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Posted by Chuck Z
on 6/17/2012, 11:00 am, in reply to "Sat 6/16 GoAnywhere Day"
74.44.158.229
The BLIPs and XC Skies said it wss going to be a great day with lift to 7,000 ft. However the overcast stayed with us until about 1:00 PM when it opened up. Jim Martin described it well. Lift was a bit spotty at first but got better with altitude. Jim and I flew to Hornell together than split with him going east and I west. Turned around about 15 miles from Wellsville and flew back over Alfred U. I was worried that the high Cirrus was going to cut off the lift. Wandered back north under nice Cu at 6,500 ft and went over and watched the boaters on Silver Lake.
Mark Wasserbauer went east too and I heard him report in from Jolamtra near Harris Hill.
Lift cycled and I got fooled by a number of sucker Cus. Headed back to DSV through a very large blue hole and almost had to land at Seven Gullies when I caught a developing cu back up to 6,000 ft. After that played around over Hemlock Lake and thermaled with Jack Gilbert and Dave Ruskauff in the ASK 21 just east of the field in a long booming Cu.
In that Cu I followed a large soaring bird that I couldn't identify. Too big for a hawk, but not an Eagle or Turkey Vulture. Dave Ruskauff opined that it might be and immature Bald Eagle. The bird didn't seem to concerned that I was following it and then shortened his wing span, sped up and disappeared. On reaching home I checked the pictures in our Birds of North America book and it was indeed an immature Bald Eagle. You were right Dave.
We were still getting to 7,000 ft late in the day. I landed after 6 PM after 4.2 hrs.
--Previous Message--
: Cycling, Winds out of the South and East at
: altitude, Overcast early in the day then
: opening after 1PM. Weak Choppy lift to 4000
: MSL at 1PM then better above to 6500ft after
: 3PM. Net was 2-3 K in small chopped up
: thermals...
:
: Cu's every quadrant. ZC went SW, VNE SE,
: Cline in KG went S then SE, Up went S, SE,
: N, stayed up for 3.6 hrs went 226nm per GPS.
: Most still flying at 5PM. 31 tows by Pete.
: Rides given by Jack. Riz & Lafford
: stayed busy instructing.
:
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