Chief's Friday

From: Dan
Activity_Date: 6/15/01
Remote Name: 24.8.188.224

Comments

Eddie drove me, Sharon, Ron, and Tom Pipkin up to launch today. Art and friend John got there before us and launched in very good cycles. It was all we needed to get ready to launch. As usual I launched last. I followed Sharon to the top of Chief's Peak. Eddie helped her find the cores. We zipped by one another for a few minutes when I decided to head over to W. repeater. I left with 5000+ and came in over the flat spot and found a good source of lift and cored it up to 6000'. I went over to E. Repeater and did not find much and then Boyds. Not much was coming up. I headed out front and found good lift and was back up to 6000+. I decided to head further east but the further east I would go the stronger the east wind became.

I limped back with 3800+ and headed for the field at summit school. As I went over the field the air was pretty bouyant and when I got down to 2900' I was going up. I had time so I decided to core what I thought was weak flat land thermals, but what I had found was convergence. As I stayed in the core the lift became better and better, and soon I was back up to 6775'.

I tried to go west but the wind was killing the glide and the same with going East. I stayed in the convergence and played until I knew ground crew was about to come out my way and with the help of big ears, spiraling and anything else I could do I finally landed.

The entire day was some of the smoothest air I have flown in at Chief's.

We are on our way back to the mountains tomorrow. Touch bases with me if you want to go up. The weatherman and SD are forecasting good weather.

Dan