The morning fog burned off the lake, and almost as soon as you could glimpse all the way across it, vultures began to spiral upward. I pulled on a tank top after learning that the temp today would be 80, filled my camelback, and raced towards Quest.
I finally got word from my doc this morning; I had permission to fly as long as I did it "gently," and didn't use a great deal of strength. Right, I thought, I'll remember that if I'm locking out.
After 6 weeks off, I MAY have been a tad nervous. My hands were so shaky I gave up on coffee on after only 2 cups, and I visited the bathroom so many times you would have thought I had the flu.
But I DID listen -- I set up the Falcon instead of the Litespeed, and resolved not to go XC unless I was forced to, meaning if it was GOOD. Greg D, Paul, Peter from VA, Andrew (from VA also, he flies with Steve W), as well as the Questie regulars joined the party.
I begged Lisa to tow me. (She is probably the best tow pilot I've ever flown behind, and I've flown behind a few. She can skate along the edge of a stall and never cross that line.) I was first in the air by a long shot; Lisa dumped me at cloudbase, which was 2300 feet.
Get this; I circled on the side of the cloud and got 800 feet above base! If I started to lose altitude I'd tuck into the mist. Much of the time, the sun was at my side, so I had this incredible glory (the rainbow that surrounds the shadow of you and your glider) flying up below me. It was one of the most stunning flights I've ever had. The lift pooped out after 40 minutes and I landed.
Everyone launched later, and had extendos, at best. Flavia launched a bit after I did and got a couple of hours. I tried again, too, and was rewarded with a sled. We all broke down, just in time to spot a few pilots from Wallaby overhead. It had turned on again; I was exhausted anyhow. The Wallaby pilots flew towards home. Andrew bolted to his glider. He enjoyed a late day, long flight.
Very fun. My layoff has been great; I am so air horny I'm crazy. What's burnout????
Lauren
I flew beside and above a cloud!
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Hi Lauren,
I can relate to your thrill of climbing up next to a cloud, it happened to me at Highland a couple summers ago. There was a huge towering CU over the field which I got under and then flew out beneath at base, when I got out into the sunlight and away from base I was still climbing so I started to circle up right next to the cloud. It was so awesome! But I noticed a couple really large CU's growing a couple miles to the South and WEST that if they continued developing could have easily boxed me in if I climbed much higher. So I elected to fly away from these guys but stayed near base of the original cloud which I managed to almost completely curcumnavigate (it was a good 2-3 miles in diameter) before everything dissipated after a good hour or so. It was one of those flights that goes down as a top ten!
I always wonder why there can be lift next to a cloud with out it developing condensation and adding to the cloud??
Take care,
Paul
I can relate to your thrill of climbing up next to a cloud, it happened to me at Highland a couple summers ago. There was a huge towering CU over the field which I got under and then flew out beneath at base, when I got out into the sunlight and away from base I was still climbing so I started to circle up right next to the cloud. It was so awesome! But I noticed a couple really large CU's growing a couple miles to the South and WEST that if they continued developing could have easily boxed me in if I climbed much higher. So I elected to fly away from these guys but stayed near base of the original cloud which I managed to almost completely curcumnavigate (it was a good 2-3 miles in diameter) before everything dissipated after a good hour or so. It was one of those flights that goes down as a top ten!
I always wonder why there can be lift next to a cloud with out it developing condensation and adding to the cloud??
Take care,
Paul
Paul Adamez
In Pagen's Understanding The Sky he theorizes that the cloud forms a convective barrier and acts like a "ridge" and the flow of the air at altitude up against the side of the cloud produces enough orographic (ridge) lift sometimes to enable pilots to soar above the cloudbase by "soaring" the cloud.
Bacil
Bacil
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Ashley Groves
- Posts: 247
- Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:01 am
Question is, was there lift beside the cloud but below cloud base? If so, it's not cloud ridge lift. Lauren, where exactly did you start the climb? 'Cloudbase' could mean you were dropped a little above or below the cloud beside you.
The fact that you were close enough to brush into the wispies seems to support the ridge lift concept.
The fact that you were close enough to brush into the wispies seems to support the ridge lift concept.
Brian Vant-Hull
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Lauren Tjaden
- Posts: 371
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2005 6:27 pm
Question is, was there lift beside the cloud but below cloud base? If so, it's not cloud ridge lift. Lauren, where exactly did you start the climb? 'Cloudbase' could mean you were dropped a little above or below the cloud beside you.
Lisa dropped me below the cloud, but close to its edge. I could see the horizon but had little room to climb before I would have whited-out, so almost immediately, I flew out into the sunlight. There wasn't really great lift under the cloud, more like zero sink. I started my climb to the side of the cloud. I had figured I needed to lose some altitude before I explored under it. The cloud was large, both in area that it covered and vertically, too. It was not something you'd want to fly into. The big climb was a surprise. The lift wasn't strong; I think my max was 200 fpm. The cloud was to my side throughout the climb. When I flew into the wispies, it was to my side, not above me, for maybe a quarter of a circle. There was little wind, so I'm not sure about the ridge lift theory. I did find lift under the clouds, too, that day, but this one climb was in the blue, with my glory under me and to the side.
I got a stupid cold the next day but now I'm better and I WANNA go fly again!!!! You guys should come down here and party and fly with us.
Lauren
Lisa dropped me below the cloud, but close to its edge. I could see the horizon but had little room to climb before I would have whited-out, so almost immediately, I flew out into the sunlight. There wasn't really great lift under the cloud, more like zero sink. I started my climb to the side of the cloud. I had figured I needed to lose some altitude before I explored under it. The cloud was large, both in area that it covered and vertically, too. It was not something you'd want to fly into. The big climb was a surprise. The lift wasn't strong; I think my max was 200 fpm. The cloud was to my side throughout the climb. When I flew into the wispies, it was to my side, not above me, for maybe a quarter of a circle. There was little wind, so I'm not sure about the ridge lift theory. I did find lift under the clouds, too, that day, but this one climb was in the blue, with my glory under me and to the side.
I got a stupid cold the next day but now I'm better and I WANNA go fly again!!!! You guys should come down here and party and fly with us.
Lauren
you know those 60's babies, still in la la land, mom and dad - Flower Power.-
Lauren Tjaden
- Posts: 371
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2005 6:27 pm
Couldn't have happened to a nicer, more wacked out person.
Wacked out! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Who was the pilot that once crept into my tent at a fly in and hid there? The same pilot popped up and surprised me some ten minutes later, when I'd started to sleep -- that wouldn't be you Brian, would it?
Ah, it makes me miss you, you perv.
Hey, it was brutally cold today -- a high of only a bone chilling 63 degrees -- but I sacrificed and flew anyhow, twice. Not much lift but I got a little practice, and I need to get flying fit (I work out daily, but flying is different). I flew Cynthia, the pretty Falcon with a glide like a rock, but broke her down and set up Angel, my bitch friend, for the great south day tomorrow. It will still be chilly, but will be at least more tolerable at 74 degrees.
What are you waiting for? How white does your skin need to get?
Lauren
Wacked out! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Who was the pilot that once crept into my tent at a fly in and hid there? The same pilot popped up and surprised me some ten minutes later, when I'd started to sleep -- that wouldn't be you Brian, would it?
Ah, it makes me miss you, you perv.
Hey, it was brutally cold today -- a high of only a bone chilling 63 degrees -- but I sacrificed and flew anyhow, twice. Not much lift but I got a little practice, and I need to get flying fit (I work out daily, but flying is different). I flew Cynthia, the pretty Falcon with a glide like a rock, but broke her down and set up Angel, my bitch friend, for the great south day tomorrow. It will still be chilly, but will be at least more tolerable at 74 degrees.
What are you waiting for? How white does your skin need to get?
Lauren