A wet atmosphere and rain scheduled to arrive on the ground by late afternoon keeps the crowd away from Williams on this Pre-Frontal March day. But, today I've got the bug, so if the surfs up I'm in. On the tow out, it's obvious the mountains are obscured in low clouds so I key the radio, "22Z, take me to that nice looking one over the hills, just ahead."
Nope, it dissipates before we get there and only sink is found in its place. A 90 degree turn of the tug, a little more tow time and I release at Walker Ridge where the work begins.
It's a challenge. I race to some Lenticular Fakus to get some 50 up before it disappears and turns into sink. Sometimes on days like this, I think that success is equivocal to pure desire and today I have that desire bad. But, despite putting in a good fight I'm at 5K just West of Walker and need to head out. Fortunately the only cloud that hasn't moved or changed in the sky is sitting just above the 20 Gap which happens to be on the way out. But when I get there at 4K will I be too low? Lets see, heres a small burble, time to work.
It seems like more of a convergence line then a wave so I change tactics and fight slowly towards that only stationary cloud in the sky.
Then all of a sudden. BAM ... real wave, the vario sings and I rise above the clouds.
More clouds are beginning to form and I start to see some showers.
All of a sudden it's incredibly easy to soar and I reach 9K. THE CATCH ... it's a little moist today and the one cloud that became a train of clouds, that the foehn gap I'm working in which was open to the South has immediately closed up and as I climb up that big cloud overhead begins to look a little close for comfort.
115 Knots Airspeed doesn't seem fast enough as I race North towards what appears to be holes in the layer. When I get there I find relief and turn towards those big holes to drop on through.
It seems a bitter irony that I fight for over an hour and after getting exactly what I want, I'm spiraling with the air-brakes open and damn glad to see 1200 fpm down on the vario. Below the clouds some rain hits the canopy, but thats alright, for this is where I will stay for the next couple of hours, safe and happy below the clouds.
Be careful what you wish for.
But today ... Spring is finally here, the grass is green, the sky is filled with Q, waterfalls are everywhere, thermals are aplenty and I get to write this blog with some wonderfully sore arms. In the grand scheme of things I suppose today wasn't epic. When I compare it to recent life, it sure seems close.
Nope, it dissipates before we get there and only sink is found in its place. A 90 degree turn of the tug, a little more tow time and I release at Walker Ridge where the work begins.
It's a challenge. I race to some Lenticular Fakus to get some 50 up before it disappears and turns into sink. Sometimes on days like this, I think that success is equivocal to pure desire and today I have that desire bad. But, despite putting in a good fight I'm at 5K just West of Walker and need to head out. Fortunately the only cloud that hasn't moved or changed in the sky is sitting just above the 20 Gap which happens to be on the way out. But when I get there at 4K will I be too low? Lets see, heres a small burble, time to work.
It seems like more of a convergence line then a wave so I change tactics and fight slowly towards that only stationary cloud in the sky.
Then all of a sudden. BAM ... real wave, the vario sings and I rise above the clouds.
More clouds are beginning to form and I start to see some showers.
All of a sudden it's incredibly easy to soar and I reach 9K. THE CATCH ... it's a little moist today and the one cloud that became a train of clouds, that the foehn gap I'm working in which was open to the South has immediately closed up and as I climb up that big cloud overhead begins to look a little close for comfort.
115 Knots Airspeed doesn't seem fast enough as I race North towards what appears to be holes in the layer. When I get there I find relief and turn towards those big holes to drop on through.
It seems a bitter irony that I fight for over an hour and after getting exactly what I want, I'm spiraling with the air-brakes open and damn glad to see 1200 fpm down on the vario. Below the clouds some rain hits the canopy, but thats alright, for this is where I will stay for the next couple of hours, safe and happy below the clouds.
Be careful what you wish for.
