Monday March 27 2006
Ron was already in the air when I got to Hammondsport, with a big-ass bird following him all over, sometimes with talons poised. They weren't very high and there were hawks all over. When I saw Ron's pet up next to one of the Red-Tails, I realized he had an irate eagle on his butt. From underneath I could see no white head and tail, and it looked small for a Bald Eagle, but it's tip feathers were obvious and it for sure wasn't a vulture. Bob and I were laughing while this bird threatened Ron's glider for almost an hour.
Finally Ron got really really high and I sped up my set-up. The wind blowing into launch was similar to Sunday but the whole day was completely different. I had seen 6000' boundary layer on the soundings so I figured we might get really high. I dressed for extreme cold even though the air temp was around 50 degrees and launched (badly) after Bob's perfect launch. Bill had already launched and everyone was doing pretty well. The air was decent, and I climbed some and proceded to zip up. Couldn't. Tried again. Still not able. Lost some altitude. Climbed a little and tried the stupid zipper again... that went on for 20 minutes while I barely maintained soaring flight. Finally I just gave up and decided to ignore it. Then I could actually climb and take a look around. Bill was way up north by the lake, Bob and Ron were high behind the church. It was good all over and the climbs were really solid... until the cycle ended! Then suddenly we were all scratching at the ridge and Bob sank out. Ron and I hung on and I was way out front of launch tangling with the bottom of a thermal. When I started to actually climb in it a little, I got this charlie-horse in the arch of my foot. I thought I would be joining Bob in a minute in his plummet to the LZ... I had been really straining my feet to keep my legs as much in the harness as possible.... finally I got back up again and then the heavens opened up and I was at 4500' over launch. Ron joined me way up there and I thought if I was zipped in I would fly to Harris. It was so sweet to see everything from that altitude again. We were really HIGH! Here I was with warm hands, face and head... with the fronts of my thighs just about frostbitten! Oh and my hips were killing me! But the air was so big, not scary- except the edges were a bit 'over the falls' - I knew I had Ron the Hang2 beat in altitude, my work here was done- so I went to land on top. Not so easy! A thermal was kicking off and I had to stay in it with Ron until it passed by the field. Landing was decent, better than the too-low wing on launch.
So I got my hour, Ron got like 3.5!!!! Ron K and Ed J arrived and they and the two PGs (Doug and Matt) flew for about as long as they liked. It got very smooth and perfect for PG. Wow. Big day. Gimme another day like that when I am actually all in one piece! Next time....
Oh and Ron never noticed his new bird friend at all! Funny!

Sunday March 26, 2006
Well today was a day NOT to fly- for me anyways. Ron and Joel were banging around in it for about an hour, while I was very very slowly setting up and watching. It was really howling in, snow squalls (or SLEET squalls) here and there, and an ugly looking sky. The two of them seemed oblivious mostly, but every once in a while you could see signs that it was rough for them. When Joel was wanging out front and the wind got lighter, I figured it would be okay air. He even yelled down that it was better. So I launch and for the first few minutes it was okay- tough to stay up above the ridge, but okay. I got a little higher and still okay- then it started getting nasty and it seemed that any where I went it was choppy. Ron was landing behind the church and I figured that I would like to be on the ground as well. I tried to avoid the lift on the way over- big lift here and there- tough to lose altitude. Then I found a bit of sink to 360 in but got kicked all over so I figure I'll try to hit the uphill near the pond to be safe. Well then the wind in the LZ is strong and parallel to rte 54 so I know it will be rotor near where I was headed, so I pick the "old LZ" as my target. I could barely handle my glider all the way to the ground. At one point I thought I would be IN the pond for all the good my inputs were doing. And I thought- oh shit- I don't want to get hurt just before the comps- and oh shit- I wish I had wheels on this glider- and oh shit- Adam's here and I don't want him to see me get killed- and just OH SHIT! Joel was navigating his approach in the same area so at least I was going to have a witness- or company dying.... Five feet before I was on the ground I felt very out of control. Then I just stuck this perfect landing and all was well... except I figured I better run and leave a whole bunch of room for Joel.
SO 13 minutes of just YUCK. And a reminder that some days there is just some air in which that I don't need to be flying. The sun came out as we were breaking down. Mark wondered what the hell we were doing over there on retrieve... In retrospect, I think I should have climbed out some and maybe waited til that ratty piece had moved on out. My arms were beat after that short wrestling match, leading me to think I need to hit the gym harder...
Hopefully today it will be better air. I know I ain't gonna launch til I'm sure.

Tuesday, March 21st 2006
Got about an hour at Hammondsport, in really great air, with HG Bob, PG Sean (yeah he really does fly gliders!) and PG Dave. What a blast! Dave flew first, landed a bit short. Sean had a scary launch (but I think almost all PG launches are scary- especially at H-port!), and flew around a while. Bob launched and got up pretty quick, and I just had to wait til he was out of my way to launch. I chose the Litespeed to fly (the old one, not the new one) and it felt great to fly a "real" glider again. Heavy little bitch, but so nice in the air. I got some really good climbs in big boaty thermals, topped out due to the cold at 2300' over, tried to stay lower to thaw my thumbs. But there was easy lift everywhere and Bob was marking it really well. We flew all over the place with impunity! Dave and Sean came back up again and Sean launched while I was trying to decide if I should land on top. That decided it for me, and it looked real simple, but I did beak the nose a little in the downhill slope. I had no wheels like I usually have so I think I psyched myself out a little. Then I got to writhe and moan while my fingers came back to body temperature while Bob was landing. His looked really interesting! I walked back to the parking area and watched Sean just flying around easily at 500' over. He went back and landed on top as well so retrieve was really easy. Plus he was all packed up and ready to help me pull battens so I was home in time for dinner.
Awesome awesome day!

Saturday, March 11th
What a beautiful March day. I didn't think the flying would be much good, due to like ZERO wind (and conflicting directional forecasts- read: L&V). So I was painting the third floor hallway and Mark was trying to goad me into heading to Italy Valley. I figure it will be a day to fill the "favors" bag right up by retrieving him after multiple sledders. I knew Doug and Matt and Bob would be there so it looked like a good hanging out with my friends day in the spring-like air.
We get there- it's pretty dead like I had anticipated- but reportedly cycling....
I set up and Mark launches. Sleds out..... but no- he is circling 10 feet above the old LZ.... then he lands in a prickly tree....
The PGers all went once and we go back up top, things are looking better. Now it's after 3pm and I saw some SE wind forecasted for 4pm so I think I'll still wait. But then there are two hawks climbing out in the valley, and Doug catches this cycle and it looks nice! Ron launches, Bob launches (oops too late for Bob). After a bit they all go down. When it cycles back up, I take off and get up and over a few hundred feet and it is exactly the kind of air I like. Very light wind, good solid lift, but you have to really pay attention and push out to milk it. I have a crappy sink-rate but I still got to use the PGers as boueys. Mark got above me after a few minutes and I never got over him again. But we played around in this easy light air- me for over 45 minutes and like 550' over and it was just a great little flight! I ended it with a decent landing approach and good landing. Mark came in right behind me- he was last in the air.
Hang gliding doesn't suck at all.

Tuesday March 7th, 2006
so i finally got a flight in. i missed sunday at harris and it just ate away at me! monday looked really nice for h-port or mossy, but i thought it looked more like mossy so i didn't want to attempt that alone. couldn't get any takers. so yesterday i was feeling desperate. the fsl maps had been having server issues so i was flying blind so to speak all weekend and through the first part of the week. but i did get a peek early tuesday before they went down again. i actually thought it might be really light wind (but straight in) according to most of the forecasts.
despite the low temps- right at my cut-off- i headed out to meet doug (PG). he was on top first and reported that it was a west cross. didn't see any of that in the maps... hmmm. he met me at the church and when we got back on top- it was pretty straight in, and starting to blow quite a bit. he launched and just went stright up. i mean STRAIGHT UP. in fact, as i was stuffing battens rapidly, i looked around for him and thought maybe he sank out. i didn't think to look 1800 feet over my head!
i had a tough time navigating my way towards the slot. it was really blowing. doug was way out in front so i knew it was strong for him. i sort of ground handled it right off the launch- it was the only way to do it. i turned right, then left and was 300' over right away. after half an hour i still never got more than 700 over and i knew doug had been way up, so not to be out-done.... i kept trying to find the big one... and i guess i did- i had 500fpm on my 30 second averager for over a minute. at 1900' i look down and in front and doug is climbing just as fast! goin up! he opted to land then and that was probably wise- i was hanging on pretty tight. it did start to get better- more glued together after that- and i never got below 1200' over. but then i began to get cold fingers. funny how it wasn't a problem at 600' over... i took one more climb to 2200' and then tried to find some sink to go land. i had been in the air almost an hour so that was enough. only there wasn't much sink. i had to core the tiny pieces i found and follow them just like a thermal in reverse to get down. i shorted my landing at the church by overestimating my glide. but other than that the landing was great. doug was down to pick me up just about when i was done packing up.
nice day- nice flight! much needed!