Mystic

The winds were turning around to the warm northerlies so we headed to Mystic. Mystic seems to be the main paragliding site around here. The lauch is totally covered with carpet. There is a huge slope to launch from. It was so large we had two launch lines but we could have easily had four or more.

The air was rough over launch. It seemed like the sky was fully of little bullets tossing gliders around. I once again missed the first start gate so I left with a 17 minute handicap. Then I got low on Mount Buffalo and had to settle for a bit of ridge soaring. I watched the minutes pass as I waited for a good climb out of there. It eventually turned on and I had an easy glide to the first turnpoint. I arrived very low (harness unzipped) but managed to find a nice strong thermal back to cloudbase. I crossed the next big valley on a single glide, but (yes again) I was very low and found another ratty climb after I unzipped for a landing. I slowly worked up way up the lee side of a mountain flying further and further from any landing area. I finally connected to a strong thermal that allowed me to glide into the next valley, and yes, I was unzipped and prepared to land when I found a very weak climb along the tree line at the base of the ridge. I started to work the lift getting only about 1/3 of a turn in lift. One of the Japanese pilots joined me and we both jacked our way up the mountain side until it got nice and strong at the top where it met the thermal coming up the "front" side. From there I got the third turnpoint and dashed back to the ridge. I put to use the experience from all those flights at West Rutland working the light late evening lift right at tree-top level. I scooted down the ridge and finally slide into goal.

I was not very fast today because of the late start and the slow up at Buffalo. However, it was an enjoyable flight and a flight that I learned a lot from. It seems that I can move quickly when I fly by myself, but don't do so well when flying with a gaggle. I think I spend so much time avoiding other pilots or seeing who is climbing better to notice what is happening on the course line or where the better undiscovered lift might be. I plan to change how I fly with gaggles in future meets.