Quite a long one for me yesterday as I started out for Anoch Mor at 8am looking at a nice Ayrshire sky wondering what the day would bring. The drive up was uneventful until I passed through Ranoch Moor a big black cloud loomed above me and at the Buchaille the car was hit by a large snow shower hmmmmmm! I then started to wonder whether or not I had made the best decision. Minutes later I had passed through the Coe and it definitely looked a lot better north. So I bashed on to get to Aonach Mor car park whole journey taking 2.5 hrs.
Met Mike Jardine and Grahame Saunders in the car park and learned that apparently we were not going to be alone. It ended up that a small group of SMPC, another from Highland and then there was Matt Church and Jules with 3 others from Aberdeen with Gordon Smyth and myself completing the full compliment of a mini Scottish nationals meet. When I arrived on top Trias was already out front trying to negotiate a large snow shower across the Valley.
Well that was what the rest of the day was like - large clouds, sunshine, and snow showers all thrown in together. A classic spring day!!
With my first launch I encountered a full on snow shower and bombed out after about 5km to the east, and on landing I was joined by Neil from Skye (Highland) for the 4 mile walk out.
2nd flight much better with base then being around 6k, having decided not to follow Matt and Mark Robson up the Great Glen I took the obvious road route almost making it to Loch Laggan (around 20kms). Hitching up there was dead easy I got three lifts within minutes of each other to get back to the Aonach Mor gondola. Just in time to see Gordon attempt a down wind landing. Looking back on it it was so funny his legs couldn't move fast enough and he took the hit or rather his nice down jacket did! Then he did the normal thing immediately jumping up bouncing around and tried to ignore the fact that he had just made a "TiT" of himself. Always entertaining when Gordon's around!!!!
Must admit it was a interesting a day, not one for the feint hearted some of the thermals were horrible and knarly where others were nice and steady. It has to be said you have got to have a talent or something to avoid the showers. At one stage I thought one was trying to hunt me down, didn't matter what I did the B**ger was still on my tail.
Got back home around 10:30 pm absolutely shattered, but pleasantly pleased that I had a day with no drama’s and no disorganized gaggles (Unlike the day before on Tinto with the rest of the world and his dog!!!)
Tip of the day I learnt that a day multi ticket is advisable for the gondola some of the guys had 3 or 4 launches and the difference between a multi ticket and a single is £3.25 a no brainer really.
Sean
