Back in May we were asked for a date to host the nationals round. I marked it on my calendar and everyone else forgot about it. So when Scott/Adrian pinged me about hosting a round I remembered the dates, passed them on and at the famous 5 day weather forecast it looked flyable. (I have a theory that the forecasts are designed to piss off flyers by always suggesting the next flyable day will be in 5 days time). We started to make a plan.
Tommy sorted out some wood (not every log was named this year so a bit of a rush job. One of them was named Ursula I think. or maybe that was something else completely!).
Friday arrived. The weekend looked blown out. Well a chance of some evening flying maybe. Lots of discussion. Logs had been cut. Inertia was increasing. and there was hope.
But where? Sundhope. Bodesbeck? nope. Moorfoots !?! further discussion about not being a main wingbeat site but we'd called it on by then and it was the only real option. It's also where most people fly in the NW'ly direction forecast. Sundhope may have been do-able but is always bypassed on the way to the Moorfoots especially on stronger days so we just don't have the airtime on the hill to take a comp there.
Bodesbeck may have been better direction wise but way too high with the strong upper winds.
So. Saturday morning. Urgh. tail end of a head cold. Up and out of the house by 8.30 to get to Tommy's then up to Inerliethen and on to the hill.
Found Sean, Derek and Barry sheltering over the back. Then Logan, Sandor, Stephen P, DT and Alastair T assessing conditions round the front.
The consensus was "it's f^cking strong" and "it's due to drop later". No one seemed keen to make a move so we all chatted for about an hour. Dudley mentioned a rebrief at 2pm after a trip to a cafe for some coffee but no one heard him properly with all the wind noise.
After a while it felt like it had dropped slight. Turned out I was sheltered behind Logan's van.. More discussion. someone may even have got out a windmeter.
It had dropped. maybe.
Sean took his glider up the hill for a walk. I know that I can faf on take off. Sean proved I may just win the most faf getting kit out on a marginal hill award. but he took off. I was still watching by this point. up. down. forward. it was flyable. not ideal conditions for most of us but flyable.
A plan was formed for a task. up and down the ridge a couple of times starting from Broad Law with a briefing at the take off.
Several people took off by the cars. Then flew about a bit and headed west. Looked strong. a tad gusty at times but do-able if your into that kind of thing. I walked to take off.
the discussion along the way was along the lines of... are we happy with setting the task because the conditions were not "comfortable" for most (if not all) of the wingbeat guys.
We waited. Some people flew. Several tried to land near the bottom of the hill but struggled. the top wasn't any better. We waited..
Dave did a wee dance. Apparently there was a thistle needle involved and they were definitely no the briefs we were expecting to see. The consensus was there was a bit of gamesmanship going on.
The full briefing happened a wee bit later with DT outlining the task (now with all three pairs of trousers up to his waist).
I wrote it down as:
Take Off Broad Law
Turn Point 1 Hirendean Castle (remains)
Turn Point 2 Gully - Whitelaw Cleugh
Turn Point 3 Gully - before castle
Turn Point 4 Parking on B7007
Then fly as far as you want along the ridge
and that's how it's being scored.
Window open at 2.30 - close at 4. Land by 6pm. Check in by calling or texting Dudley.
DT and Przemek were first off. Then Seb had a couple of attempts at launching. Conditions were strong on launch (bottom third of the hill) so we all stood down for a while and watched the guys in the air get TP1 and come back.
3.55 came and only two had ventured into the air. things were getting a bit more settled so take off (and land by) were then extended by 30min.
Things then came good. then dropped off. so a few people ended up soaring down Broad law! but it came good..
Most people got up and along the ridge. TP1 proved tricky for some as it involved getting out and over the "Castle".
so... can you spot Hirendean Castle?
The next tricky bit was flying far enough to get Whitelaw Cleugh. Several flew to the cars but didn't quite go far enough.
I didn't get TP1 and by the time I flew back to the cars the day was pretty much done.
Then a mad dash back to Cacra for the BBQ, Bonfire and camping.
A fair few turned up and I think a good night was had by all. I abandoned the bonfire about 1am but pretty sure there were voices for some time after that. Tommy was heard muttering Ursula! and was grabbing at logs. nothing new there then.. ;-)
Sunday morning was frosty in the campsite. most were up sharpish. We got the place tidied up and as the forecast was for strong wind once the inversion broke we canned the day.
Good effort from all involved. Special thanks to Tommy for the trailer load of logs, BBQ and all the stuff he does behind the scenes.
Scores will be published at some point. once I get all the details back.
Jamie
Pictures:
(some nicked from Przemek's google gallery: https://goo.gl/photos/cNEAUKLnowXnPPUMA )
