Woodstock wed. repeat of last week.

[garys]

Looks like another good day at Woodstock this wed. I am taking the day off and will be there mid day. Any interest?

[darbbb]

I'm interested.

Brad

[markc]

Wow, looks like it could be the classic WS day, finally. But I will be stuck in an all day meeting, zero chance to get out. Good luck to those that go!

[thermalup]

I am now back in Michigan ... but I wish I could join you guys.
Fly high and far and have fun!
..::J

[heaviek]

Scratchy throat....coughing more and more...head feels warm...

[mcelrah]

Interested! - Hugh

[mcelrah]

I'm in, with bag and pipes. - Hugh

[darbbb]

Meet at bridge field? Eta?

[heaviek]

Bridge field @12:15

[markc]

The hourlies that I looked at sure seemed perfect, G's into the low 20's. Eagerly awaiting flight reports!

[mcelrah]

Kevin and I carpooled; he helped me carry my Sport 2 in to launch (ya - I'm that feeble that I will accept help even with a Sport 2). But the winds had backed off enough that I carried the hang-glider back to the car and flew paraglider instead. Got an hour with two low saves on the way out to the bridge field. My highest altitude was 700 over. George arrived and gave me a ride back up. Got flushed the second time - couldn't even make the bridge field, ended up in the bottom land to the north of the bridge field (other side of the bridge). The new landowner came out and is super friendly: he is Mike Crabill, a retired police helicopter pilot, Vietnam vet, police chaplain, former skydiver and all around nice guy. He is mowing the field with a cool hybrid electric lawn tractor and welcomes us (I suppose one could land a hang-glider there but it's tight - need an experienced pilot to pioneer it - NOTE POWER LINES at east end between the ridge and the field - if you aren't going to make it over the power lines, bail across the other bend in the river to the bottom land near the original LZ). There's corn planted in the bridge field, so we will lose it soon - Mike's field is a good choice for paragliders.

[heaviek]

Conditions were good. The cycles on launch had a pretty wide range from 3-15 mph so I expected strong lift. Picking a launch cycle was easy and the convection was good enough to make the mountain "ridge soar-able." In the air the lift didn't have quite as much horsepower as I was hoping for but there was good lift in to 3-400 with a 30 sec best of 5. I might be rusty though and not finding/keeping those 3-4's as well as I should. 200 was much more common but still plenty strong enough for the thankfully weak NNW wind. Rereading all that whining I just typed out, I should remind myself that Dr Jack only called for 400ft/min and 5k top with cummies drying out through the day and that was about spot on. I like to beat forecast lift strength and yesterday couldn't. Some thin high cirrus was around most of the day. I only hit cloudbase once @6,400 over Signal Knob and it was too cold. Those were the only cummies I saw that actually made it to the ridge. The rest were far west or north. Headed for the Front Royal Airport but changed my mind halfway. I hadn't made arraignments and second guessed the possible retrieve logistics. Instead flew back to the bridge fields. It was convective over the LZ's so I hung out for awhile before targeting the grassy up slope near the barn. The grass was high and I found the one small downhill portion in the middle of the big uphill .

I felt totally outnumbered as the only guy with bones in his wing.

[heaviek]

DOH! Gary flew also, I wasn't the only wing with bones. The ratio was still like 1:4 though.