| Flight details: | I was overjoyed as I climbed out, because Friday had been frustrating - sitting baking on Combe Gibbet, then failing to climb out with Roger and Nancy at Rybury - and Saturday had looked like being the same.
I didn't hurry to get ready early, as I suspected, rightly, that the first decent cycle would be very crowded. Half a dozen big names launched into it and quickly climbed. But the second gaggle was only three strong, including John Turczak, and I kicked myself for not being in that one.
After that the wind went off to the west, then died altogether. We sat disconsolately, watching wings climbing at Milk Hill White Horse, until a sudden puff came through. I immediately stepped into lifty air, and found myself above Emile Van Wyk, Kirsty Cameron and others - far enough above not to feel overcrowded until I was established in the climb. Emile and Kirsty soon outclimbed me, of course, but then Steve Newcombe came up to join me. He outclimbed me too, but not until he'd marked the core for me all the way to cloudbase. Steve headed back upwind; I guessed that he had triangular plans.
So I was happy; in the cool air, above the beautiful Wiltshire countryside that's now my home. Looking down on Avebury's ancient stones, I told myself that today was a good paragliding day for me even if I bombed after the first climb.
But I didn't: the next cloud was even better, and took me to over 4,000 feet ASL. But the wind was close to southerly, and I realised that I was heading towards Redlands drop zone, on the east side of Swindon, and eventually Brize Norton airspace. So I crosswinded towards another nice cloud, but before I got there I saw something even more beautiful and useful: Nancy on her Iota, going up gently. I hit a good climb just before I reached her, and we took it almost to base before setting off on another crosswind glide.
The next cloud was so good that Nancy put in big ears, while I headed to its southern edge. I rejoined her near Wantage, but wa |
