The east winds finally shifted some and three of us PG pilots and an HG took a chance and drove up to Bubba's launch site in Boone. When we arrived the sky was mostly decked over and the clouds were blowing past the windsock located up on top of the hill. After a 30 minute wait or so the clouds lifted some and us three PG pilots set up to give it a go. The HG pilot didn't like conditions and elected not to set up.
With the sky still almost completely decked over but base a bit higher the two other PG pilots, Bubba and Benjerman, launched and sledded to a humongous freshly mowed LZ right out in front. By the time I was ready the sun was out in spots and I could see a couple of very tall cumies left and right of my launch line. Moments later I was in the air and headed to cloudbase, while keeping a close eye on the sky. There was a blue hole in front of me along the line that the other two had taken to the LZ 20 minutes or so earlier. Unfortunately the cumies weren't showing any sign of drying up so I decided to head out to land rather than risk dealing with potentially worsening conditions.
Well the blue hole didn't mean a sink hole and I found myself having to pull on "big ears" in order to keep the vario for singing the kinds of noises that on most days we love to hear. The lift was prevalent almost all the way to the ground.
The skies never did get worse. A bolder pilot could have flow for hours all over the valley.
Bubba is hosting the Tater Hill Open, beginning on the last weekend in July. This is a great site with ample room for both kinds of wings. I'm planning on attending. Ya'all should come on down!
Dan T
Cloudbase at Boone
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