so that I wasn't coming in during a thermal cycle. I did a left-hand approach, and that was NOT the right choice given the conditions..... I don't land in that field often, and I have an aversion to turning onto base heading *toward* the power lines along the road. But today? That would have been the safer choice! With my left-hand approach, I turned onto base downwind, towards the tree line that follows the river. I knew I was going to be kicked in the ass by the W cross, and as I brought it around, my "No! No! No, not lettin' that happen!" was clearly audible from the ground.
Strong West day? Bridge field? Do a right-hand approach, believe me!
Getting the glider off the field took a while, things were crankin'.
But after a stop for a cold beer in Front Royal, I got back onto I-66 East : Beautiful full moon rising in front of me, and a bright, cloud-free sunset behind me, equally high in the sky, it was *perfect*. And the flags? They were perfect too, I really suspect that conditions at launch were good at the end of the day. Kinda bummed not to be on the top of the mtn at that point, shoulda just camped out up there!
MarkC
Re: Stupid Weather!!!!
Damn sweet! I was in southeast VA on the bay I saw nice big cumulus forming and getting a bit blown apart but sure signs of nice lift. Glad you got to enjoy it! Looked like the first Spring day.