Headed down to EL solo to get some training in on my flares only to find slightly soarable conditions (W, NW 7-15) which necessitated at least 1 flight off the top prior to heading to the 50' or 40'. If I'm going to set up my glider anyway....
I quickly gathered a motley crew - Ella, H3 and my blue sticker pilot (I still need a buddy until I get my H3), Sergei, paraglider pilot, Armand, H3 who was willing to be our driver as this was his first day back of the season and wasn't sure it was a good 'first' day back for him. His loss was our gain and we quickly headed up the hill.
There were two other hangies on top, who were miraculously just setting up their control frames, which I thought odd given they had driven up the hill 30 minutes prior. Their names were Tom and Terry, which conjured up images of a cat and mouse cartoon. :)
It looked good so I quickly set up, minimalized things (no vario, radio) and had Armand and Ella join me walk out to the N, W launch. Slightly gusty so I waited for a gust to come through and begin to lull prior to launching. One item of note, I had just done a hang check followed by my other checks (shoes tied, leg straps, backup buckle on harness, chute pins, helmet secure, gloves, brain, hooked in) and a nice cycle came in so I picked up the glider, stated 'target', and 'wings balanced' during which Ella asked me 'Do you have a flight plan? Do you know where you're going?' I ignored these questions and launched as I was already in the zone...note to self and lesson learned - be sure to tell your buddy what your flight plan is prior to heading out to launch so they don't possibly distract you as you are about to launch.
Launched and turned left, found lift close the ridge, did a few 180 passes and was above launch. Headed out to the 1200' as a paraglider was doing nicely far above it so I thought I'd explore. Lost a bit on the way out, found scattered, tiny, punches hear and there but nothing I could really work (read- knew how to work! :). Went over to the 600', did a 360 and only maintained. Headed over the 300 found some lift, and did a couple of passes between the 300' and the 600'. At this point I felt it more important to think about my landing approach (which I had been doing since the 1200') then maximizing the bird farts as there were cows! in the lz scattered mostly in the north/north west zone, yet encroaching on the H3 spot. I focused on the H4 spot as it was clear of cows and as I came around onto final, I tried to transition my hands during the turn, in a bump and ended up grabbing my left side back wire which put me in a rather exciting steep turn - whoosh! I quickly recovered, came in fast with wings level, landed on my feet just past the H4 spot.
Flight Log: 1 flight off 1750'
Zero flights off 40' and 50' due to too many cows
