The SkyBlog

Well epic is relative is’nt it?

I’ve been flying my PG from a site in the foothills of the Sandias for about 18 years now and yesterday i had the longest, best flight there ever, only about 25 miles in three thermals but epic for there.

I have tried several times to go for some bigger flights from this 600 ft hill, including the only time i ever deployed my reserve.

Yesterday the soaring forecast was looking really good and so Alan Decktor and I made a plan for a early afternoon assualt on the Rats Nest, we were ready to fly around 3:00, the winds were slightly cross from the south which is typical for the site. I waited for a good cycle up the hill and as i luanched i could feel the air was potent, i easily climbed out to 500 ft over launch and i decided to get some more terrian clearence and out front i found some sweet 500fpm lift that took me to 10,600 msl where i pulled out as the cloud over head was growing fast and i was already cold.

I headed north toward the Big Sky l.z.  which the city of Albuquerque built for us, it’s where we normally land when we fly from the Peak. I was near the l.z. when i hit some 1,000 fpm sink but you know what is on the other side of 1,000fpm down right? well i found some more 500 fpm lift that was feeding a cloud and soon i was back at 10,600 and cold so i headed north again toward Bernalillo and there i found some more lift over my friends house getting me back to 9,500 msl before i glided north again.

There was some thick cirrus streaming in from an approaching storm to the SW that had dumped out and soon the air was back to typical NM conditions a bit thrashy with the glider surging hard at times.  

I tried to find some nicer lift but soon decided to put it down in Algodones.

Many thanks to B.K. Scotia,Elle for retirving me,the cold beer, and dinner.

David.

It was just getting too hot and the flying a bit too narly, so we packed up the family and headed north, it was about 30 hrs on the road, we took a four hour break by San Luis Potosi, brfore i drove the final 20 hr stretch home.

There was alot fewer Military check points than usual and that allowed us a faster exit. I think because all the drug violence the Mexican military closed the checkpoints to put more boots on the ground fighting the drug cartels.

We’ve been home about a week and we already got some good flying in here, last Sunday there was a flock of 13 pilots all getting teh evening glass at La Bajada, then we went to Alamogordo where Clay got two sweet flights.

I got my new Gradient Avax SR8 and have two flights on it now and i’m very impressed, feels more stable then my SR7 and faster. appears to have 3in less cord and about four feet more span.

The next few weeks we will be chilling out so the extended family can spend time with Sky and get things ready for our annual trip to Florida.

Speaking of Florida the Spring Fling tow comp is going tobe the largest tow comp in US history with 16 pilots confirmed and it looks like we will have at least 20 pilots competing.

I will host two SIV sessions 1: April 24,25,26 2:May 9,10,11,

If your interested to join us for SIV or free flying send me a email or call me at 505-720-5436

We will be in Florida from mid April thru mid May.

More soon,

David.