Goodbye Summer

I had a nice laid-back 3.5 hour summer-like flight at West Rutland, Vermont last Friday. An iron-clad forecast for soarable rain-free conditions with temperatures near 80F (26C) made it easy for Pete and I to make the 7 hour roundtrip drive. We meet John Chambers, John Sillero, Al Ahl, and the landowner in LZ at the base before testing the rock scrambling abilities of my Touareg on the way to the top. We just missed Jim, a pilot from the Burlington area, who hiked up with his PG after us. PK joined us after I was in the air.

We discussed the lack of new pilots as we rigged. Although it was a week day, a “sure bet” day in the past would have been crowded with new pilots. (West Rutland is the only H2 mountain site in our area and is where pilots accumulate the experience and time required to earn a H3 rating.) If we needed any evidence the number of active pilots in our area was falling, we had it right before us.

I launched first and floated up over the top. Once the other pilots launched, I made the first of many trips towards the large valley to the west. I really enjoy working the lift lines or “string lift” at West Rutland; at times I could fly upwind miles without losing altitude. Since I needed to land at the LZ, or at least close by, I didn’t venture more than one or two climbs away.

There were birds everywhere. The ravens were playing with each other and even us at times. We all spotted birds migrating south. John C spotted two bald eagles. I saw an unfamiliar bird, something that looks like the frigate bird logo on Moyes gliders.

John, in his ATOS VR, was the first to break through the inversion but a short time later John C and I found a strong climb that also deposited us above the inversion. I cruised west towards John S and momentarily lost sight of John C. When I finally spotted him, he was a good 2000 feet below. Ouch. (He later said he made a wrong turn into sink and was quickly punished.)

I stayed in the valley checking out scenery after everyone else returned to the ridge. I came back in very low just when everyone else was heading out to explore. I was probably below the point where I needed to head to the LZ, but I decided to take one pass along the mountainside. I found a little bullet thermal that saved my butt and postponed my trip to the LZ. Meanwhile everyone else was sinking out and landing. I wanted to take some air-to-air photos in the possible glass-off to come but that would be hard with no one else in the air! I climbed to cloud base and then headed towards Bird’s Eye and the other peaks to the south. I chased some buzzards, caught a bit of floating fuzz, and then headed down to land.

Pete offered to fetch my truck when Al offered rides to the top. While I finished breaking down, Pattie stopped by to see how John was doing. We chatted awhile, talked to Dave and Julie on the telephone, and then had some zucchini bread.

Pete and I were treated to an awesome moonrise over the mountains on the way home. The flaming red and yellow leaves on the swamp maples were a sure sign that summer was over and soon so would our flying season.