North West wind in spring
Wingbeat to the Moorfoots brings
Flying glad hearts sing
I have been told to stop f*cking about and write it properly. Anyway, first proper thermic day of the year for most of us. Myself, Dave, Derek, Tommy & Samye Ling Chris turned up at the Moorfoots on a fresh NW forecast. It was a slightly Baltic day, obviously unstable and springlike. It was mostly OK. I saw the odd person get stuck in nasty spring air (Chris from Northumberland for one) but most of us had a fairly easy time of it.
The wind was pulling through when the thermals went past, on the edge at times but OK. Fred, from back in the day was there, looking as if he had never been away. After a bit of procrastination, we all took of for a fly about. It was super unstable and getting down was more of an issue than getting up. Derek disappeared over the back and after procrastinating for a bit I followed him.
It was a case of circling half in, half out of the thermal to try and stay below airspace. I was leaving 4-500 feet as the jets were coming in to land that way. It was all going well to the back of the moor when I started climbing a bit more strongly than I was happy with to stay low. I could kind of maintain with the ears in, but it was not ideal.
I think probably the weak front had caught up with me and was lifting everything or something. There was a bit of wild weather in front of it. Not wanting to be remembered as the person who killed 300 people on a jet, I just booted it down wind. The sky had filled in at that point so it was more or less a glide to the ground, landing in the hills behind Innerleithen.
I walked back to the road, I could not get a phone reception, so I triggered the spot in the hope someone got the message. Which they did not. Went out OK, but must update the numbers. I did not wait long for a lift though from some charming folk who asked all the usual questions. Lovely though. A good end to the day really. Restores you're faith in human nature a bit.
Dave had buggered of looking for me in the meantime, but he was soon retrieved. Derek had much the same flight I think. The others all got some good soaring up until the weather deteriorated as the front came in. It got pretty wild at take of at the end of the day. Heated gloves work well, much more comfortable under the Carrera+, so a good day really.
