Stevie G's Log Book 2010

[Stevie G]

26/11/10...Santa Pola...14mph...14c... FreeForce2... late late afternoon we get to fly Carbo... am just about to give up after an hrs worth of ground handling when it kicks in... Antolino is off and shows us the way... its strange as the wind sock on the mast is spot on but the sea is still... apart from patches of breeze???...  derr... its waving, not something the Spanish are used to like us in Wales...you could fly to the shore line and a bit further or behind the ridge and it would get you 1500ft asl... we had a 2hr window... a fantastic way to end my trip.. my sponsers DoYouWanna and Blauvent play with me in the air and we practice our manouvres... easliy done... others happy to just float around... we all land at sundown, pack, then drink.drink.drink and say our farewells : ) x

[Stevie G]

24/11/10... Murcia... 15mph...18c... FreeForce2...  we meet early and head to Murcia, there is nill wind.... we end up at Pena Rubia and just do a few ttbīs then go for tapas and a single beer... we get back to t/o and its on and perfect... as the sun hits the valley floor it very quickly makes it work well... theres about an hrs window so we make the most of it... cloudbase was low today and one could only get  300-500ft ato... it was a good flight.. a wonderfull area... it was good to be joined by BlueVent... hopefully tomorrow I get to fly my favourite... Palomaret...am loving my new wing.. : )

[Stevie G]

19/11/10... somewhere in Murcia...14mph...14c...FreeForce2...we set off midday just driving around to see where we could fly, it was overcast and nill wind.. we knew that whatever was gonna kick in it would have S in it so we decide to just do ttbīs off Palomaret... upon arriving the Sun was birning thru and a breeze was coming on... we get ready as it picked up and it was like flying in spring with bullet thermals all over the valley taking you up to cloudbase 2600ft over the valley floor.. we get over an hours flying when it just shuts off... happy we pack and go for some well debriefing beers...
 
Today the 20th there is a weather allert over Spain.. but here at the med it was still, clear and sunny... we head over N to a coastal site at Toix/Calpe... it was howling but beautiful... head back to Alicante no breeze? take a look at Palomaret but didnt like the look of the weather system coming over from Madrid way... you can only but try... ; )

[Stevie G]

18/11/10...somewhere in Murcia...14mph..18c..FreeForce2... went on a roadtrip to go see some virgin beaches still in Spain... but ended up on the way with over a 2hr flying window off a mountain in Murcia... it was strong to start but soon calmed for an excellent flight... a little nervous as I was on my new wing and having to borrow a harness... (breaking my own rules) 2 new things at once is not a good idea... but here we go... and it was fantastic... my freestyle wing is very easy to fly... and in 10mins of leaving the hill I was 3400ft above the valley floor... thermals still 4+mps and big... easy... after I was happy the way the wing behaved and the air friendly I just had to do a couple of sats...very easy... plenty of hieght for exploring too... and after an hrs worth of flight I push out for landing... very happy... more for tomorrow... : )

[Stevie G]

am off to Alicante for a long weekend... anyone fancy it? it might be great or?  warmer than here ; )

[Stevie G]

Same again next year ; )

Organya July 2010

[Stevie G]

1/11/10...Dune De Aberavon...SW 16mph...12c...P81... by the time I arrived at Nanty Moel it was too strong... ParaVenture and the Scumdogs caught the hour flying window just right... we then decide to continue on down to the coast and managed some good dune flights... it was the first time for me and I enjoyed it but I would not recommend low airtimers or pilots with poor ground skills as the dunes do need a fair breeze on them and its so easy to be blown back into the worm farm and get some nasty rotor... the guys fly for over an hr, I get a good 30mins in, it does pick up so we pack up and head to the Four Winds for a refreshing pint...

[Norris]

yeah Steve it was a good day, but you are correct about the idiots there, I got carved up so many times I was feeling like a Christmas Turkey!! Was good to be in the air with mates though, and it was nice to see you and Cookie being so professional. Was good that so many went over the back too, it lessened the ratio of idiots /sq metre. I had a good day, see you soon mate.

[Stevie G]

17/10/10...Merthyr..WSW 16mph...8c... Pbi6... meet up with Cookie, we have 6 tandems to do, get to hill 2.30pm.. guys been waitnig all day... we fly straight away ; ) ... on tandem my first flight we get 2000ft ato, I could off gone over back and higher but have more tandems to do, it was awesome... a good few solos go for it , I dont know where they end up?... allways around 20 gliders in the air trying to get/find that elevator up, I land for the next trip, this time playing out front just feeling whats around, we get a good 700ft ato... feels like the main lift has finished but still fun... land for a cuppa...last flight was a strong one, heard Nick R from Fan G, says he's packing up, getting strong, picking up at Merthyr too but still doable...only dynamic ridge soaring for that...Scotties down Rhossili, Garethh S gets in a good hr, Scot gets a flight... we finish with pilots still in air... we go for beer... there was a lot of ar*"ho""s in the air to watch out for...dont like that...gonna start shouting loud/shouting out loud in the air.. then deal with the f"^8wits on the ground if they manage to stay alive.... but a good last of summer day... a 4hr window, grabbed 2... ; /

[Stevie G]

16/10/10...Hundred House... NNE 16mph...7c...Mac Intox... met up with the Scumdogs at Biulth Well and we went ovet to Hundred house to fly with the locals... we drive xc to t/o and see 2 locals flying... were soon in the air 8 strong, it was a gentle easy fly, only gaining 350ft ato... cloud base seemed low in mid wales... there was a good 4hr flying window... I got 1.40hrs and about 2hrs ground handling which I enjoy too... it all dies down 5ish so we go have a pint with the owner of the hill... tidy : )

[Stevie G]

13/10/10... Blorange... Gerry... pilot error... luckily he only bit his tongue and winded himself....can you spot the error?

Stone

[Stevie G]

14/10/10... Blaenavon...NE 14mph... 8c... Mac Para...arrive midday to see gliders already flying... Scumdogs, Paraventure and jointservices all there, I bump into Wattsy, cloud base was low, you couldn't get no more than 200ft above take off or you would disappear... it was a technical day... trying to fly low... good fun... a 5hr flying window again... lazy me only takes 1.30hrs... a good crowd and an excellent social debriefing at the Rifflemans : )   


13/10/10... Blaenavon... weak...10c... again arrive early but its weak... the locals are all there... Gerry, Barry, Chris W and me get about half n hr of hops but it drops totally...so with the scumdogs we decide to do t2b's off the Blorange... cookie and me do tandems, the others follow us down... its a beautiful site with views... and a beverage for afters : )

[Stevie G]

12/10/10...Blaenavon...NE 18mph ... cold...P81...arrived at Blaenavon midday, Scumdog crew and joint services there allready, the sky was a blanket of fog, the breeze starting to ease... a few of us kite our wings from the road to the base of the ridge and we take off from there and fly up just under the bank of fog for an hr and able to push right out...after the hr the fog is burned off and the air changes so we land back at our vans for teas and biscuits : )... we let the air settle for an hr then again kite our wings back to the base of the ridge... we can get a good few hundred ft above the ridge and make round the corner to Forgeside no problem... after another 1.20hrs I decide to call it a day... could of flown longer but Iv had a great 2.20hrs today.... more tomorrow : )

[Stevie G]

18/9/10...Rhossili...W 15mph...16c... Tandem Pi5... got to Rhossili early as the charts indicated a flying window for a few hours only... many people there allready from all over, but not a breath of wind.. more pilots keep arriving... good to see lots of new fresh club members and the usual suspect... the sea is so calm it was like a mirror for the skies reflection... strange as it was howling inland?...after over an hour of parawaiting a gentle breeze kicks in and slowly gets stronger.... a few gliders start to get airborne and followed more until we can all fly...again plenty of solo wings and a good handfull of tandems are flying, including our club tandem... between Nick R and Nasher they keep a watchfull and guiding eye on our newer members and all still manage to fly.... Scot and I take a father and daughter for an hrs flight.. were getting a good 1000ft asl and are able to push out well... we keep one eye on the sea as it is showing signs of increasing winds... so before we get caught out decide to land for a break... the flying window lasted maybe 2.30hrs and was then far too strong for enjoyment... one or two go over the back but land safe... then beers at the Worms  : )

[Stevie G]

17/9/10...Fochrew...NNW 15mph...16c... Mac Para Intox... thought to call at fochrew late afternoon as its on the way home... parked up to see Norris in the air...he flies around nicely and gets nice lift band... I want to test the Intox...get airborne and am happy, the wing is nice to fly... it behaves and is responsive.... pack up after 20mins I need to get home... I leave Norris Stuee and a visiting pilot there for a good eves flight, its just perfect.... more tmz : )