Paragliding Flight 72, Greenhouse, Dandelions, Weather, Aim - Monday

I got to the hill at 8:30am and didn't wait for anyone as the gusts were rather strong. I figured I;';d be able to manage to find a lull to get in the air but didn't want to w2ait for the winds to get stronger.

I hiked up the trail and wandered a bit looking for a spot to setup. I ended up at the bottom of the area I have launched before. I ended up getting drug up the hill a couple times and had to kill my wing to keep from ending up in the gully.

I gathered my wing and hiked up the hill a bit to a spot I have launched from before and setup. It appears my camera stopped and didn't record any of my flight but it was glorious. I launched and ended up on an elevator ride straight up. It was a killer flight and I was VERY happy to have my bigger harness with the better speed bar as I needed it to make any forward progress.

This was a super flight and I do wish I had taken advantage of the winds to do more soaring but it gave me the sense for today. I'm learning the topography and how to read the areas of lift better. I'm also way more comfortable getting pulled skyward in lift now.

I will have 2 cameras today so I will be sure to have better shots. I am going to try and get higher than yesterday if possible and I want a lot longer flight, 9 minutes is weak I need much longer.

It was a bit wild trying to land. I came in over the power lines and I was on full bar and falling straight down at the lines. I let off the bar and flew to my left and back away from the lines which put me in the bowl. I caught some serious bumps of lift in the bowl that wouldn't let me land without a serious challenge. I was right brake, left brake, right brake, etc as I slowly got closer to the ground. The wing was getting whacked around in the turbulence right above the ground on the base of the hill. I landed nicely and had to drop my wing quickly to get it out of a gust.

Brendan walked up shortly after I landed as he had watched my whole flight but had no desire to get into the air as rowdy as it was. I had a blast and am SO SO SO anxious for this next flight or two. He plans to be there as well and should fly if it is a bit more gentle than yesterday.

Back on the farm after I had calmed down and run through my data I headed to the greenhouse. I had left the ends of the twine still tied to the top bar so I cut all the tails loose in preparation for tying this years' lines.

SO. MANY. DANDELIONS. EVERYWHERRRRRRREEEEEEE!!!!!!! It is slow going but I am trying to get them all while IN flower, before seeding. Let the birds and sheep eat them before the seeds get airborne. Worst thing in the world is paratrooper dandelions that infest everything in sight. Worse than the plague of locusts... okay maybe not at least he dandelions are edible... but not nearly the protein of the locust... ewww.

The weather threatened after noon, I was thankful for that with my earlier flight.

After picking the boys up from school the sky let loose for a bit but not much, only a smattering in the end.

J got his Crunchlab box and of course I caught him mid blink.

The storms came through and blew past quickly so any rain was super limited. We got some nice bouts of sunshine through the afternoon.

The scourge got dumped to the birds and animals. The turkeys were super happy to have a bounty of greens to peck through and the sheep were oblivious to the piles while the alpaca happily dug in.

Gradually I get better. The arm attenuation takes a long time but it does happen with regular calibration attempts.

We got out to soak earlier but it got waylaid by R getting stung by something on his neck. He got hit then reached back and grabbed it, which felt fuzzy or hairy to him so he screamed spider but we think it was a wasp. He got a gash on his neck, super small but still a cut which makes me think hornet.

Going flying again this morning then will process the data once home, keep at the infestation removal, boys to and from school, need to wash my clothes, and grass needs to start getting cut below the house towards the creek.

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