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Hangola January 8 - 14, 2003

Flight Reports

Flew the Rock today with Tom and Joe. Cleared a light layer of snow from the block and set up. Temp was 7 or so (probably zero with chill factor) when I launched at 12:55. Shortly after launch, my eyes teared up and my eyelashes froze together. I cupped my glove over my face and melted the ice with my breath, but then I had frozen tears on my glasses. Forehead , nose and chin froze within the first 10 minutes. I guess I'll need to use a facemask next time. Fortunately, I hit a big sink cycle so I had an excuse to land before my face became too frostbitten.

Hiked back to the top and flew the Zagi for awhile, watching Tom and Joe sky'ed out ... but I didn't fly it long for fear the NiMH batteries would die.

After a chat with Emma, I headed over to Smithsburg for a few flights on the PG. The N cross made for some pretty turbulent air - causing a few minor tip collapses. Managed to get above the hill for two passes on one flight, then called it quits after I lost feeling in my toes.

All-in-all, it was a great winter day to fly.

'Spark

We arrived about 1200 to find Mother dozing in the +2 degree heat. We groomed her for about an hour before stepping off and up into smooth STFI @ 15-18 air. Ole mother was so enamored with us that she smothered us with smooth, buttery, fat 600 FPM thermals to over 2300' above. Finally, exhausted, we landed to share brandy and stories. Ya shudda been there. Dave, Doug, Jim, Shawn, and Me were the Lotharios..........Bob.

Yeah, ole ma Ringtown was all sorts of happy today. You had to core sink to get down. It was good and cold, but man it was fun. Big fat boomers all over the place.

Gotta say thanks to Shawn who froze his butt off just to clear out launch, throw us punks off and drive for us. His wing's off getting work done and he still made it out. Thanks man.

Jim

Well, the dramas are getting smaller. My biggest mistake today was not managing my time out of the start circle. With such big gaggles my priority has been that above watching the start clocks. Today I did a good job climbing up through one of them and was trying to top out another when everyone took off upwind. Being conservative I didnt' bolt after them because I didn't see the flock heading for anything obvious. When they turned back in a giant stampede moments later I realized they had all gone for the 2:30 start clock that had just clicked off moments before. Oh well. It meant more for me to go onto course with the leaders then gain that 14 minute advantage. My other error is still flying too conservative. I pimp too much and get too far behind. I'm climbing well and finding the lift in the blue pretty well on my own. I just need to leave the lift with the good guys more. The task today was 147 k dogleg with crossing tail wind on both legs. Top of lift was lower (maybe 5.5k?) and the lift was more turbulent. Seems like more high pressure. Lift was narrow, cores were either snaky, short lived, or whatever. Second leg of the course lift got very consistant and plentiful.

Kev C

Actually, I would have said "Great Rock Day." Joe and I waited a few minutes after Sparks sunk out for conditions to pick back up. Winds picked back up to 10 on launch and we found lots of fun thermals to 1500' over. Lift was a bit rowdy and challenging, but had 400+ up on the 30 second averager numberous times. Joe had his lowest save ever at the Rock (400' below launch) after hitting a thermal out near the railroad tracks. Stayed nice in toasty with my new bar mitts from Steve Wendt. I left about 4:30 with it still coming straight in around 10. In all a fun day, just remember your face mask.

Tom

Drove to Skyline drive and found it closed for snow, about a quarter inch on the road. So I opted for a hike and then tried to see if there is any way to get close to the back of the ridge to get in when the park is closed. Could not find anything close.

Hope Daniels was good to everyone who went there.

Joe

To say I froze my butt off is an understatement...I thought my teeth were going to fall out due to excess chattering. When people where in their cars warming up, I was outside with my mouth around their exhaust pipe. When Doug and I got to launch (it was recorded by Danny as being -25° wind chill) Doug's eyes briefly froze shut and my brain felt like I ate a gallon of ice cream really fast. To even think of flying yesterday was nuts. To show up at a site with a glider was crazy. To setup was ludicrous. To actually fly for an hour at over 3k MSL and be happy about it afterward...well, there should've been a couple of guys dressed in white waiting in the LZ with a van and straightjackets.

When Jim and Bob landed they were covered in frost...they looked like they just got done gangbanging a snowman. Bob did bring a bottle of Brandy. After taking a couple of big sips, I must admit that I went from being cold and miserable to cold, miserable and half drunk.

Everyone was cutting trees to clear launch...I was cutting trees to make a fire.

When we got to the restaurant, I was visibly upset that I wasn't able to fit inside the pizza oven. I had to use the hot air dryer in the bathroom to thaw out my nostrils. I asked our waitress for hot water and towels and she wondered if someone was having a baby. I said no, I just want to soak my hands so I can open the menu.

Afterward in the Jacuzzi, Dave's wet hair actually froze. It looked like he had white dreadlocks.

It is now 1:00PM on Sunday, I finally have feeling in my left toe. Only 9 more to go.

Wouldn't have missed it for the world!
Shawn

Shawn that was absolutly hilarious!!!!! My hat is off to Dave, Jim and Bob for braving the elements and taking advantage of Mother Ringtown after we all messaged her in just the right place. She was long over due and showed her appreciation. Just goes to prove its all about the foreplay! Your right Shawn, wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Doug.

Road was open and we got there plenty early for the great flying day. One issue developed however, called wind. Lots of it. After some starbucks at Woodstock while waiting for the breeze to die we went back to launch for more. At three we bagged the day. A good time with Hank, Karma and Bruce.

Joe

Flew Horse yesterday.. Got to 8500 in convergence. Could have gotten higher but it was too cold. It was like 50 up there or something!. Brrrr. Pretty neat. I am even getting reasonably adept at recognizing when a convergence is likely. There has been a high over AZ pumping air westward. The sea breeze starts coming in from the west in the PM. You set up and wait for the flags to flip around, launch and hang on.

Horse (Horse Canyon) is about 30 miles east of San Diego on 8

Wow, they capped it with two tough ones. Yesterday was an out and back along a dogleg course. Really strains the navigationable abilities with the ole GPS. All of the legs were crosswind. I did my usual slow cruise and just ran out of time. My last good thermal was turning onto the last leg. It was plenty strong enough to deal with the head wind but it was the last good one I got. The next three barely had me making any progress forward. Ended up 10k short. About 30 made it to goal and I was definitely the last pilot to land!! They were breaking down the goal before I hit the deck.

Today was out and back along a Z shaped course. They were trying to keep us close to home for an awards diner tonight. Too bad they held up the launch till super late while bickering over the task call. Bo forgot his instrument pod and the time I spent programming the route into his spare GPS cost me crucial minutes. Somehow I ended up in the shafted launch line and waited for close to an hour to get pulled up. The winds on course were VERY strong and the second leg was directly in a 30-45 kph head wind!! no room for mistakes there! I was going good but only had one other good pilot (OK, much better then me pilot) to fly with. It seems that piercing that kind of wind takes a much bigger group. The wind was so strong that it reinforced some KEY aspects of headwind flying. Don't even stop to investigate lift that isn't obvious HUGE. I mean hit it dead on vario screaming big! Those one or two big exploriing circles while drifting back cost dearly. I was gettting drilled at about 2 or 2.5k feet when I decided to turn back and try to survive. I was horrified to see that a dust devil had formed upwind of my courseline a few minutes back!!! I need a rearview mirror! That fatty might have taken me back to 8k and gotten me around that oh so out of reach turn point. Bo and Rohan made 5 tries climbing and penetrating to get around that sucker for the DW leg. In the end Bo was 1k short of the turn and Rohan just squeaked around.

Fun fun.

Kev C

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This page last updated January 19, 2004