The death glide and a trip to Harrietville.

March 7, 2013

Weather in the morning was great.  Ken and I left for launch at eleven-the usual time.  Wind was coming in nicely and the students were getting nice thermals in the early cycles.

I took my time getting ready but was soon in the air and found easy climbs to 1900 meters over launch and then at “Clear spot” up to 1950.  Someone told me that with that with that altitude you could go directly to “Little Buffalo” and catch a thermal there to go on to Mt. Buffalo.  Well it didn’t work for me.  I left and headed out on 50 percent speed bar and had what is referred to in paragliding as a death glide.  A death glide is when you leave a thermal and head for the next thermal source but end up on the ground.  I arrived just below ridge height and after scratching for a few minutes gave up and glided out to Mt. Porepunkah Airstrip. 

Death glide from Clear Spot to Little Buffalo Ridge

I sat under the shade of a now all too familiar tree eating my sandwich and waiting for Mary Beth to retrieve me.  I think maybe I will buy a bench or a camping chair and keep it next to that tree.  I certainly have landed there enough this trip.   Next time I will head to “Black fellow” first or try a different line to Little Buffalo from Clear Spot.

My shady spot at Porepunkah Airstrip

Determined I drove back up the hill for another try. 
Later in the day the Lady bugs have been coming out. Immediately when I got out of the Pathfinder up at launch I was swarmed.  Same thing happened to Mary Beth who, at my request, was taking some pictures of me with the new Mentor wing.  A few of the Lady bugs got a ride up to 1900 meters on my jacket during the second flight and I flicked them off.  They are probably still in the air.

Launching Mystic

After launch I decided to go a different direction.  I climbed up to 1900 meters over the back of Mystic and then headed for “Goldmine” ridge.  Another good climb there and I was on my way to Harrietville.  The clouds were looking ominous behind Harrietville and I landed there instead of trying for a return trip.   Mary Beth was chasing and arrived again before I had packed up.

We stopped for ice creams in Bright on the way back to Crusty’s.  Then a trip to the Grocery store for just a few things ended up with a $50 bill and three bags of things we will eventually use. 

I went into the liquor store to get a six pack of Cooper’s Ale and they had a special on what they call “clean skin” wine.  Six bottles of Shiraz Cab blend for $7.50 AU.  This are unlabeled bottles of surplus wine that the wineries can’t sell under their own label so the get rid of it this way.  Usually it is very good as a table wine.   I’m sure it won’t be as good as the $40 bottle of Brown Brothers Shiraz that we will drink the night before heading back to the states.

Cheap wine in Oz

So I ended the day with two flights and just less than two hours of air time.   The air was better than yesterday.  Smoother more friendly thermals and not so rock and roll.  One of the Australia world team pilots flew about 140k today on an Ice Peak 6 leaving the valley and heading towards Shepparton. I might have been there with him if I had taken a more conservative run at "Little Buffalo"

Tomorrow should be a good day and the forecast looks good through the weekend.