With a large contingent from the RAF and a good turn out from Free Spirit had 15-20 pilots on the hill and setting up. Ryan was the first off and spent the next hour scratching in turbulent air a few hundred over so not being in a hurry to join him spent the time changing the hang strap on the Eagle so I didn't need any extensions any more. I finished up and looked up to see Ryan and a couple others finally getting high and pilots piling off the hill. The highlights were a fly by from a sail plane at Mach 2 right at ridge height and Jack pulling in, setting up, calmly walking of launch, catching a thermal and going XC all in the space of about 10min.
I had a nice launch and was quickly to a few hundred over and spent the rest of the flight between launch height and 800' over in turbulent air. A couple times I went negative and I got turned a couple times but never had a any wire twangers and after I told myself to quit fighting it and fly the glider all went well. I could never find a coherent thermal that I felt comfortable turning 360's in and not getting drifted to far back and finally got flushed in a lull with a few other pilots and came in for a no step landing down below.
It was nice to see Dave Stookey, Joe and Marlin out and flying and when I left the wonder was kicking in, Marlin was setting up for another flight and Jeff was still in the air after a couple hours. A short flight but I needed it and was able to get home and get groceries and other chores done before dark.
Flights: 1
Airtime: 36 min
Fun Factor: 6
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