To the POINT and WHACK

It was a COLD and BLOWY kinda day for flyin' but when it's good ya just gotta get it while you can! I think it was 7 of us went up top yesterday afternoon to git our selves a bit of air under our feet. Mike Barbie and JC flew earlier in the day and got SPANKED a bit on the way into the field for thier landings. Watching thier approaches made me want to wait till later in the day so maybe the air could mellow out a little more. It did. I believe it was around 4:30 when the first pilot (Pablo) took to the air. It had mellowed down to 15-20 blowing staight in, so with a little help from our friends (5 man wirecrew) we started getting off launch. I was the 6th one to get off and hung around launch for a bit when I realized half the folks I was flying with were gone. BUGGER ALL. They headed to the point, without me.! I've only made this flight 50 or so times over the years and it never gets old. So off i went. The air was not as lifty in some spots as I would have thought and flying down the ridge at the same level as the trees would make some people think, I'm not sure this is smart. Lucky for me I don't have that problem ,so when I was looking up at Covenant college while on the way to the point I just new there was more lift somewhere ahead. There was. The other flyers started passing me on their way back as I was about 15 min. behind. Mike was the last one in front of me. It was his 100th solo flight and his first time to the Point!!! Congrats Mike! I made it turned tail and pulled on some speed to see if I could catch 'em. I didn't as i thought it best to slow down in some of the lifty spots so i could make it all the way back home. I did. It was COLD, 27* was the lowest reading I got, I'd been in the air for about 1hr 15min. and had on my boots that way about 5 pounds each. (when you numb) The LZ was mellow my approach was perfect, my flare for landing was weak, my runout was less than what was needed, my WHACK and muddy knees enjoyed by all!!! Might go do it again today, with a better landing!looking down on a glider getting ready to run off the ramp. Dark spots in front of the blue leading edge (very top of pic.) are the folks helping hold the wing down till the pilot is ready to launch.

Covenant college on my way back from the point. Still not high, but higher than i was on the way to the point. still snow on top of the mtn. Did I say it was COLD?

The sun was trying to come out in the valley but never did till we was on the ground. It was a pretty sky, this picture doesn't do it justice. Wanted to fly till sunset but was to COLD.