| Flight details: | "It'll probably be too crowded, too windy or off the hill in a minute," I said as I prepared my wing. "That's the spirit," replied Carlo, "a positive attitude!" Just as I took off, a gaggle of twelve began to climb out, including Carlo himself, Nancy, Simon and Catherine. "Good luck, everyone," I thought to myself as I slope-landed and trudged back up. Missed the bus again...
But with the sky now a bit emptier, and enough wind to stay up consistently, I had another go. As Phil Ettinger and a Swing (was it Greg) explored, I found a few climbs, but not steady enough ones to risk going over the back low. Finally, out front a little way, I bumped into a thermal that seemed, though not strong, smooth and big enough to trust. Off I went, glad not to have to share it with a dozen hungry gliders, although I wouldn't have minded one or two to help mark the best lift.
The climb remained steady but slow, taking me to just short of 3000 feet, and well short of cloudbase. I was too low to head for the back of the Ditchling ridge, making do with the lower hills nearer the A27. They produced a meager climb, 0.1 up for most of the time, but I remembered Matt Pepper's advice: don't dash off for something better, if you're going up or even maintaining your height, stay with it. An occasional seagull ahead tempted me, but I refused to trust it.
At the university, the climb began to develop into something better. But by Lewes I was low again, below 700 feet. As I headed for the playing fields south of the town, I swung over the built-up area, and -- as last time I reached Lewes -- it worked. A climb began which took me to Caburn, where it became much better.
Now for some decisions... I could see bits of sea breeze cloud, though they weren't continuous. Try to exploit the convergence and/or the Firle ridge, and risk getting swallowed up, or steer inland? Inland it was, although the next climb showed that there was still plenty of north in the wind. Over the flatlands now, a |
