| Flight details: | Turning up half an hour too late last Saturday left me standing on the hill as the sea breeze kicked in. I was up and ready earlier this morning, and Greg's latest 'How to go XC' video was an inspirational choice for breakfast viewing.
On the hill at 09:30 there were already a lucky few high, and seemed to stay high. The next obvious thermal attracted eight or ten, but was too busy for my liking. I have had a few days this summer where, for me, a couple of scrambles for thermals punctuate a lot of standing around waiting the wind to come over the back. I though this was another such day.
The wind switching SW to NW, I thought a top to bottom was wasn't so bad, and with a few launched I might even cadge a lift. I hate that glide out that goes nothing, nothing, nothing, but near the muck pile it felt floatier, and I gained a couple of metres. It took about four more 360's before I started gaining consistently, and the next 15 minutes slowly took me to 2500 above the modellers' bowl.
In the auspicious company of Nancy, Carlo and Mark and a few others, someone had the bright idea to head along and behind the ridge to play with the sea-breeze front - amazing, I've never been so close and surfing up the front of the er, front. That alone would have mae the flight for me. As a group we carried along the front towards Plumpton where we stayed north of the ridge, until Lewes, where we headed Heathfield direction. I say we, but I was strictly pimping. It felt like a masterclass in decision making, although I don't think I picked up much knowledge - people would head off, and magically find the climb for me.
It got easier after Heathfield, eventually I dropped back maxing out a climb, as the stress of chasing from below was too much, but there were always the triumvirate of Nancy, Carlo and Mark showing what lay ahead. The coast to the south was beautiful, seeing the sea to the north at Whitstable was amazing, Ashford came and went, and Carlo marked one |
