Clear of the cloud surrounding launch, Dean leads me southward to our next climb - a growing Cu (Cumulus - puffy white clouds typically formed by condensation of air rising within a thermal).
Simon is low on the mountain to the north but will swing around to the west and play catch up. If his 2+ hour scratch-fest/low save bonanza flight the previous day is any indication of his abilities - I am sure he will be with us shortly.
 |
| Dean just ahead spots Eric climbing under a cloud forming off of the rock quarry. |
Beeline on over and join Eric's climb. At base, Eric proceeds on while Dean and I continue to climb.
 |
| The quarry feeding the cloud. |
Then Dean on the radio, "We need to leave now." (with emphasis on the now).
Dean explains that the cloud Eric is heading to looks like it might start to decay soon and we may miss our chance to stone hop it to the next cloud forming beyond.
Dean follows the explanation with, "I'm going on bar."
Hint, Hint. Try to keep up.
 |
| Shift gears - its go time. Hammer the bar and grab the C's! |
Thus far the speed, glide, and climb on the Carrera Plus has been phenomenal. I've been able to keep pace with Dean on hands up glide the whole way here (he is on Novas X-Alps CCC classed wing). But on bar we see the trade off of passive safety on my part for performance on his. At half bar I am sinking like a stone in comparison to his glide. This is a gamble, do I sacrifice height to try to catch the last bit of the thermal still forming the cloud or do I play it safe and hold onto as much altitude as possible by going hands up without bar - keeping altitude in reserve to find perhaps another climb that may pop up nearby?
 |
| Eric and Dean above. I'm late to the party. |
Ease off to quarter bar. The glide flattens to something a bit more acceptable. But Dean is pulling away and still on a flatter glide. He arrives well ahead and above where I am and joins into Eric's climb. It doesn't take long before Eric is off again.
Dean continues his left hand circle and I join from well below. I lose sight of Dean as my climb starts to pick up - it appears the thermal source has sufficiently recharged for another go. Dean radios something about cloud suck. Keeping in mind the 45 degree rule, I eye the southern edge of our reborn Cu and edge my carve towards it. Carving in and out of the core, I keep watch for Dean. He radios he is clear of the cloud and looking at our next climb ahead.
 |
| Found him, moving on. |
Gliding down wind and along the main road connecting GV to Caratinga, the dictator of our day comes into view from behind the growing and decaying Cu's ...
 |
| See what I see? |
The radiating gust front from this emergent Cb (Cumulonimbus or CuNim) is causing Cu's to pop up in a circle around it. It appears to be 30+ km's away and not yet a concern - but needs to be watched carefully from here on out.
With an eye to the Cb, I see what I suspect is our next climb - over the hills to the left (east) of the main road. Dean mentioned earlier that the NE wind is typically continuous here and any thermal source scoured by it has little opportunity to form a meaningful climb. The trick in GV is to try to find sources that are leeward of the wind, behind the hills - they will be sheltered and given a decent chance to coalesce. Especially if one is looking for a low save - expect to find it in the lee (and all the fun that comes with lee-side flying).
Dean makes a good pace towards the cloud - altitude gives options (including bar), a lack of it on the other hand limits what you can do. My being lower means I need to conserve altitude and not risk going bar, losing height and not having enough to capitalize on the climb (or worse yet, end up low and arrive with the climb having expended itself).
All this time, Simon has been chasing us - low and on bar. He will comment afterwards that he was frequently having to go half bar to keep up with us. Simon has been flying the Sigma 9 mid to upper end weight (flatland UK flying) while I have been running the Carrera Plus a few kgs over the top end (Western Canada mountain flying). The likely reason for the speed difference. On top of this Dean will eventually mention that the C+'s glide was quite impressive - I was able to keep pace with him when we were hands up but not on bar. So if bar performance is not a critical factor in wing selection, the Plus appears to be able to run with some of the 'bigger boys'. That said it is still a 6.3 AR wing - if you have to ask if you are ready for it, you have already answered your own question -> probably not.
I finally arrive below the Cu Dean has since marked with a climb only to find out I've missed the boat - the thermal has petered out and the cloud is beginning to decay. I doubt bar would have made much difference.
 |
When one can see sun through the cloud,
it is likely one will not have a cloud (or climb) for much longer. |
Another switch in gears - survival mode. I need to stay up until the climb can re-establish itself. I radio to Dean my situation and altitude. He suggests try looking for climbs off of the nearby radio tower (towers tend to be be good triggers) -> the leeside of the hill the tower is situated on has been baking for a while, it is bound to give something off. It is just a question if I will be high enough to be able make much use of it.
Concurrently I start scanning nearby hills for signs of power lines. Have multiple landing option we were told (due to the power lines) and the best way to have multiple options is to start looking up high. A couple of hills look viable. The reason for the hills is three fold - power lines will be easier to spot, the power lines will likely be less plentiful, and there will not be any standing water (due to the abnormally high amount of rain we've rx'd recently). Basically an attempt to avoid drowning and getting fried.
 |
| Getting lower and looking for landing options. |
While scanning the hilltop to my right, I note that the Cb from before is slowly inching its way towards us. Even if I get a climb back to base, it is going to be a struggle to stay ahead of this thing given my progress so far.
 |
| Getting closer. Can clearly see the rain below it. Guessing it might be topping out at 20+K feet? |
Rapid movement catches my attention. A pair of raptors of some sort, one chasing the other. Then a Swallow/Swift like bird darting around. This is a gift if there ever was one. I proclaim on the radio, "I see a Swift!" The only reason a Swift would be up here is if a thermal is carrying bugs up for the Swift to eat ... and any thermal strong enough to carry bugs is strong enough for a low save.
 |
Where I spotted the Swift -
downwind of the thermal source baking in the lee below a radio tower (on top of the right most hill). |
And a glorious low save it is - even the Uburu join in. A congratulations comes from the retrieve truck below. Scratching and low saves are the modus operandi of one such as I who flies the ground and rarely the sky.
 |
| An Uburu joins in. |
On the way back up I get a better view of the approaching Cb, noting the rain has enveloped the higher ground to the west and is making its way towards the river. I check my distance from launch on GliderHUD, draw an imaginary arc from the hill to where the storm is coming from and make that my imaginary line in the sand. 15km. Be on the ground before the Cb reach that line is my plan.
 |
Draw arc from hill 15 kms away on right around to point across river and ahead of the storm on the left.
Be on ground before storm reaches that point. |
During this time, Simon has finally caught up to Dean and both have moved another 5 kms down the road from my current location.
I try catching up with them but start getting hammered in sink. Back tracking to lift is becoming less and less of an option with the Cb getting nearer. I get on the radio and indicate I am thinking about calling it a day - I will be unable to stay ahead of the storm.
 |
| Getting bigger and closer - roughly 20 km out - time to call it. |
Dean radios back that Simon has landed and that Dean will come back my way to land as well.
Landing options? Settle on a hill overlooking a farm that has a dirt road out to the highway. Fly two passes over it to look for lines - nothing, just some fencing. I can work with it.
 |
| Another side hill landing. |
Dean settles for the pasture below and sets down shortly after myself. Pack up the kit, a bit of over/under involving regular and electric fencing, and make my way down the dirt road to settle under the shade of a tree. 10 minutes pass, Steve appears with Simon. We load up the truck and head back to GV.
Half way there - the gust front from the storm hits. Rain shortly thereafter.
Our best day thus far and a wonderful sampler of what GV has to offer. The potential of this place is not lost on me.
 |
| Your truly: On glide. |
Onto: "A Tribute of Wind and Water"
