Tuesday, 22nd July 2008
Posted by Geoff on 22 Jul 2008 at 08:13 pm | Tagged as: Flying
Not nearly as good a day for XC as we expected. Also, Judith wasn’t feeling too well today, so didn’t fly, so Geoff is writing this. It has been flyable on the Mynd more or less all day – a bit strong earlier on, but easy enough to penetrate once off the ridge – as shown by the many red streamers flying. I launched around 2.00, but didn’t get away until nearly 3.00. There were thermals, but broken. I finally got to base, a massive 1600 feet above the mynd, so slightly over 3000′ ASL – which is not a lot! I went with it anyway, drifted a bit, but unfortunately there was a very, very large blue hole over the back. The nearest clouds were miles away. I drifted, climbed a bit a couple of times, but ended up landing near Wenlock Edge. Naturally, half an hour after landing the clouds were developing nicely; but by the time I got back to the Mynd, after Judith picked me up, the day for XC was over, though it remained flyable until well in the evening.
Had I left maybe 45 minutes later, I would probably have connected with the clouds, and maybe gone a bit further; but at least in this part of the UK, I don’t think it was an epic XC day. Oh well, better to try and fail….
3 Responses to “Tuesday, 22nd July 2008”
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Hey Guys, Sorry you were ill Judith! I didn’t have much time today as we had to be back at work by 5 which meant I too left the hill too early in scrappy air. Tom, my pal hasn’t flown since he completed CP in September so seeing 20 odd gliders in the air was a little daunting for him. Just before I launched he said he was happy to stay on the ground and act as retrieve. The good air I climbed in died away as I went over the back and also turned into a huge blue hole. It beat sitting in the crewroom!
Happy Birthday for Sunday by the way… Sorry I didn’t come and say hi this afternoon.
See you on the hill soon I hope
Regards
Ali
Hi Ali,
Must have been you I climbed out with – I was on the blue niviuk hook. Bache tomorrow I think, if you want to come.
I think you went over me as I was packing up. I landed South of Church Stretton after working that small hill for a while. Bache sounds great, thanks for the invite! Unfortunately I’ve got my first 200′ Nav trip in the afternoon so will have to plan all morning! Looks like I’ll next be free on Saturday and will fly in South Wales if the weather’s as good as forecast.