Cloudbase at Harriet

This is the other side of HHSP. A cross country ski paradise.

HP sledders NOT

The forecast did not look great but it looked ridge soarable and people were posting that they were headed that way so I piled my stuff in the truck and hit the road about 10am. I was surprised that no one was up and soaring the ridge when I broke over the hill from Mitchelsville but even more surprised after meeting Moritz at the gate that there was no one up top. We walked up to launch and other than an occasional W cross it was blowing straight in at 10 - 12 MPH, nice. We quickly rigged and Bob Grant, Jeff, Matt and Dave Stookey rolled in. Moritz was off first and quickly gained a few hundred over, Bob and Jeff were next and I ran off next. Ridge lift to 5-600 over and thermals made it a little textured but still comfortable. It ramped up to the high teens as Dave got off and we all got as much air as we wanted. The lift got strong at cloudbase and I had to run out from under a cloud once but mostly it was quite pleasant. I got down to a couple hundred over and was watching some OD moving towards us so when I found another thermal I cranked it and banked it and drifted with it till I was over the LZ on top and burned altitude to a no stepper at the back of the field.
Karl, Katrin, Doug, Marlin and Freddie showed up from Harris and rigged and were all sharing the ridge with Matt in what looked like sweet air as I left for home. All flew with no sledders.

1flight
1hr 5min
2000' over
+837fpm
-913fpm
fun factor 7

Hammondsport 8-5-09

The forecast was for NW 6mph, 600fpm and blue. It was not far off except for the 600fpm, it was soft due to the rain the night before and periodically cool breezes blowing through. Herb and Lon were there when I got there and it was a little W cross but launchable. I rigged the glider and waited for a little stronger conditions as the high cirrus drifted SE and the valley started to cook. Herb launched first and had a nice climb right off but slowly settled into scratching a couple hundred over. Occasionally he would climb higher and he played around for the better part of an hour before heading over the knob in back and top landing. Lon went down to pick up Jim and park a vehicle and Jeff showed up and everyone got set up. The cycles were improving and no one wanted to be first so I finally said the heck with it and dove off.
I got over the ridge fairly quickly but only by 50' and made numerous passes before finally falling to a lull and sinking out. Jim went next and immediately got over the ridge and stayed up at least 15min. then came in and had a decent landing in bumpy air and we packed up. Herb, Jeff then Lon launched and all got up in improving conditions or patience waiting for the right cycle and all got 1/2 hr to and hour.
After Lon landed he brought us back up and Jim and I flew again. Jim got a sledder and I waited for a while until it cycled up again and launched into a mini wonder wind. I could only gain 300' on the ridge and had a very small lift band but as I probed out it was all zero sink. I didn't want to miss my ride back up so after a half hour headed down the ridge for the church, lost 60'. Ok fly back up the valley to the bail out LZ, lose 60 more feet. Fly out over the road, down to the hospital, over the church back to the ridge, and still had to burn altitude to land. Great fun.

2 flights
45min.
max gain 300'agl
fun factor: 8

Tumors or growths

I was out with the camera shooting some deer and I got these pics of a deer with Fibroma or Paploma, a viral skin infection. I asked a friend who is a wildlife biologist for the DEC and he said unless they are in a spot that keeps it from eating or inhibits daily life they do no harm to the deer and they eventually truncate and fall off.

Cody, Eammon and I met my parents and niece Mara in Syracuse at the zoo and for lunch and the boys went back with them for the week to go to Salem Mass. Here are a few pictures from the zoo. I am sure Pops' favorites are the ones of the Flamingos, his favorite bird.;o) The ones of the kids snuggling with the lioness are safer than they appear, there was glass between them.

Harris Hill

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

Bristol on Sunday

Brian called and asked if I was available to run a few people off the mountain in the evening. We agreed to meet and arrangements were made to meet with Ron, Carl, Katrin and Lon. I got there as they were already up top and setting up and Andrew went up to join Brian, Mike and Jim. I stayed down with Lon and watches as they all flew with good flights and mostly very good landings. There was a little pilot induced osculation going on and some good decision making on approaches and everyone left with BIG smiles. Congrats to all nicely done.