| Flight details: | This was the first time I decided to leave the hill with some degree of commitment. I'm glad I did! Got high in what may have been the last good thermal of the day, then just drifted as far as possible, trying to look at clouds and stay high. Easy when it's going well!
There were 3 pilots in our little gaggle, a red Nova Ion 2 with open harness, and an orange wing (looked like an EN-C?) with black pod harness (I was flying the bronze coloured Advance Iota with pod if you're reading).
The guy on the orange wing sped off down the Ditchling ridge, then made a move north to head towards clouds. Did you get far? I stayed with the red wing for a while, finding the second thermal quite soon after the first glide, somewhere over the Ditchling ridge. I then headed for the north side of Lewes, aware there were no clouds, but headed on regardless (mistake?). I looked for the red wing at this point, but he was nowhere to be seen. Where'd you go?
So after hanging around over Lewes in zeros for a while, identifying landmarks, enjoying the view, but not really topping up on height, I decided to glide over towards Caburn. At this point I'm kicking myself for not tracking further north with the clouds. I look down and can see cars in Caburn car park, make a half-hearted attempt to find more lift, and think how convenient it would be to land there. Shortly after I think I may as well use my remaining height to glide as far as it will take me, with luck I may find more lift. But no, It's a glide to Middle Farm, with a vertical landing in a stiff southerly breeze.
Big thanks to Rob Simpson for the lift back to the Dyke. Shame Middle Farm didn't have your mince!
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