First Comp

5:30 A.M. – Pre-dawn sky is clear without a wisp of wind. We come to the final day of the Chelan XC Open 2008. Eleven world class pilots have a shot at the honors but only if Mike Steed stumbles. XCSkys predicts top of usable lift at 2,700 meters, updraft: 3.6m/s, cloud base 3,000m if any, but likely no cu over the anticipated course, winds will be calm to very light out of the west. A week of work and only two days of flying, but today will be amazing. As a newbee almost one year into this sport I feel as though I have just started to sample the nectar of the holy grail.
Here in Chelan a community has regathered in a flocking similar to the annual rights of Capistrano. Switzerland, Peru, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Venezuela, Australia, New Zealand, and United States pilots are vying for bragging rights as well as PWC points. An experienced senior staff of meet organizers, launch director, scoring, safety, task, etc., have mixed well with a support crew of new and experienced local and regional pilots, most nesting with Aerial Paragliding of Cashmere under the watchful eyes of Doug Stroop and Denise Reed.
Day one was a 58k task with 29 pilots making goal. Day 2, 3 and 5 were called due to weather. Day 4 was a 68k speed run north to Okanogan with 41 pilots making goal. I was pumped when on my second flight of the day, hoping to make goal, I surpassed 15 pilots with a 20.6 open distance personal best(12.8miles). The only problem with a personal best is if you talk about it at dinner you end up buying all your SIV instructor’s beer.
Today looks stellar and I plan on launching after the last comp pilot to join the gaggle prior to start. This presumes that launch goes fast and clean as it did on day 4. The crew has gathered at the Latte Da for breakfast and the day’s energy is beginning to flow. For me it is off to camp to break for the road. I will be on to Idaho tonight following the pizza fest and awards tonight. A busy day and more personal bests are anticipated. …… watch for more

Weather to Fly? Chelan: Monday Report.

The cycles came up, splitting a line between the Green Monster and Between The Rocks. Not quite freight trains but quite solid. The cycles are stronger than I expected based on the light laps projections for 2:00 and the flaky cu’s that were just languishing in the distance. Matthew is off launch with a tip tuck and minor asymmetric between the rocks and my kit is ready to go….

We often document our best flights. New highs and max distance. I had a several bests last week, new best height and new best distance but this blog recounts my best no fly to date.

It is all about the weather. Matthew called at 6:00 the night before. He planned on being on the east side on Monday and wondered if I was game. – Always looking at the options I felt that Saddle looked like the best bet but Matt had had too many skunks there and was coming over Hwy 2 giving us a choice between Chelan and Baldy. – Initially Baldy looked good but by the ,morning the N NW flow became overwhelming. Ellensburg weather underground projected NW 11 at 2:00, NW 13 at 5:00. Yakima was SE @ 4 and SE 4 with a turn to NW 9 by 8:00.

This pattern told me that mid day Baldy might work but it would be an early launch and a windy afternoon if it worked at all.

Saddle continued to look good and Chelan also looked ok. The calls went back and forth with a decision to give Chelan a try. – Weather Underground at Wenatchee showed 0 at 11:00 and 2:00 but WNW 14 at 5:00. (Should have considered such a large transition as a bad omen.)

On the way to Chelan, Matthew, already at the soccer field, reported stagnant conditions. By 1:00 we were on top with tempting little cu’s fuzzed up in the distance. No dustys were noted on the flats and the sky was 98% blue. – The laps rate was just enough to release lift but the building WNW winds were becoming strong enough to blow the light lift apart. The cu in the distance were not building just fuzzy and weak. One after another strong cycles kept coming up the monster. After Matt’s launch I watched as he hit lift and didn’t take the bait. Why doesn’t he turn into it? Hmmm. What is wrong with this picture? – Launch – Don’t launch? – I could turn that lift into something, couldn’t I?

Matt has been flying years longer than I have and he is in the LZ – The cu are not getting better the wind is building on the river and the lake, both are getting darker. 3 hours driving up and 3 hrs driving back – gas at 4.29 a gallon, one more day away from work and I want to fly. So I do my final check and call Matt.

How was the flight? – “I’m on the ground” he says with a big laugh. – He asks what I was going to do. The wind looks like it is going to get worse, the projections call for stronger flow and Matt concurs, so I throw my wing back in the bag and drive down. It was my best no fly to date.

Rampart:A Snowy Treat with Whipped Cream and Two Cherries on Top.

I offered my second daughter in trade. Half my kingdom and promise of fame all for not. I could not cajole or bribe either Steve or Meredyth over the hill for a Balmy Baldy Wednesday afternoon.

However, after much debate Steve Pieniak succumbed to his fear of no flying for the next (who knows how long) and he trundled into his truck and up the pass.

In route reports of cirrus to the north and east increased fears of the day's less than stellar potential and Steve ventured no further than the summit, stopping to have lunch and serendipitously watch as the Snoqualmie sky turned from white to blue.

Hey Dave, what do you think about Rampart? My answer was: If you think I can do it and it is flyable then I’m on my way. 1:45 hrs later I was at the Hyak exit getting a site orientation.

Everything sounded great except for the promised 45 minute hike (an hour plus for me) and something about the last person who died here did so two years ago. – Hmmm. I remember reading site notes on nwparagliders about Rampart: it was not rated but kinda like a high end P3. What is wrong with this picture?

I have 180 flights, some dicey launches including some in high wind so we will see. – On the hike up I am deafened by freight trains coming up the LEWARD side of the hill. This prompts me to call up the hill to Steve. – “If you can launch then do so and I will be waiting for Glass Off if it happens to shows up later.”

By the time I get to the Hang launch I find Steve fruitlessly attempting what he describes as a first for him; to launch a bag off of the snow from behind the Hang Bump. – It was a no go as the cliff and leeward winds kept balling up his wing. We take a short trudge up to the Para-launch to find lovely cycles just wafting up over the lip. Hey I can do this.


Steve graciously offers launch to me. Good thing, as I needed his help. Here is where the two cherries come in. The first cherry was that it was my first Rampart flight. The second is assumed: this was almost surly the first Rampart flight by anyone this season. (correct me if anyone flew this winter.)

Winds: cycles only, calm to 10 (maybe more), much like Blanchard West only 20 to 30 deg. cross from the W.

First launch attempt: – Wing grabs fast and tumbles in a frontal. – set it down – Steve me reminded to run up hill!

Second attempt: I ran up hill but not far enough. Enough to avoid the frontal but not enough to keep from getting plucked. – Not a bad pluck though, as it was in the middle of my turn. As the cross wind pushed me left, over the side of the hill, I pushed back with brake (no lean because my gear was down) I swing over the drop off, back and forth ( Steve yells STAY WITH IT!) Yea, like by then was there anything else to do? – Just as I was being plucked and was heading left I thought, for a very split second, of aborting but that would have thrashed me for sure so FLY THE WING! – with very kind words Steve would later tell me: “Nice save.”

On speed – away from the hill and ridge with nothing but wonderful lift. Now the flight that I will never forget begins in earnest. Early season at Rampart delivers visuals that you just don’t get anywhere else. – Spectacular vistas of snow corniced ridge tops, sheer granite faces with bright sun, blue skies and puffy clouds.

Topping the list was high mountain Gold Lake filled with brilliant aquamarine water, ice and snow. Falling from the lake was a 300 meter water cascade only seen from well up the canyon or from this silent airborne perch.

Steve launched after I had been in the air for 10 minutes or so. He said he had to clear his lines after enjoying a private moment with a tree and a snow hole. After launch he passed me up and was heading toward Alta Mountain in less than 5. I want a wing like that. – Cold and beautiful the view was stunning.

Once away from launch the lift was whip cream smooth all the way across the ridge with little bubbles bumping you ever so gently higher. I topped out about one or two hundred above the ridge apx 6,200 or 1,600 over launch. Steve went another 4oo or so to a light whispy base. Very cold with fingers numb I managed a few quick shots with my camera phone. I had to have something to prove my claim.

My triangle was about 10 miles but can’t share it with you on Leonardo. Just catching my breath from the hike I felt like I was stealing candy from Steve as each minute passed on launch. This feeling didn't come from Steve as he was very patient and gracious, but I know how much he loves to fly this place.  In trying to slow down and focus on my safety preflight I forgot to turn on my GPS and didn’t even put on my vario, so I flew old school.

The flight wrapped up with a windy, bumpy set up and approach – all skills were needed for the approach but a P1 one could have set it down the last 30 feet of final. The flight was wrapped up with a whisper smooth landing in a lovely little spot of land previously scouted for just such a purpose.

Steve I can’t thank you enough for the providing me with my best flight so far! – I need work on my high wind kiting/take off skills and may not run the ridge again until they are solid but for now I have memories to feed my dreams of snow cones, whip cream and cherries.

Bump Free Zone

After the psychological strain of 3 out of 4 days flying either Baldy or Chelan I needed more mellow air. The total altitude gain for those three flights was over well over 15,000 feet which in my small book was a lot of rocking and rolling. The decompression zone I settled on was Tiger. Always a nice site mid week, not to crazy and after weekend flying maybe others would take Monday off. After a few “work” items I called Randy for a west side weather update and headed for the 2:30 shuttle.

The first flight was uneventful north launch, about 20 minutes when I dipped a bit low after not really getting much above launch. I looked at my watch 500 over and it was 5 minutes to the next shuttle. A few very quick spirals and a van target landing with a quick rosette I bundled into the van wing in arms and knees on the floor.

Second flight was very similar except as I was getting a bit lower I decided to try the NE valley. The problem was it had just switched South and I was screwed. No way I can glide from here to there with this head wind. – Tighten up, head for the corner and maybe I will get a whisper of salvation lift just before the LZ. – Whisper it was, I split a couple of pines and dropped in for a Spot on the cone landing. (Yea I planned it that way) Thanks for the witness Andy.

The third flight was the one for the day. – It started with everyone looking for a wind dummy. Cheri co had his gaggle of students and needed to see what the switch to South would do to the air. I figured it wasn’t getting better so off I go. Minor deflation on launch and a real bush skimmer all the way down but finally air speed and hill shape got me to the corner.

Then the fun began.

Back and forth over the rocks scratching and skimming up and down. After a while a series of students, tandems and others went round the corner some stopping for a bight of lift but everybody ended up lower and landed. Only Steephanie stuck around and we danced together in a 700 yard long and 200 yard wide band of lift for 40 minutes or so. I will dance with you any time Stephanie. (Just like Saddle only way way smaller.)

Doesn’t this look like fun:

The day ended with Wonko, the Pub and then a long drive home - in bed by 1:30.
Tuesday brings plans for a Baldy Glass Off. We will see.

Fun, Flap & Fly

Thursday through Sunday non-stop.

Thursday I got a buddy to go up Baldy with me and then on retrieve. I am new enough that I still have friends that haven’t done this yet. Conditions were perfect. Nice light cycles out of the SW on launch and at 3:30 things were calming down so, as he was a firefighter and knew how to dial 911 if needed, I broke the flying alone rule. (Sorry Rick.)

Scratched down the hill in it seemed like more than usual sink but stuck to the W ridge hoping and praying that my analysis of other's successful tracks would pay off. It did, little bumps and then lower, little blipps then lower and then ping, ping, ping and off to the races cranking an easy up to 8200 non-stop. (new personal high)

Nice big cloud over head just sucked and sucked – I ran South to stay out but made little head way, just enough to stay clear the cloud.

Then I made the dash for 82 and got there @ 5500 or so. Then head wind cranked in from E-burg and I was stuck. I landed going straight down to maybe 4 mph backward soft in the sage.

Friday was also great.

Started with breakfast and local site orientations with Steve Rupe from Reno. Steve’s USPA card reads member since 1973. He treated me to great stories as we covered local flying options for when he is in town on business. With your help we were able to scrounge a wing and harness which he enjoyed on Saturday at Chelan (see below). Thanks to all who made that possible.

Plans were now full on for Baldy with Steve Pieniak, Snuffy, and Heather, Steve from Cashmere, and Chris Culler on hang with Martin and Curt coming up later if it was working, all hoping for some big air. At the rock at 12:30 we had foolish hopes that the winds that were cranking North in the valley would magically dissipate at altitude. LOL

Down we go for an afternoon in search for airtime. First stop Selah Butte, great older site not flown much at the southern end of the canyon. – Winds a bit better, the site really wants West, but not good enough to fly.

Off to look at Bob’s bump which we never got to because it was now north in Yakima. Now on to the Gap and the West end of Rattle Snake Ridge. Winds lighter and promising finally low enough to think about wings when the Elephant called. I pointed down range and said if we wanted a bit stronger cycles then I would go East to The Elephant. At the time a really nice lifty looking cloud was forming over the Elephant and as I pointed to the hill Steve said, “you mean that hill with that great little cloud over it? That was all it took and it was back in the car and up the Elephant.

Winds on top were great but as usual for the Elephant in North they were a bit west so not the best angle for the hill. Steve and Heather went to para-wait on the West end of the ridge and Steve kited for two steps. I was on the air with Yakima Control seeking permission to exceed 500 AGL as Steve is hooking a shredded rocker that gave him a 50% dead center frontal. I tell him he is cleared above 500agl just as he is thinking “this leaning over column of ratty lift is not what I call fun.” Steve bugs West and down and we re-group, if Steve wanted off The Elephant then the rest of us all just returned our tickets to the carnie and looked for some cotton candy.

Chris, our token hang, was a different story. He locked in to a great ridge/lift/thermam/whatever flight for about an hour before the ground crowd started talking about finding some Mexican for dinner. Short retrieve and take down and off to Santiago’s for great food and fun. Gail, my wife, was just off work and joined the party.

Saturday's initial plans for Baldy shift north for Chelan as the weather God’s want to avoid the wind. Funny how, in fact, most stayed West of the mountains, wonder how they knew. Chelan was fun but weird. Got up there with Randy with Dianna on retrieve and hopes for big air.

Only 6 bags on top with a bakers dozen of Hangs setting up. One by one they would throw themselves into a sacrificial sea of sink. What caused these manic fools to keep up their suicidal ritual is beyond me but one by one they went over the lip between the rocks. – Finally by 3:30 we were running out of sacrificial wings and it began to look like lift might arrive. It was as if there was a cap on any lift right at 3 grand. – One hang finaly got up and a Bag was working it so we began to suit up.

I launched the Monster with a real long run. Randy went rocks and caught a great cycle straight up to 7400. My work was cut out for me as I cruised cross the South face for 3 trees. It was working like Rick said it would and I milked it to 6600. A real nice 50 minute flight with lots of rocking and rolling.

We put Saturday to bed with a visit to the Ranch where 10 newbees and a few old faces were just wrapping up a long day. Doug and Dennis were in usual good form. With stories in hand we all headed down to the Mexican restraunt for more food and beer before the trek home.

Sunday arrives with more hopes for Baldy with drivers and more new friends in place for after Church.

The Dad's day afternoon is Dad's choice. Mine was Baldy. - Up the road and light light flow from the north gives a very easy North launch. - Down along the east ridge no real lift until Bang a bullet. Turn tight hang on round and round we go. After droping well below the sumit it is now 5K now 6K and top out twice round 6800. - Which way to go. - Declared Goal was North and back but North wind might be too strong and my car is in the south LZ so South I go. Sink sink sink until the leading edge of Selah Butte. - Little lift should have been able to work more but sink sink so where to land - not in the steep canyon so I picked the big bowl and had a landing in switch. I called it right and landed to a south wind bout 7 to 10 lifty air as gentle as a baby's bottom.

Big smiles and the owners grandson gave me a ride back to the car and I was home in time to log the flight before work started up at 5:00.

This Game Is Sooo Fun.


YeeHa

Wind Wind Wind & Speed

Will the wind ever stop. No flying not even a sledder from the Bob’s bump. When it is windy play with your gear.

After a fair amount of frustration and displeasure with my stirrup and speed bar system I am going to try something new.

My old system was a standard stirrup with a bungee tied between the stirrup and the first step. – This worked ok but always seemed clunky in transition. My big feet in boots couldn’t jump from Stirrup to bar and back with ease. The second thing that I didn’t like was how it was adjusted that is how my knees were totally bent at the start of speed and how I could just make full pulleys with full leg stretch.

I really think I need three steps. – The first with just a bit of speed potential, say 5 to 10%. From conversations with Brad my SIV instructor and some other pilots I have come to the understanding that my wings best glide is tied to a bit more pressure. The goal here is to have a bar that I can rest on either full locked or w/ just a touch of pressure so I can feel the wing with my feet as well as my hands. The speed system is tied to the A/B risers which catch the first of a whack. Always on or touching speed also gets me ready to move right to step 2 if I want more. My goal is to be constantly aware of and in control of my pressure.

The second step is for normal flying w/ various speed and step 3 will get me pulley to pulley.

What I came up with was a simple “rope ladder” using 1/8” steel cable and 1/2” aluminum dowel stock. I am sure it has been done before.Reports and pictures will follow. I will let you know how well this new system works.

The other reason for the change is a discussion regarding launch styles with Doug. While not changing their beginner instruction Doug felt leaving both legs out of the stirrup adds a safety factor in regards to tripping. This only works if you are doing good torpedo launches. No leg through requires a good launch form which is really a good thing. You have to lean forward with proper form to catch the stirrup. – In my case I will catch step one of my speed system. - One question I have is while I am doing this will I be loading/speed as I push back into my harness? – I don’t think so but looking at that is part of my testing plan.

Too Much To Do

All week we wait. - Even a buzz up to Bob's Bump for a sledder was wested out. High wind kiting and rain for a week. But maybe the weekend. - Friday Saturday all blown. Maybe Sunday - Yes Yes - getting better and better Baldy should work. -

And then the other reality: - Work - Worship, Bible Study and Baccalaureate all on Sunday the one day I work. LOL

Well I do get to fly when many can’t but still when the day pops it is a killer to have so much to do. – Yet the addict in me wouldn’t say no and up the hill I go with a parishioner in hand. Gail also had to work. Thanks to Marlin I get a flight.

The problem is: when so much is going on you really shouldn’t fly. – No time to watch others fly, no time to just get ready mentally. – Just go for it because you have to be back by 4:30. – The results are on Leonardo – An 18 min sledder with plenty of bumps.

Always a big smile and learning much.

Next Saturday looks good.