Nantymoel 13th June 2009

[Norris]

Called Cookie who wasn?t sure where to go but we eventually decided on Nantymoel. He said take the kayak just in case it was blown out. Jenny and I set off with the dogs in the camper and just as we got to the lights at Treorchy Stuart phoned to tell me that Nanty was on, he was just about to take off. I said I would be with him in five and booted the van up the hill. Well not booted exactly, more ambled at a fastish pace. It is 26 years old!
By the time I was parking the van there were six or seven vehicles there, and Cookie was coming up the track behind us so I gave Jen a kiss and trotted off to the take off area. Wind was quite brisk so I rigged quickly and took off backwards and was soon getting hoovered up into the wide blue yonder. Was soon joined by others and we had a lively old time getting tossed around and then drilled; it was still early and the day hadn?t really settled: didn?t care, I was flying, that?s all that matters.
Found some good lift and some equally strong sink, but so did other people. Stuart was way out in front, we were getting a kicking and he was doing wingovers. Big ones too. Nice style. Cookie was booming up into the sky and then spiralling down to play along the face of the hill, which is difficult to do in strong conditions but he was having fun. Andy Brazier was there, flying with his usual style and flair and showing the rest of us how to fly when it dropped off. The other Andy, the one who speaks fluent Polish, was there too with his streamlined harness and face mask, speeding around, here one moment, over there the next, generally staying high and a long way out. His glider has an impressive turn of speed, and I suspect it has an automatic thermal finder, he always seems to find lift!
Lots of people found the conditions a bit strong at times and a few people used big ears to get down out of it, a couple landing with the ears held firmly in. Couple of people had to go round again when they tried to land and flare with the brakes, only to find themselves getting hoofed up again.
I managed to stay with a core up to 1450ft ATO but I was still getting lots of rock and roll so I called it a day and flew out of it. I was slightly unnerved when my glider decided to dive sharply the opposite way to the brake I was using so I landed and had a cup of coffee. So did Stuart who appeared unfazed by the conditions, and Cookie who was just bubbling over with excitement.
Reech turned up and did some filming, so I filmed him filming me as he took off, it might appear in a forthcoming production. Lots of people who I know by sight turned up and flew and here?s a thing to bear in mind; if I ignore you I am not being ignorant, just being forgetful. I have a tricksome memory. I can remember things that I did thirty years ago without any problem, but sometimes I can?t remember where I was yesterday! Unfortunately, people and faces sometimes fall into a hole in my memory and only surface sometimes.
Was a good day and as a bonus, Jenny and the dogs enjoyed it too!