Convergence

Even though I knew Peter and Lee were going flying at Tanner-Hiller airport with Hang Glide New England in Barre Massachusetts, I decided to stay home and cut up trees that were blown over during a recent severe thunderstorm.  The trees fell into an area thick with poison ivy so I needed to take a break mid-day for a shower before getting lunch and returning to work.  After showering I noticed cumulus starting to form, something the morning forecast said wouldn't happen.  I quickly decided I had enough chain saws, firewood, and poison ivy and decided to go flying.

Tanner-Hiller is the only place close enough (around 1 hour drive) that I can leave home after noon and still have a soaring flight.  I sped along the tree-lined country roads, past stone walls and rocky fields, arriving early enough that I even launched before Lee!

Rhett dropped me in a weak climb southeast of the airport that slowly dissipated.  I was returning to the airfield when I stumbled into a solid climb to base.

It became obvious during the climb why my previous climb fizzled away; the unexpected clouds were forming over a convergence line that was slowing moving eastward away from the airfield.

Looking back west towards the airfield

Although the sky looked gorgeous downwind to the southeast, we were blocked by controlled airspace at Worcester, I had no retrieve driver, and I had plans to attend an outdoor evening concert with Amy.  I just HAD to look the other way.  ;-)

Looking southeast, downwind towards Worcester

I spent most of the flight dancing around at cloudbase on the western edge of the convergence line.

I stayed as long as I could and still make it back to the airport.  I cruised south along the line and then turned west towards a wispy forming in the blue.  Peter joined me in a broken climb before we both returned to the field.

Peter (lower center)

I played with a couple quickly drifting climbs with two other pilots before landing back at the field.  I packed up, helped Matt adjust his new harness, and sped back along the country roads to catch the second half of the concert under a full moon with Amy.

Flights: 1, Duration: 2:23