???? Arrived at 10A to very light conditions.? Clouds were popping over the WV border and heading our way.? Marc Fink and Kelvin showed up, and we watched the sky fill in quickly, but still very little wind.? Dan Tomlinson, Gary Smith, John Dullahan, Dave Bodner and wife Jody, Chris Donahue, and Mark Cavanaugh show up between 11A and 12 noon.? Around 12 noon the switch was thrown and the winds picked up some.? In 15 minutes it was time to take off.? Hung out in front waiting for John to launch, getting from 1 to 2K' over.? John finally launched, and we headed to Signal Knob.? He blistered up the ridge way ahead, while I flew a little slower at 2K' over.? By the time I almost caught up with him at the Strasburg reservoir I was a couple hundred over the ridge, and he was pretty high.? Turned around into a west cross.? Slow going for me, but even slower for John at a higher altitude.? I made it back to launch, stopped, and climbed in a nice thermal to 3.2K' over,, while John and Dan flew down to the Edinburg Gap.? I saw another glider out in the valley near my altitude; believe it was Mark C.? I headed to the gap, getting low, while Dan was way high over the gap.? Couldn't see John; he must have already jumped.? Saw Dan fly out into the valley, where it looked like he had the jump made.? I concentrated on getting up as high as I could before attempting the jump.? Found some life out in front of Waonaze Peak, got to 2K' over, and tried to jump the gap.? As I'm flying out into the valley, I see John on Short Mountain a mile or two from the gap on the deck.? That sight didn't make me want to fly over the sea of trees with no altitude.? And I wasn't finding any lift on the way over, so I put down at Rt. 675 in a cornfield around 2:45P.? Luckily I had prearranged with Dave Bodner for a retrieve for John and I, so I called his wife Jody, and she was able to retrieve me quickly from a map I hand drew for simplicity of retrieve.? While waiting for Jody saw a glider jump the gap high and head down to the end of Short Mt.? Don't know who that was.? On the way back I asked Jody if John had called, and she said no.? I figured he was still heading SW.? He was!? We got back to launch around 4:45P, and no sooner had we unloaded the stuff Jody's cellphone rings.? It's John, and he's just south of Port Republic!!!? 56+ miles.? I retrieve John, which takes an hour from launch.? I'll let him post his details.? Back at launch it's still soarable, with a gentle breeze wafting in at 10 to 15 MPH.? A couple of paragliders and hang gliders were enjoying the glass-off conditions.
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Bacil
Woodstock Saturday 5/29
Moderator: CHGPA BOD