August 2008
Monthly Archive
Saturday, 30th August 2008
We spent this morning phoning around trying to get the inside info on the motorcross rally at the Gyrn to see if it was still viable to go there with the comp. The north Wales guys said that the comp would not be too adversersely affected, so off to the Gyrn we went. The forecast was for very cloudy weather, and it was also much windier than we expected. Wayne phoned on the way to say he was going to fly Middletown, as Martin and Dave B. were already 2000′ ATO there. By this time we were already at the foot of the Gyrn, and 15 people were in the air, so we carried on.
It was windy but flyable, but I have not been so unmotivated to fly for months. I just couldn’t be bothered to sit around in strong winds. I chatted for a while, whilst Geoff flew and had a nice time. A couple of people ventured over the back and they reported horrible, rough, strong conditions, so much so that they closed the competition window temporarily.
I did eventually pull myself together and flew both the Aspen 2 and the Sigma 7. The task was activated by 4 people flying more than 5km, which several people did. Longest flight was 17km, which according to the NWHGPC web site must be the new site record.
In the evening we went to the comp hog roast.
Friday, 29th August 2008
Judith 30 Aug 2008 | : Flying, Walking
The forecast was for no wind and lots of cloud, so we decided to do something sensible with the day and went for a walk on Wenlock Edge. It was hot and humid and in a few spots the sun did come out and it was boiling. Halfway along the walk we got the news that Bache was closed for the weekend due to a car ralley. Horror! The BCC was supposed to be going there for the comp, so we had to think of an alternative site, which was provided by the NWHGPC, in the form of the Gyrn.
We got home and had a cup of tea in the garden when the wind picked up, so we went for a quick fly.
It was light, but I gave Corndon a good scratch, at one point getting to the dizzying height of 34′ ATO! We packed up and headed for the BCC BBQ in BC. Once home, we found out that the Gyrn was going to have a motorcross ralley, so might also be out of use.
Thursday, 28th August 2008
Judith 28 Aug 2008 | : Archery, Flying
The forecast was for a breezy day, but people were flying the Long Mynd early on (8.30am). We packed for all occasions, and went up, only to find it gusty and completely overcast, with cloud base about 350′ ATO. We went down to Church Stretton to do some archery and within10 minutes the sun came out and it was hot and sunny. Within an hour cumulus started to form and the wind seemed to be dropping. Wendy confirmed this, so we rushed off back to the Mynd. On the drive out of Church Stretton we could see that the sunshine was very, very localised. Driving up the Mynd we were actually in cloud!
Once at the front, it was indeed flyable, but an air ambulance was on its way for a pilot who had broken his ankle, so we had to wait a while and the wind started to pick up again.
I was test flying an Aspen II, but was having the devil’s own job trying to launch it. I need to get used to Gradient gliders again. I’m sure it launches like my old Golden, but my Zoom launches so nicely that I have become very lazy. A couple of attempts and then a spectacular head-over-heels dragging and being whipped into the air later, I was airborne. Not dignified, but entertaining. Who says paragliding isn’t a spectator sport?
Cloud base was about 250 feet, it started to rain and conditions were getting stronger, so I landed after 40 minutes. We went home for a cup of tea with Helen and occasionally looked out of the window to see if it was worth going back up. At one point there was blue sky but a wave bar stuck on the ridge just like orographic cloud. Once it cleared, and people started to fly again we went back up and got to fly again. Cloud base was even lower by this point, somewhere around 200′ ATO. Lots of people were popping into and over the clouds. There were massive wave bars and the sky was spectacular. Interesting flying.
Wednesday, 27th August 2008
Judith 27 Aug 2008 | : Archery
Another dismal day, although it wasn’t raining so much as spitting. In the middle of the day we went out to do some archery. There was someone keen waiting on the Mynd with a PG, but we drove past without stopping. On the way back at 5.15pm cloud base had lowered to about 30 feet above take off, so we drove home, although more people had arrived and they flew a kite on launch. We did see two of them flying at 6pm, but cloud base didn’t seem much higher and it was still drizzling in the garden.
Tuesday, 26th August 2008
Judith 26 Aug 2008 | : Boring stuff
Too much work and no play…
More rubbish weather. Forecast doesn’t look to be picking up until Friday.
.
Monday, 25th August 2008
Judith 25 Aug 2008 | : Boring stuff
Windy, drizzly. Back to normal August weather.
Sunday, 24th August 2008
We had a lazy morning, given that we were both stiff from being in the air for three hours. I didn’t realise how much I push on my stirrup until I got out of bed this morning. My thighs were aching!
It was windy and drizzling, but we got a 3jam saying that a PG was flying. There didn’t seem to be any rush, so we pottered about, and only looked out of the window at 12.30pm, to see 8 PGs and loads of HGs in the air. The sky was breaking up and there was sun and cumulus. We have never got ready so fast. We sent out a 3jam for the benefit of the two or so pilots who were not already on the Long Mynd, but got an update nearly immediately. Most people were struggling to penetrate forward and were landing behind the fence and in the heather further behind the field. It was clearly too windy for us, so Geoff got out the hang glider and we spent ages checking it over after the strip-down and service.
He flew twice. Some PGs did venture into the air at times, but it always looked like gale hanging, so I gave it a miss.