April 2008
Monthly Archive
Monday 7th – Wednesday 9th of April 2008
Judith 09 Apr 2008 | : Miscellaneous activities
I went to Ireland to meet my new niece, Maya. She’s a little cutie and takes after her aunt… she loves a boogie and seems quite partial to a drink too!
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Sunday, 6th April 2008
Judith 06 Apr 2008 | : Boring stuff
We burned one of our brakes out on the drive back from Ager last night so decided not to go out flying despite the good sky. It was nice until 4.30pm, but then clouded over. We had our first going away dinner with friends tonight… back to the UK soon. Lots of snow there, so I hope the weather improves!
Saturday, 5th of April 2008
Flying at Ager. We went up the hill early to get a morning flight. The launch was in wispy cloud and I launched to find myself at cloud base straight away. It was a little rough and I had a small frontal so I headed to the lower ridge where 4 newly qualified pilots were soaring. Having been thrown out of two thermals by them flying straight at me, I followed a bird out into the valley only to see it fly off (thanks!) and I went down. Nicky had flown out to the valley to a nice looking cloud which promptly disintegrated.
Geoff picked us up and we drove straight up the hill so that Geoff could rig the HG but conditions were getting stronger and rougher for the PGs and I didn’t fancy it. Geoff launched and thermalled straight up to cloud base – only 1000 feet above launch, though it got higher later.
I flew in the evening when the conditions calmed down a bit.
Click here to see a video of today.
Friday, 4th April 2008
We spent the morning at the Ager camp site fiddling with my harness. How many straps can one harness have? We were still in the middle of putting bits on and pulling them off when Nicky, Winston and Captain Nemo arrived and we all went up the hill.
It was already strong thermic wind and it seemed a bit gusty. Back down the hill for lunch and Nemo told us about his amazing life story, comas, socialist revolutions and all. At 4pm we all trouped up the hill again and Geoff and Winston flew. Geoff top landed Ager for the first time.
It stayed gusty until 7pm, when the wind dropped and went due east. As I was packing up the cloud was blowing across launch.
Thursday, 3rd April 2008
Judith 06 Apr 2008 | : Flying, Miscellaneous activities
We had taken our harnesses to Niviuk to have the parachutes repacked and mine fitted to my new harness the previous evening, so we found ourselves on an epic day with nothing to fly except one HG. Hmmm. It was too hot to go skiing and we were too lazy to go walking so we opted for the easy option… lunch.
We went to Miami Beach at Sadernes and had a picnic under the bridge, a paddle in the lake and a snooze in the sun.
It was such a good looking day that we went to collect our gliders early (they were ready – thanks Xiliu!) and went off to Santa Brigida for a quick fly. Udo was there with a client, but it had been too windy all day, but we managed to squeak in a quick flight before it died off completely. A quick bite to eat and we set off on the three and a half hour journey to Ager. We got there at midnight and had a glass of wine under the stars. They don’t have an observatory there for nothing. What a night sky!
Wednesday, 2nd April 2008
We went flying today. We arranged to meet Nicky Moss at Santa Brigida so I could try her Impress harness. We’ve been meaning to hook up with her for years (given how close we live) and we finally managed to meet for the first time today! It was very light and overcast when we first arrived, and I did a few TTBs, but from 3pm it was very good. Thermic, easy to stay up. I disgraced myself with a display of launch muppetry (too many times in one day) which was highly embarrassing. I bought the harness so now have a new toy to get used to.
Tuesday, 1st April 2008
Our last day of skiing for this season.
When we got there they had slightly over-groomed the pistes and the snow was hard and icy. Once the sun got on the snow it fluffed up and was excellent quality. The place was deserted and we had most of the runs to ourselves.
There was plenty of snow and the sun was shining. Really nice day.
See video of Judith skiing today.