After gaining enough altitude to comfortably head west towards Klingerstown (still lotsa corn around), I found some good lift about halfway to the Klingerstown Gap. I was directly out in front of the nice house on top of the ridge, and loitered there under a nice developing cumie overhead/downwind. Got up to 3800'+ MSL, and headed to the gap. Could've jumped the gap, but decided to head back towards launch and maybe fly w/ Joe and/or Allan. By the time I got back, Joe was on the bump, and conditions had gotten real X from the NW.
I battled the X for a good 15 minutes, and at one point considered going in to land, but found a lift line to the east of launch, and followed it out into the valley. That line got me back up comfortably above the ridge, and I flew back over launch, and noticed Joe had backed off the bump. Shortly thereafter saw Allan stage on the bump. I headed west and maintained a comfortable altitude above the ridge. I saw Allan launch, head east, and get higher than me, so I decided to go join him. He flew over my head heading west, so I just continued heading east. Scanned the LZ, and saw a hang glider shadow over the field heading south. I scanned the sky, and didn't see anybody. Then I saw Joe on final for the LZ. What? He got a sledder
.I decided to go in and land. Kept seeing real X conditions in the LZ from time to time. Over the LZ found lift and just went w/ it, gaining 1500' up to 3K' MSL, drifting due south over launch. Saw Allan higher and further back over the valley behind launch. Used the altitude to just cruise directly upwind and enter the pattern. Did so, and had a nice approach to final. On final the gradient robbed me of some airspeed, and I bellied in softly on the wheels just shy of the edge of the cornfield. Flight time was just under 2 hours. Allan flew til near sunset, and reported nice solid ridge lift the last part of his flight. He had a nice approach and landing just before sunset. Another good day at the SAC! Bacil
