September 2010
Monthly Archive
Tuesday, 28th September 2010
Judith 28 Sep 2010 | : Archery
Just the other day in the pub we were talking about our attitude just before we change country, since I was saying that my heart wasn’t really in the flying here any more. It comes to a point when we really look forward to being in the other country, be that Spain or the UK. Another feature of our behaviour at these times is that we get quite cautious. I always start flying really conservatively about 3 weeks before coming back to the UK because I don’t want to have an accident that will mess up the season/summer. Likewise, I don’t want to mess up the skiing and nice autumn flying with a daft injury here. So it’s a bit of a superstition thing…
We cleaned most of the day, but one of our last jobs was to return the set of arrows Geoff had borrowed from the club. Whilst there, it seemed only fitting that we had a last shoot, despite the chilliness and gloom. On the third end (six arrows), I shot and my arrow bounced off the target, but made a horrible twanging noise on the way. Once we walked up to the boss (the target), we saw the state of one of his borrowed arrows… I had shot into the end of it and smashed it completely. So instead of giving back 8 perfect arrows we had to go and give a grovelling apology to one of the club guys. And then the new car started making funny noises. Whatever next?
Monday, 27th September 2010
Judith 28 Sep 2010 | : Boring stuff
Great packing and getting out of here weather… grim, misty, cold, damp. Visibility was down to about 500m all day, so it felt like living on a little island. We have tons to do, so it’s no problem for us. I am having some problems stopping myself from watching the PWC Superfinal live. You can watch the dots moving on Google Earth and it’s really exciting to observe; that is until Geoff catches me and I get a mini-lecture on how we have work to do, places to go, people to see, etc.
We were going to music night at the Bridges for the last time tonight, but apparently it wasn’t on and there are rumours that the pub is closing down. We are gutted!
Sunday, 26th September 2010
Another flyable day. The forecast was for it to be cloudier today, but we seemed to be just on the edge of the front, so there was potential for a reasonable XC day. It seemed a bit windier at home, but on getting to Long Mountain, it was actually lighter. Over the back we could see the front, but with the wind being off to the N, we would drift into the good sky. Shivering, I got ready and put an extra pair of gloves on in readiness for getting even colder once at cloudbase. People were getting high already, so it all looked good. Kai was the first of the XC brigade to launch and leave, followed shortly after by Dave T., Geoff, myself and Wayne.
I got a climb with Dave and Wayne, but didn’t push upwind enough to get into the strong core they were in and I subsequently drifted over the back lower than them. I knew that cloudbase was predicted to be low until later in the afternoon and I knew it was a mistake to leave low, but went anyway, believing that I would pick something up under the next cloud. It didn’t work and I was downed at Marton (just over the back of the hill), whilst Dave and Wayne continued. Wayne landed at home in Bishop’s Castle and Dave scraped a low save and continued on to near Kington. From my landing field I could see someone doggedly trying (and failing) to get up from Corndon and figured it must have been Kai. It turned out it was. That site has something of a magnetic effect on him and he landed there!
Great retrieve from Wayne and Andrew and people were still flying when we got back to the hill two hours later. Flyable all day again.
Geoff writes: though I left with Judith and the others, I was much lower, and rather than bomb out too far behind, I flew back as far as I could, and landed within walking distance of launch, a couple of fields back. I chose a field with a gate to the road – but the gate was locked, and covered in barbed wire, as was the fence, so I had to pack the glider away, rather than just carry back to launch.
When I did get back, the sun had gone and people were struggling. I set up again anyway, and waited till the sun reappeared, launched, and got away within a few minutes. It was pretty weak, though, and I eventually landed near Corndon. Like Judith, I took a glide to the wrong cloud (and I did some sloppy thermalling too).
I do think the day was actually a lot better than we made it look, and we should have gone a lot further.
Saturday, 25th September 2010
I thought it would be a bit windy today, although others, like Mick, assured me that it wouldn’t be. When we woke up it did seem breezy, but it then dropped. The Peaks and Pennine guys went to Llangollen where the it was briefly flyable, but then made their way to Long Mountain where we had also decided to go. The sky looked good, but once in the air it was clear that the wind was going to make going XC a little tricky. I just couldn’t push out far enough, and the thermal strength was too weak, to be able to drift back comfortably low. The two times I did get any height, I was drifting back over the hill fast and in 0.7m/s lift I wasn’t confident that I wouldn’t get into the rotor behind the hill. The only one to get away was Kai, who had declared a goal 110km away and managed to fly 85km of it.
The rest of us had a very pleasant day playing in the air, some pushing out into the valley, getting high and generally enjoying the beautiful scenery. Once I decided that I wasn’t going to be able to go XC I landed for a comfort break and then went tandem with Mick, which is always fun. I really like being ballast; you can just sit, enjoy the views and it’s really interesting to see someone else’s flying decisions.
Friday, 24th September 2010
Judith 25 Sep 2010 | : Party, party, party...
A rainy, cold and extremely windy day. Any time I did have to go out (like to the garage), I scuttled back indoors as soon as I could. First couple of boxes are packed…
In the evening we went to the Station Inn at Marshbrook for the Adam Bridger do in aid of the air ambulance. Adam is a singer and broke his back in a paragliding accident in spring. Whilst he’s made a full recovery, he wanted to raise some money for the ambulance guys to show his appreciation. Ellie did a brilliant job of putting the event together. It raised a staggering £500.
Thursday, 23rd September 2010
A showery, then stormy day. After a couple of days away we had plenty of catching up to do, as well as more little pre-going away jobs like a hair cut, buying things you can’t get in Spain (like washing powder I am not allergic to), cancelling the DVD rental contract, etc.
What was really good to hear was that the recent rumours about Niviuk and their gliders were completely fabricated. Although why someone would stoop so low as to do such a horrible hoax I can’t work out. I’m just really glad no one did die and that their gliders are as good as ever.
Wednesday, 22nd September 2010
Geoff 23 Sep 2010 | : Flying, Walking
Geoff writes: After staying at Andy’s, we headed out to the Peaks again. We thought it would be flyable, but not an XC day, with a reasonable breeze, but only weak thermals. And so it turned out. We started off at Stanage, only the second time we have flown it on a PG, though we’ve flown it countless times on hang gliders. Did the ridge run a couple of time, gaining very little height – less than 200′ ATO – got a bit bored, and went and landed, as the wind was turning further south (Stanage is a SW site). Had a nice chat with Steve Hudson, who runs a para and hang gliding school in the Peaks, and who in fact taught Judith to fly hang gliders many years ago. Judith was thrilled to hear that he now recommends our podcasts to his students.
We then went to Rushup, hoping to do the long ridge run down to Lose Hill, but there was too much west in it for that. People were flying Rushup, but we decided not to bother, and went to do tourist stuff – a walk in the Manifold Valley, followed by a further walk and meal around Butterton, a nice village nearby. All in all, a pleasant couple of days away.