Early Boomer Developing

Out earlyish this morning… it thought it’d be nice to enjoy some ‘gentler’ conditions, and we did arrange to meet Tom down at Chedde to continue with some more training.

ever increasing…

He wasn’t going to be able to get out ’til around 12:30 -1.00 so we decided to have a fly before he arrives.

It was very early development today, we were watching the cloud development on the drive up, and they were already congesting much quicker than yesterday, and growing at quite a pace. We knew it was going to be a short day.  We both had some good flying, it was rough in places, and I wasn’t really in the mood to battle with the air, so decided I’d like to just have a fly down. Nope! the air had other ideas, and it was a lift, lift situation everywhere… so after a fair bit of time, and a ‘very- switchy-which-way-windsock-swirling-about-everywhere’ approach, I finally landed, Dennis wasn’t too far after me.

We decided it was just a bit too strong for Tom, the cloud bases were darkening really quickly, and on the drive home the heavens opened, with some BIG raindrops! Tom was quite happy though, and has arranged to meet Dennis early tomorrow morning.

we’d just arrived, one of the Tandems flying

Pierre and Tandem

We flew today, and lovely it was too! That was before the congestus accumulated … we didn’t go out until around 2.30 and when we arrived, there were a couple of Tandems doing the business.

It was nice and quiet and we had a good afternoons float and fly around, playing with speed bar’s and checking out our glide differences… lots of fun, needless to say the heavier person, had the greater advantage, as always! Hopefully more of the same tomorrow It did overdevelop though with the cloud thickening and darkening. We’re home now, just waiting for the storm to erupt… although it might all just turn out to be a bit of a lamb, and simply disperse…

Johan and Tandem

A picture paints a thousand words…. so how about a couple of thousand?

Grim, grey view of Varan launch from the Dentist waiting room

Steve, was hoping to do more flying this morning but alas it was pouring down first thing, and he had to leave by lunchtime so it just wasn’t going to happen. Meanwhile I had a dentist appointment, not my most favourite place to visit…. Well, I was early and was hanging around the waiting room for ages, whilst looking out of the window at a miserable grey day on Varan launch, I decided to take a photo with my phone.

Eventually after a civil cup of expresso! Yes, I was given some expresso whilst waiting! an apology ensued from my denstist explaining that there was some major surgery going on this morning, and that was the delay, and would it be ok to have five minutes rest?! As far as I’m concerned if someone is going to be poking around in my mouth with stainless steel implements they can rest for as long as needed, after all I don’t want any slips of the hand in that precarious position!

After the dentist a bit of shopping in Sallanches, and back home. It brightened up nicely and I took Tizzy for a walk and took a couple of phone photos along the way, these chickens were funny!

It’s in ‘ere somewhere! Wot you lost mate?!
phone, radio, vario, glove, camera, sunglasses?

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So today, my Kortel Kanibal Race harness has found a new home… I’ll be a bit sad to see it go, it’s such a comfortable harness, great lines and a good seat and angle, problem is, it’s just a bit too heavy for someone of my stature to carry around… I’m sure the new owner will be really chuffed, it’s virtually brand new!

As for the Kama Sutra, I’ve decided to keep hold of that one, take the pod off and enjoy using it as a ‘fun fly down’ and maybe fly a bit around, harness. As it’s a good, solid comfortable harness and will be easier to just buckle up after a day of launching people off the hill, when I am restricted and am not doing my own flying, as it’s still comfortable and if I manage to enjoy an extended flight it will be perfect for those occassions without getting fully togged up all the time.

We’ve got a bit of time, but the weather’s not looking great, so we may get out but then again… we may not?!

Dennis trying out the new school – Alpha 5, goes up easy enough!

So I’ve decided to have a go at reviving the blog… the reason I haven’t kept on it was mainly because I haven’t been carrying my camera around, and prefer to keep my phone as a phone and not a camera!

Paris Peter launching..

The other thing is if I don’t have the camera I don’t have to think about it… so it’s plain old lazyness on my part. Anyway, it seems folks may still like to know what’s happening in this neck of the woods so I’m going to have a go at reviving it to keep the updates going. So first off… this morning, it’s pouring down with rain… So our new pilot, sadly wont be able to complete some of his EP/CP tasks, we were hoping to get him through them in the given time but the weather has decided to put a delay on the proceedings… Still he will be completing them a little later on.

However, yesterday was a different matter. It was a holiday day here; I wasn’t actually aware of this fact, until I realised that there were loads of people about, later in the day and a group of Saga’s best turned up making my heart skip a couple of beats as some of them attempted some doddery launches! oooooo… phew!! glad he got away with that! A whole load of hangies were there too, and a few were up from Paris, and it’s always good to see them, even if I was a bit abrupt! Sorry Peter…. it’s ok I wasn’t up all night not sleeping and worrying about it…. ) tee hee… Steve, got a couple of shots of your launch.

Ok so the weather, it was strange, bizarre. Early morning it was fine, lovely and smooth and just perfect for our beginner Steve, although we had a bit of all or nothing on launch. But all the launches were clean, bar one… Just a little sidestepping was all that was needed…

Dennis flew down, and did the landing whilst I stayed on launch and did the launching. Steve managed five flights so did really well, passed his EP exam paper with 99% very impressive! But then he is a bit of a skydiver! So he’s got a bit of a head start. I had a flight a little later on when the sky was turning black! Dennis always leaves the nice conditions for me!!!  But it turned out a nice enough day for us all, if not just a bit busy… but eveyone seemed happy enough!

Photos in Daily Pics.

waiting for the wind for the first flight

We haven’t been able to get out on our gliders much as it’s all been a bit damp, wet and rainy, with the return of winter setting in. After all the snow had gone on Plaine Joux launch, where we could keep our gliders nice and clean, it’s now covered with snow again. Although hang on, I’ll just go and have a look out of the window…No, the snow doesn’t look as much as it did yesterday! It’s improving…

Dennis already had a few flights but still really enjoying it!

Well I’ve finally managed to get round to putting the photos up of when Jason, Tracy and Natasha were here. Natasha, took the photos and very good they are too! Thanks sweetie xx Here’s my glider waiting for it’s first flight.

Dennis wasn’t long after… have to say it was a most pleasing flight… Good to be back, feeling happy!

Rest of the pics in Daily Pics.

No flying today, it’s all a bit damp

Sorry folks no pictures, we’ve been having far too much fun on our new gliders, than to be worrying about taking snaps of the experience… although having said that, I think we may have some on Dennis’s phone and also Natasha took a few pics of us on one of the days, but as yet I haven’t taken them off the laptop! Will get ’round to it soon… seeings as we’ve got some days of rain ahead..

Incidentally, weather wise it was an amazingly good day, with easy stay-up-able conditions, not so much sunny, as quite cloudy but with some pull and punch!

moseying over to launch

…Well for Dennis anyway! So it’s finally here… the new flying season! Dennis was blessed with the first flight of the season on his newly acquired Sigma 8. and what a lovely looking glider it is too. In a very inviting Azure Blue with crisp white leading edge, and a very refreshing, lemon grass coloured band. Me… I did the ferrying?!

It was good to catch up with the old crowd… to see how everyone is doing,  nothing changes under the sun, does it (thankfully) well not in this neck of the woods!

We’ve had a great ski season,  the snow is pretty much receding now, although it’s still deep enough to ski, the temperature has been steadily increasing and the big melt is underway, that is until the next unexpected fall!

More in Daily pics…

Dennis's Sigma's first outing

Celestial Portal

What an unbelievable vision to behold whilst out skiing… the snow quality is out of this world, to the point of when floating through the lightness of feathers, and ploufing into it, just the once… the softness was never ending, when I pushed my ski pole into the ground to push myself back up, my pole kept sinking, there was no solid ground! Lovely though….

or... perhaps, the Empyreal Entrance, or the Pure Pass?!

The whole day was magical… there’s an abundance of sparkling light and newness when the snow is here, and of such quality, it almosts consecrates the ground for whatever reason, all I know is that it is altogether beautiful.

The Celestial Portal came into view, the doorway into the Celestial Universe, I’ve named it that as it only appeares once every 2000 years! Well, Indiana Jones poetic licence allowed on this very special occasion!

A few more pics here.