West Rutland - Floating North

It was an easy decision to fly given the previous blown-out days courtesy of a spring nor-easter and all the rainy pictures on the NWS forecast. It is a long 3 hour drive to West Rutland Vermont from my place, but it was enjoyable. The hills were covered with new tender yellow-green leaves, hayfields were dark green after an early spring feeding of manure and accented with thousands of bright yellow dandelions, and every apple and cherry tree was bursting with color. Ah, spring had finally arrived!

Although we planned to meet in the LZ at West Rutland at noon, everyone was already loaded and ready to roll when I pulled in at exactly 12:00. Jim helped me toss the glider on Bob's new racks and we headed up. There was a light breeze blowing in, but no cummies, birds, or floating insects to indicate any lift. Clark, Jake S, and Bob all launched, had their momentary victories, and then sank to fields below. The stragglers, Bo S, me, PK, and John all managed to keep our feet off the ground. I luckily found a climb soon after launching and never got low. The rest of the gang bobbed up and down awhile before PK joined me in a climb drifting over the back. PK had sweet-talked Jake into driving and was ready to go sightseeing downwind even though we were only at 4000 MSL (1200 m). PK twisted by arm and I joined in. ;-)

The thermals were not well-formed, more like areas of bubbly lift. We played in the mellow air drifting downwind to the north trying to conserve altitude over the wet fields below us and under the thickening cirrus above us. It was a good day for PK to get accustomed to his new Moyes Litespeed S and for me to work on high-siding using my recovering arm.

PK had previously lead out so I took my turn as we approached Lake Dunmore. (Lake Dunmore is the lake at the base of the ridge line in the picture). I started my glide to the west climbing in a nice string of lift and then planned to float directly over the lake instead of circling around to the west. PK headed directly to the northwest (planning to clip the edge of the lake) and we soon had a thousand feet between us. I found my first solid climb of the day off a quarry upwind of the lake. It was just what I needed to drift over the lake, but PK was now playing the "how low can I get before I have to run for a safe LZ" game. He came over and started climbing but lost it and had to dive to the west. I was waiting to watch him to land when he starting climbing. Bravo PK!

I topped out at 5500 feet and went on a long glide over the lake, past the Middlebury State Airport, and to the cliffs to the north. Meanwhile PK gained enough altitude to drift into the airport and land. I played around the tops of the ridge checking out hawks and deep ravines. I left the ridge as it receded to the east. I expected some chop due to rotor, but not a roller coaster ride. I soon discovered the valley was flowing at 19 mph (30 kmh) instead of the 11 (17) we had been flying in all afternoon. I cleared the ridge line and started shopping for a nice big field. I flew to the south end of Bristol, but turned around and flew back to a huge hayfield 33 miles (55 km) out. As expected the ride in was turbulent, but the landing was sweet.

Almost immediately a young woman with two huskies walked up and started asking the usual questions. A few minutes later another woman and a boy walked over to check out my flying contraption. We had a nice conversation but eventually the woman and boy returned home to find something else to do, the young woman continued to walk with her dogs, and I started breaking down and feeding the black flies.

Bo, instead of Jake, hopped into my truck after his flight and picked up PK and then me. We stopped for dinner at Cattails Restaurant before heading back to West Rutland where I could start my 3 hour journey back home. It was a fun afternoon of flying and I felt fine after 2:15 in the air. I just wish we had more flyable days around here; this flying once a week, maybe, just isn't enough!