Ridgely, 8/16/14

[Ward Odenwald]

Another good Saturday at Highland. Didn’t get as high as last Saturday but still had FUN trying to stay in small/tight cores of lift! There were 6 to 8 solo pilots and most, if not all, found thermals with enough energy to stay up. Here are some photos.

Ward

[Ward Odenwald]

Had one additional experience that topped-off the day after leaving Highland. Like most of us, I drive with one eye on the road and the other scanning the sky for soaring birds so while driving north towards 301 (via 304), I came around a curve and saw a gaggle of 5 to 10 vultures all in ~45 degree banks staggered about 3 to 500 ft above the tree line. My first thought was there must be a road kill up ahead but just as I finished the turn, John Simon’s Combat appeared and from my angle he was climbing through the pack. I pulled of the road to watch John “work the crowd” and soon after, Greg Sessa also stopped to watch. For at least 5 to 8 min, John and his entourage trade places and it looked as if Simon was going to pull off a remarkable low save. From my angle, John was close enough to his thermalling partners to suggest that he was passing out breath mints. Soon after, the gang stopped climbing and Simon landed in a plowed field across the road from where Greg and I had stopped.

Thanks for showing us what’s possible John!

Ward

[Danny Brotto]

So did you give him a ride back to the airport?

Danny Brotto

[Ward Odenwald]

Sessa accepted the chauffeur responsibility. I was on my way to the MHGA meeting.

[John Simon]

Thanks Ward for rooting me on. I saw you down there and really worked hard to avoid joining you, but it was not to be and at 400' I had to give it up and come on over. I flew with those birds for a long time, and after 10 or 15 minutes of circling with them... they weren't any higher than when I arrived! Not enough altitude for me to do much else. Thanks to Greg for waiting for me to break down and driving me the short couple miles back to the field. It was fun trying, and great (attempted) low save practice.

Take care,


John