Flight

Arrived at the Dyke earlier than usual for me to see loads of hangies already rigged some making their way to takeoff. So without pause I rigged myself and when done the answer to the question - is it time to fly - was yes - so I got myself to takeoff and waited for a nice looking cycle.

The wind was northerly and so I was crossed up on launch, I let the glider settle into wind wings level then ran down the hill, always a disconcerting feeling with the glider seemingly pointing the wrong way but I got off nice and smoothly.

Found lift in the bowl, in fact I found lift frequently, followed a nice one back towards Hove together with Ozzie and Plumber Paul... it was nice and I nearly made cloudbase. After reconnecting with the ridge I pushed forward each time wanting to get high but stay in front. After a while of this I began to think that I might try to leave...

So I made my way back over takeoff and then on towards Ditching, bouncing along in thermal after thermal some shared with the sailplanes that seemed riveted to cloudbase all day. Once I was in the outskirts of Lewes I took my last good climb from the roundabout near Nicos's house up over Swanborough and down the Ouse Valley.

I failed however to make the connection to the Firle ridge, the ground was waterlogged and although there was some lift I was impatient pushing towards the ridge when I should have stuck with a weak climb and drifted...

I selected a nice upslope to land on and made a perfect nil wind landing with no running required feeling elated at having finally made my escape.

My wife kindly drove me back to the Dyke where I drank tea and basked a little in the glow of my achievements generally enjoying the feeling of the day, only later returning to the patch of nettles I had left my glider in and home...

A fantastic day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA0iuP8Lg4Y