Efficient Use of the Day

I wanted to go flying last Friday after missing a spectacular day on Thursday.  However the forecast was marginal and there was a substantial risk of driving 5 hours for a sled ride or less.  Peter called and we had that awkward conversation where each of us is hoping the other convinces us it is worth going!  The best Peter could come up with was "it's forecasted to rain for the next week" and "it never blows out at Mount Greylock", (the best choice given the forecast).  When neither of us committed to going, we hung up.  I immediately regretted my lack of action when I realized what lay in store for me if I stayed home (i.e., work).  Luckily, Peter felt the same way and called back in a few minutes saying he was going.  That was enough to tip the scale.

Peter drove to my place where we hastily tossed his glider and gear onto my car and started driving.  The forecast called for increasing winds and cirrus; likely blown- and shaded-out by mid-afternoon.  Gary and Keith were already at launch when we arrived in the valley below, so we continued up the mountain to launch.  Amy, Carlos, and Dan arrived shortly after we did.  (Brooks showed up a bit later).

Unlike our previous day out, we had the mountain to ourselves.  It was also unusually breezy.  We normally launch with little to no wind since the east slope does not face the predominate wind direction.  Instead of praying for a helpful puff of wind, we waited for lulls to launch.  Gary helped Keith launch first and then me.  I left the ground before noon.

For the first hour or so we played around the top of the mountain in a mix of weak thermals and ridge lift. Clouds started forming as the pressure dropped with the approaching storm.  We were soon dancing at cloud base around 5000 feet (1500m).

Amy was having too much fun looking down on me as we pushed upwind to the southeast.  ;-)

Peter and I had "an agreement", so extensive XC was not on the menu but a short excursion upwind would be ok.  I pushed upwind to the southeast and then crosswind to the south.  I got a good look at Pittsfield MA, a possible future destination.

I flew from cloud-to-cloud staying between 4500 and 5500 feet (1300 - 1500m).  Several times I arrived at the next cloud above base.

Windmills above a ski area.

(Click to see a larger version of any image.)

As expected the downwind trip back to Greylock took very little time.

Peter radio'ed he was going to land.  I announced I would join him as the wind in the valley was obviously increasing and high cirrus was smothering the sky above.

I tried to partially unzip my harness while still 3000 feet (900m) above the valley floor when I noticed it was snagged at thigh height.  At first I thought I caught my pants in the zipper, but that wasn't the case.  I radio'ed Peter and told him I might have to land on my belly.  Not a big deal, but not something I wanted to do.  I wiggled my knee up high enough to push it out above the stuck zipper but then couldn't get my foot out OR my leg back in.  Crap, that definitely wouldn't work.  So I literally pushed my leg back in taking off some skin on my shin in the process.  Ok, that hurt.  I still had time to figure this out so I pushed up with my left leg and managed to get my entire right leg out but then realized I couldn't get my left leg out.  Oops.  Now I was in trouble!  I was settling below ridge height (around 2000 feet / 600m) and the air was getting turbulent.  I knew I couldn't put my leg back in so I unzipped the top zipper as far as I dare, pulled myself up on the base bar, and shimmied up the inside of the harness.  Whew, I finally got my other leg out!  Too much drama in my flights lately but this one ended with a nice landing into the wind at The Range.

Brookes landed shortly after we did and said the thermals were fading away.  A quick look at the cirrus in the sky provided the reason.

I confirmed it was blown out when I checked out launch while fetching the car.

Peter making a point with visitors from Arknasaw.

We meet for drinks, dinner, and storytelling at the Freight Yard Pub near the base of the mountain.

It appears we made efficient use of the day, leaving little behind.

Flights: 1, Duration: 2:10, Distance: 17.5 miles (3 point)