Pulpit - April 11, 2010

Wild day! Ward got there first around 9:30 or so and reported SW light conditions on launch and due South in the valley. By the time I got there around 10:30, it was NW and crankin. The trees by the set up area and the bushes by the ramp were lit up, and it was gusting in the upper 20's. Mark was already there and they were both mostly set up so I started setting up also in the hopes of a backdown soon. But at that point it was not launchable. As others began to arrive and set up (10 or 12 total, not gonna try to name names), we ran a shuttle down to the LZ and dropped my car and Mark's truck. Right before we left launch the conditions seemed to be calming down a bit and when we got back on launch it was even a little calmer. About 15-20, minimal gusts, good to go. Mark launched first, and I followed into pretty strong lift. I was 700' over within a couple minutes and I went down the ridge towards the towers to search around down there. Didn't find much except a buncha sink so I came back. Like Matthew said about yesterday, it was Spring air for sure. A lot of up and down, good strong lift but also some serious sinkholes. After a half an hour I was low, about ridge height, and looking for anything halfway to the primary. Finally I found a decent little thermal and got back up to 2,000' over. Did that whole thing again later but got further out over the field and 1000' AGL before I hooked a real nice one. From that one, I stair stepped my way from thermal to thermal until Mark and I were in the same one, climbing like mad. We drifted way back and at 3,600' over I had to decide whether to stick with it and go or leave it and head back out front. I should have gone. But I didn't, I pulled VG and bailed to go back out front. Not even a minute later, I ran into another monster. I couldn't help but turn and climbed in that one to 4,200' over, with Mark soon joining me again. Then I bailed again and headed back out front. With 3/4 VG penetration was cake, and I was still at 3,800 over when I passed over the front ridge. By that time I was freezing so I flew out into the valley to explore. I flew out over the primary and then headed North up the valley. I flew over the JLG plant, noticed the flag below was showing due North, and then turned back and stuffed it to see how fast I could get to the field. It didn't take long. Made a North approach into the field and had a nice landing after an hour and a half. By the time I was packed up, there were four pilots left on the ridge with everyone else having gone over the back. Can't wait to hear how their flights were. Shoulda, shoulda, shoulda.
http://vimeo.com/10885738