Interesting Milk Hill day yesterday

[Mrs Moose]

I noticed the forum had been quiet lately and thought I'd post a post. XC weather looked promising with nice S-Westerlys all day. The early birds pitched up before 9 including Lee with 5 students and got some early flying in including a tandem but it became very busy, surprisingly uppy downy and not really very nice, although it remained flyable all day. I think desperation abounded after such a poor summer because you wouldn't normally see so many people out (about 40?) on an ordinary looking grey weekday. Cloudbaser Nik looked fab on his sleek new Triple7 Rook and Adrian Thomas (ex British Champion for those who don't know him) spent all day up in the ethosphere apparently trying out new line settings. Great to see plenty of ex-students having fun too. Finally we all had a competitive glide to the bottom and Nik sneaked in with the longest, just pipping French Marc who was only a fraction short. I tried out the very nice Independence Garuda in its rather loud orange and red clothing - it's an EN B (DHV1-2) and despite having route planned a tadge optimistic 133km (!!) I made it precisely no further than the hill! Never mind, great to be out and see everyone, sorry the Bank Holiday is looking so poor for flying.
Mrs Moose

[Nik Valiris]

Shhhhhh I had a cunning plan! I cheated with the aid of some speed bar for max glide as it wasn't quite nil wind and with a little head wind and no lifting air I thought that might aid the glide ;-) but no one will know! ooops.  I needed all the help I could get as I am over the weight of the Rook at the mo.... not helped by a gadget fest and toys stuck to my flight deck :-))  Saying all that I love those little tasks, great fun for a T2B and best part of the day!!!!

Regards the day I didn't enjoy flying in the soup of gliders to be honest and tried to scurry off out front but the day wasn't consistent enough to do much other than a few climbs out.
I have often found though that it really helps if you try pushing out front of the hill in lift (even if it means landing down) and you will more likely find a thermal or more consistent lifting air that takes you above the hill even on cloudy days.  I remember my first 6 months post CP at the Devils Dyke and picture the sea of gliders and in my desperation I pushed out and hooked a lovely thermal to base away from the chaos below me.  I probably wouldn't have found it if I was still ridge soaring.

Nik.

On Fri, Aug 24, 2012 at 12:25 PM, Mrs Moose <fbur...@gmail.com> wrote:

I noticed the forum had been quiet lately and thought I'd post a post. XC weather looked promising with nice S-Westerlys all day. The early birds pitched up before 9 including Lee with 5 students and got some early flying in including a tandem but it became very busy, surprisingly uppy downy and not really very nice, although it remained flyable all day. I think desperation abounded after such a poor summer because you wouldn't normally see so many people out (about 40?) on an ordinary looking grey weekday. Cloudbaser Nik looked fab on his sleek new Triple7 Rook and Adrian Thomas (ex British Champion for those who don't know him) spent all day up in the ethosphere apparently trying out new line settings. Great to see plenty of ex-students having fun too. Finally we all had a competitive glide to the bottom and Nik sneaked in with the longest, just pipping French Marc who was only a fraction short. I tried out the very nice Independence Garuda in its rather loud orange and red clothing - it's an EN B (DHV1-2) and despite having route planned a tadge optimistic 133km (!!) I made it precisely no further than the hill! Never mind, great to be out and see everyone, sorry the Bank Holiday is looking so poor for flying.
Mrs Moose

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Nik Valiris
Mob: 07549 527301