I spent the better part of the morning studying for an exam I am taking this coming Wednesday...I needed a break, though, and headed out to the Fort to hook up with my flying buds.
Conditions were overcast and strong, but it looked good. I felt some mist on my windshield on the drive over, so opted to fly my trusty Sport 2 with Dacron everything...the T2 was to remain on my truck today...need to keep that bird in tip top shape for King domination in a couple weeks anyway.
But I digress...
The Canuck arrived in shorts and a t-shirt as always, but he had his game face on I could tell...Urs was there, too, and had his game face on, as well.
We all had game faces...
It was time to fly...
Not so fast...
I was all set-up, hooked in and walking out to launch when I looked to the south and saw a new H3 auger into the ice plant just south of the south bowl. He came straight in like a lawn dart from about 40 to 50 feet due to rotor off the upper plateau above the lower dunes.
Too low, too slow, and in the wrong place at the wrong time...
I walked my glider back to the bushes...Urs raced over and joined me and Diver Dave for the drive down toward the stables to see if our fledgling H3 was OK...fortunately he was fine, but he had rung his bell pretty well.
Not a good thing to see...but, as is true with many hang-gliding incidents, this was totally avoidable...lesson learned.
Back to flying...
As I hooked in I set a task of a 3 hour flight. The thought came into my head as I was fiddling with my gear...yes...3 hours will be my task for the day.
So, I launched and flew for 3 hours enjoying the varied ceiling height and company of others in the air, as well. The conditions ramped up some, switching WSW to WNW toward the end of my flight time. I had a good time watching everyone else race down to the southern cliffs, then race off without me...I was in my own world today. Tom Low and Doctor Darrell put on a good aerobatic show for me, as well.
Afterward there was beer and a burger with the Canuck at the Burlingame Brewery...home now and happy.
Flight time: 3 hours, 3 minutes