Flight

Here we are at Kettle Sings, just like last year with the BCC; blue skies, thick looking inversion out front (quite dark at the top~ something to do with ash?) more moist and milky off to the south and west. The wind on launch was light with plenty of thermals pulling through with moderate gusts. It seemed most on the hill were part of the BCC~  not many locals or visiting pilots... maybe there's somewhere else in the UK forecast better?
Gliders take to the air as the window opens- 'seems perfect conditions, and soon everyone was getting to 1500ft over takeoff at will. A couple of gaggles drift over the back while 2 hrs go by. I find a good climb to the leave the hill, and follow it over the back to 2700ft, but we had planned a team gaggle, so head back and just scraped in over the saddle to slope land. Smurf flies over and shouts "is that it then" and climbs out and buggers off. Quick refresh time. Take two, and find a nice climb- see Dave Massie clipping in- come on Dave, stop faffing! We meet up at just under 3000 ft and drift for an eternity over the valleys behind- hoping to get past to the flatter ground (opening up to Hereford) with good height~ we took an hour to pass over 10/12k! Dave gets on bar and pushes toward the North side of town I head due West. We reach Hereford where the sewage works are booming! Thermals are rising to 3700 now, wider and less potent high up, but less sinking air than below 2500, perfect for practising wide flat turns- which I need. I follow the river tracking a bit southerly between thermals thinking of the loomimg airspace over SAS territory~ (re:briefing) head for the ariels and fly between..! I keep looking at my map, then Dave. As we approach, I guess Dave figures he has the height to make it over the Danger area (2.3)~ turns out he was OK. I drift past the Danger zone and glide a course to meet up but Dave's on bar. I top up a couple of times on route. Dave's got to the first lower-slopes of the Hay Bluff montain range but