Monday, July 26, 2010

Woodstock XC - April 27, 2010

Yahoo!! Nothing like setting a goal and making it! Steve had suggested a field by Strasburg that he lands in but it's a good ways out from the ridge so you need altitude to make it. Bacil and I discussed the flight plan and now I had a goal. When I got on launch, the sky was starting to clear up and it was very strong. But there were launchable lulls, they were just short so you had to time it right and be ready to go. I ran hard and sped out of the slot only to be shotgunned skyward as I cleared the trees. One of the strongest elevators I've felt. The first 800' was pretty rowdy but I was through it very quickly and into some pretty nice air above it. I didn't wait around and headed North from launch at 800' over. I didn't hit any thermals as I went but by the time I got to Southfork I had climbed in solid ridge lift to 2,200' over. On the way I noticed a bird tailing me, and wouldn't ya know it, it was an immature baldy. And then I noticed there was a second one with him, both following along very close but not being aggressive at all. They were messing with each other, barrel rolling and stuff, but they seemed to be just playing. I did one 360 the whole way and that was just to try and get the eagles on film. However, by the time I passed Southfork (the 5-mile mark), the ridge lift was gone, and I started slowly sinking as I continued toward Signal Knob. We had a NNW cross on the ridge so I was hoping that the part of the ridge near the Knob would be working since it curves around to face more to the North. I was down to 1,200' over by the time I got there, and sure enough right around the curve the ridge turned back on. I climbed back up and found a nice late day thermal that I took back up to 2,400' over (4,250' MSL) where it was freezing and decided to head out to land. I followed a great line out to the field which was 2.5 miles from the ridge and had only lost 250' by the time I was out there. It was way fun cruising over the edge of Strasburg burning off 3,000' of altitude. I flew over the High School next to the field as they warmed up for their baseball games and set up a nice approach. It was a little rowdy between 200-500' AGL but it smoothed and I touched down ever so softly trying not to poke a hole in my sail with the corn stubble. Success!! Thank you Steve for the field and thank you Bacil for the advice and radio comm.
http://www.vimeo.com/11353352

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