Today was booming BIG time at Woodstock. It was truly a 100 mile plus day--except of course I came with my dogs so I had to stay a homebody and land at the main. Winds were a tad strong and gusty from the NNW.
So many thermals everywhere they were hard to avoid--never experienced anything quite like it. Flew the bitty Sport 2 135 and I thought it was great fun--especially got a kick out of thermaling with full VG on--felt about the same as my Talon with full VG off. Peak lift was 766 fpm, and max gain was 4,830 over to 6,700 ft--and I was still a long way off from cloudbase. Originally came to do PG tandems--but it was still crankin good at 6:30 when I bailed. Still, had fun flying up to the resevoir near the point and back--then spent most of the rest of the flight flying out into the headwind near 11 and getting back up again. Steve, Dan B, Bruce and Linda also flew--but I will let them salivate over their own flights.
Hooked up with Steve K, and Marc F. for observation at Woodstock. Mr. F bailed due to time constraints, Steve sent me on my way merrily.
By the time I launched (6:45) the wind at launch had calmed down to about 10 mph with some strong thermals still moving strongly thru on a regular basis. Picked a nice cycle and launched just after Mark Gardner in his Aeros stealth. There were paraglider pilots there that Steve knew, and one assisted with my wing crew.
Mark G. did a surprising dip at launch ( into sink from the void behind a thermal?) and just cleared the trees on launch. Then disappeared down the ridge for an hour. I lhad a nice clean launch, soared for an hour, and I am under the impresison I actually thermalled!
With at least 1,000 above launch, and plenty of lift even over the valley ( I edged my way just past the LZ) I felt I had the leeway to practice locking into some of those thermals that were bumping me occaisionally. I basically waited in the lift band for the thermals to come to me, and would make a couple 360's until I was back at the ridge line. I had the time to check for waving treelines, and head for soaring birds nearby. A couple redtailed hawks were diving and playing beneath me. I won't say that I completely understood the thermals I attempted to lock into, but at least I was able to practice turning into the lifted wing, and mostly I went up.
I entered the LZ with plenty of speed in case the thermals that had forced Bruce up and out, and punched Mark F. and Steve K. on their landings, were still lurking about. I landed with a good clean DBF and flare.
Mark G. zoomed into the LZ just behind me, and exclaimed that he had been full VG the entire time of his one hour ridge run. He'd apparently been ripping thru the skies the entire time. I believe he was passing through Woodstock on his annual pilgrimage to Seneca Rocks for a Memorial Day gathering, if I recall his tale correctly.
> down the ridge for an hour. I lhad a nice clean launch, soared for an
> hour, and I am under the impresison I actually thermalled!
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> What a day! What an excellent day!
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>
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Launched in the light cycle that I had waited a LONG time for and headed straight to the first finger north.? Climbed quickly to 3000 over launch and set out on my first run to Signal Knob…woohoo!!!? Felt like it took FOREVER to get there…probably flying too conservatively considering how much lift was present.? Waiting for some approaching clouds to get closer, I played around in the rock slide thermals on the Knob and then headed back south.? This is when it got really fun!? ?On the way back, set a personal-best altitude gain of 5495. ??I flew out in front of the ridge and met a cloud, then drifted back with it until I got to the 2nd ridge. At that altitude, maybe 6800 msl, was still a ways short of cloudbase.? ?
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I’m trying to learn to find the best lift, to climb efficiently, but I’m not sure I have developed any strategies I could articulate.? I think I’m getting a better feel for when and which way to turn but the more I learn the more I realize how little I know. ?
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When I got back to launch, I circled down to see if the wind had diminished enough for a PG flight (I was Marc’s designated tandem passenger); it hadn’t.? So I went back to work and made 5k over again.? INCREDIBLE BIG AIR DAY!??
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Watched a sailplane on tow fly beneath me.? Later, Steve and I wondered how a sailplane could have bombed out in those conditions.?
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When I thought it might be PG’able, I circled down again and then made a bozo move.? I was between the ridges, fine with the altitude I had, but I got lower than I had planned while playing around with my vario.? Was concentrating on the wrong thing at the wrong time.? Had the sudden butt-puckering realization that I might not make it back in front from where I was and decided to dash for the gap behind launch.? Rodeo ride through the rotor and I yelled out yeehaw followed by some other words I won’t post. ?Landed in the huge field behind the 2nd ridge.? As soon as I sat my glider down by the fence, a nice neighbor said it wasn’t a problem to land there and offered a body ride up the mountain. ?Not the way I would have preferred to wrap up such a nice 2:30 flight, but valuable lessons learned and it all ended fine anyway. ?
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Wind never got light enough to fly PG.? ?
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Steve, Bruce and I watched Linda from the tower and then along with Joe devoured a Mexican meal at Christina’s Restaurant.? I told Joe we had all sledded but he knew better.? Congrats to Linda on her awesome soaring flight!? ?We were all excited for her.
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Thanks to Hank and Kharma for stopping by and helping launch.?
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I’m planning on flying Sunday.? Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend, whatever you do!
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~Daniel
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Wow! Color me green!
And good job Daniel, fixing your mistake by looking to see where you could reach with your glide instead of getting stuck on the landing field (though I have to say, Alek's first XC was LOTS longer)
Lauren
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[lt] though I have to say, Alek's first XC was LOTS longer
[db] If you count the distance from Signal Knob to the last bend south of launch...well...he still beats me by about 7 miles! Damn.
We all should have gone xc yesterday, but nobody had a driver and we were all in the air at the same time. Bad pre-party planning.
~Daniel
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Thank you Shawn, it felt awesome. Yeah, I could really get hooked on the non-sled approach to hang gliding!
I was so excited when I got home and posted a late night entry, that I forgot to say a GIGANTIC THANK YOU to Steve K! He stuck around for several hours, till late, between his glider pack and my landing, to make sure I launched and landed okay, even when the rest of the gang was hungry and rarin' to hit the restaurant. But I was hungry for some extended air time!
I really appreciated your willingness to observe me for a first time even when you aren't familiar my skill level other than by my postings; your assistance and advice on launch, thermals and landings were all extremely helpful. I would have loved to join the gang for dinner and buy a round of beer but had to run home to the girls who had school the next day. Maybe you'll take a raincheck on the beer! - Linda B.
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