Backlogging - August 17, 2008 - Evening Magic at High Rock

Yesterday was such a nice day. I talked to Kelvin in the morning and headed out to High Rock arriving around 12:30. There were 5 or 6 gliders already set up when I got there, including Kelvin so I set up quick. But conditions were light so there was actually no rush necessary. I watched Bob launch and stay up, at least for a little while and conditions were getting better which was encouraging. Finally, when things were looking good, I wire crewed for a few pilots and then went and got ready. I got up onto launch and waited a few minutes for a decent cycle. Well, I didn't wait long enough because the cycle that I picked was weak and I sank fast. My launch, approach and landing were fine and I had the breakdown area to myself as the sky was filled with gliders. We hadn't brought any vehicles down to the LZ so we would be hiking up. And I took my time breaking down my glider. I must say, it's no fun when your neck is sore after your first flight because you sled and spend the next 2 hours alone in the LZ with your head craned back watching everyone play with the clouds. I watched Janni share a thermal with a sailplane (Danny B). I watched Mark go on his upwind task. Kelvin and Carlos even teased me by coming out to the LZ and pretending like they were going to come give me some company only to hook a thermal and sky out once again. I think I even heard them laughing as they went up. Eventually a few pilots did land only because they were tired and cold. After much ado about how difficult it was to get down (what are you talking about?! It was easy!) it was time to set out on our trek up the mountain. Kelvin, Carlos, Pete and I hiked up, got our cars and went back down to the LZ. Not too long after we got down there we all realized that it had gone magic and if I could get up, then everyone would have soared. I had honestly already accepted defeat for the day - Kelvin had offered to throw me off again a little earlier and I had declined - but I changed my mind because of the prime conditions and I didn't really want to end the day on that note. When Cragin got back down he agreed to go back up and throw me off so Mark, Carlos, Cragin and I went back up. Daylight was running short and the guys helped me get set up in a flash- thank you! It had backed off a little by the time I was up there but I still found a good cycle to launch into. I turned LEFT and up I went. The beeping from my vario was so steady I could have used it as a metronome. I played around at 3-400' over for about 30 minutes in the smoothest air I've been in yet. About mid flight I was flying with a gaggle of 6 vultures. They were about 200' below and off to the right a little but I thought it was really cool that our speeds and direction were identical. We paralleled each other until I turned back up the ridge. When the sun began to fall below the horizon I headed out to the LZ and did a few big 360's. Cragin signaled to me from the LZ that it was calm in the field. I began my approach when the sun was three quaters gone which was good and I touched down as the last sliver of sun slipped away. I broke down as fast as I could but it was dark as we loaded my glider onto the rack. Man, what a day. After dinner at Cozy I got home and crashed but not before I put the video together. Thank you Kelvin and Cragin for throwing me off!!
The video : http://www.vimeo.com/1544488