Skyport Sunday and EJ Bowl Monday

[Tyrone]

Sunday:
Eagle van cruised up to Skyport with a full load at 10:30. Our new student Peaches was along for a first mountain flight. We drove up to EJ Bowl first to see what it was looking like and saw Cort and Lord Bader driving down from EJ Bowl saying it was blowing over the back. Some forecasts were calling for light wind, so we headed up to check it out anyways. CrackaLacka cruised up to launch to verify that the wind sock was in fact representing what the wind was actually doing...blowing strong over the back. Once we started back for Skyport, we saw Lord Bader soaring in front of the R&R. Once we got to launch, Cracka hucked off and did the tour to R&R/thermal factory/antenna farm, making it look pretty good. Jon Blake and Kevin Howe joined him for some fish bowl sessions and I think they mostly hung out over the antenna farm, reporting thermals of 1,000ft/min! whoa! pretty strong for SB. Scott B and VW Pete each hucked off towards the end of the prime soaring conditions and managed to figure 8 in the house thermal, but couldn't quite connect. Both headed for the round house. There strong big lift and strong sink. Scott cruised low to the antenna farm and couldn't connect, so he headed back for the roundhouse and was able to be about even with it, but met a head wind and that sink and ended up in St. Marys. VW Pete took a more conservative line and took his altitude over the roundhouse all the way to Parma, with enough altitude for a couple turns before landing. The last few guys were launching around 1:30-2 and all had sledders to Parma for the most part, including Peaches, who had a great launch, great flight, and great landing for a first mountain flight! By the way, hang danglers were cruising around the whole time making it look really good, but I cant yet identify everyone. I think James G, little john, willy, and hammer were all cruising around. I saw one hangie make a move towards the east from the top of the thermal factory. I'm presuming he ended up at the beach. so, strong day, but a little scrappy from what i hear, and some west wind came through at around 1pm.

MONDAY:
cruised up to EJ bowl with a 1/2 full Eagle van at around 10:45. It was a little breezy on the peak, but forecasts were calling for lighter wind starting around noon. As the launch appeared on our drive, we could see the wind flag blowing OTB, but were confident that it was going to block. Parkour Nick packed his hangie up to the EJ bowl launch and we all took our time setting up as the winds were still a little strong, but blowing up launch at this point. I was the first to launch at maybe noon into some light cycles. got a nice thermal off launch, but was only able to do a couple turns in it before i lost it. there seemed to be more wind out front. Willy was all hooked into his stealth hangie on the road below. I took the altitude that i had gained to the front of the R&R and scratched around the saddle for about 10 minutes. Michele launched her tandem and joined me but her glide wasnt quite as nice as mine on her way out and she came in just over the top of the tit. Willy had joined me a few minutes earlier and got a nice thermal over the very top of the holy hills that drifted him over doc's finger. I wanted a piece of that, but he found that baby, and I didnt want to mess up his mojo as we were about the same altitude, and he was the one who found the thermal. I was waiting for him to get higher so i could jump in, but it seems like the thermal blew apart at maybe 3300 feet. i headed over to roundhouse and hooked a 900ft/min bullet that made my glider crinkle. I had my radio on full volume and I think i was getting some feedback from the antennas at the antenna farm. super annoying. couldn't even hear my vario. played around in that for another minute and ended up heading to parma to land at the same time as Simon B. we touched down just about at the same time. he set up on the north side of the field and i set up on the south side just over the big tree on the southeast side of the field. a fairly strong west wind made the simultaneous landing a little easier as we were able to float in our own areas before coming in for final. Josh the refrigerator slinger had a nice flight and landed soon after we did. we looked towards R&R and saw marge climbing out over the tit. she made a move for the roundhouse, but didnt get that great of a glide so she headed for parma. pretty fun day! thermals were a little unorganized and we weren't getting as high as people were yesterday.