Sun 29 Mar : Pulpit? High Rock?

[markc]

Looking light NW going W going SW tomorrow. Thinking about maybe giving the Pulpit a try, but it would require motivated pilots, and an early arrival. Jon and Walt were tossing it around.... Anyone want to give it a go? At least it will be a bit warmer than today!

[mcgowantk]

I am going for sure but am leaning towards High Rock because it looks like we wills get NW winds a little longer in the day.

Tom McGowan

[markc]

You aren't worried about the <10 forecast Tom?

[darbbb]

How early is early?

[markc]

If it was to be the Pulpit, I think that pilots would have to be there by 10am. It is going to switch there sooner than High Rock, of course..... Hmmmm.... High Rock, on a sunny spring day, staying NW longer in the day... Tough call!

[markc]

PS: Sorry Walt, didn't see that you had already posted a topic for Sunday....

[mcgowantk]

Hi Mark

I am still leaning toward High Rock. The winds look launch able until later. They may be on the light side, but I the better direction appeals to me.

I am hitting the road by 8:00.

Tom

[markc]

NWS forecast is for NW@10-15 up at High Rock as of this AM. Can't get much more 'classic rock' than that.... That will probably be my choice too.

MarkC

[Dan T]

There I times when I wish I hadn't sold my hang glider. Today is one of them. The Rock is going to rock!

Dan T

[XCanytime]

If it was to be the Pulpit, I think that pilots would have to be there by 10am.

Shouldn't be a problem. Reference Dennis Pagen's PERFORMANCE FLYING. Bacil

[mcgowantk]

I am at the Rock and it looks fine to me. Wind are pretty much straight in at 5-10. The pulpit is likely good too. Tom

[ricsoar2]

Thank you. Tom, Mark, Dennis and Charlie for a fantastic First Cliff Launch experience. High Rock was Awesome and you guys were truly great. Thank you for all you help and kindness. I appreciate your instructional feed back and your high level of professionalism while have fun. Thank you very much!! Ric

[mcgowantk]

You are welcome Ric. You had two nice flights from the Rock. We had a nice day at the Rock even if it was on the cold side. I launched at 11:30 for a sled and blundered into a nice thermal near the LZ. That got me up above launch and an 1 1/2 hour flight. My recollection is that I maxed out at 4200 mL. Dennis and Charlie also got up on their flights. Mark drew the short straw for the first time this millennium and had two extends. At the end of the day, Dennis and Charlie had a nice tandem flight.

It was good to get out again and to see Emma Jane.

Tom McGowan

[markc]

High Rock was working its magic today, that's for sure!!

Don't get me wrong... This wasn't an easy-call, by any stretch. But the bottom line is that everyone who flew soared (well, almost), and cycles were coming in even late in the afternoon, despite the hard-SW cross that made its presence known sooner than any of us would have liked.

Tom McG was the first off, well before noon. He found a thermal (very!) low over the LZ, and was able to fly until he was too cold for more. And oh yeah.... It was COLD up there this morning, low of 18 degrees overnight.

I was second and tried to emulate Tom's flight, but it wasn't meant to be. Decked it, sledder. Dennis S, after me, found lift and got up, and got high. Both were beat-up and cold when they got back down. Conditions in the LZ were 90-cross, and even away from the ridge, as early as 1pm.

Ric, from Harrisburg, and Charlie, headed down to the LZ and eventually we all piled into Ric's truck for a ride back up to the top. We then launched Ric and Charlie, and both of them soared, woo-hoo! Not so much myself : Set back up and had a second flight, but it was basically an extendo; I sucked today.

Conditions when Charlie came in were basically COMPLETELY away from the ridge... Of course, just until he commited to a reverse approach... At which point it went back to a mere 90 cross. Lots of circling/deciding over the LZ today, not an easy day. Both Ric and Charlie did really well given the unpredictable conditions!

After the second wave and another trip up top, Dennis and Charlie did a tandem from the cube, and Ric flew a second time. We were seeing 90-cross on launch at that point, but with some patience there would eventually be decent launch cycles. The tandem was awesome (and MUCH watched by the wuffos), and Ric's second flight was solid.

We had an absolute menagerie up there today! Like, a group of 50 hikers from South Korea, no joke! Families with little kids running around the rocks. Hard core off-roaders, articulating around the rocks just below launch. Lots of bikers, both powered and unpowered. Whoa, CRAZY times up there today!

MarkC

[djscheele]

Hay guys,yea what a fun time at the rock! By no means was it a day to go x c,but if you wanted to go north up the valley towards Chambersburg it might have been possible, YEA RIGHT ! Any ways like Tom and Mark said it was a good working day to tune up for spring. I never have had good flying in March to windy or to light. Congradulation to Ric and Charlie for getting sign off at the rock. Now lets fly more at the rock. Thanks Tom and Mark for helping out with the tandem launch, every thing in the launch, flight and landing went great and Charlie had a big grin on his face when we landed. See you guys on the hill again soon . Denis

[Dunegoon]

Crank and Bank! Conditions required aggressive thermalling.

Note to self: Do not attempt to land while strong lift is just breaking from the LZ. Be patient and wait...no rush.

Ay Caramba!

Edit: Picture tag thingies. Deleted other picture.

[chgpa]

Attempted to clean up the [img] and [url] tags Charlie, please let me know if I got something wrong...

[sight]

Is High Rock still not open to PGs?

[mcgowantk]

High Rock is not "closed"to paragliders but the configuration of the cliff launch makes launching there for a paraglider a real challenge - to my knowledge it has not been done.

We have looked for alternative launches there and would welcome a way make this site available for paraglider pilots.

Tom McGowan