Really pleasant conditons with nice Cus.  We initially set off for Barco, but quickly changed our mind over the prevelant wind.  I was first over the pass with Maria as passenger on the tandem.  Nigel and Andy followed, Andy landing after around 30kms.  I went back to land with him as Maria was a bit cold after 2hours near base.

Nigel carried on to land at Avila and last over the pass, Catherine, landed at Poveda (thats about 4km beyond Ian a few weeks back!!!!!!!!).

Nick decided to turn around at the pass and did a neat our and return back to Piedrahita.

Nice evening flights.  I did a commercial tandem and then a flight at sunset with Chris (Art´s wife).

A bad forecast, but good conditions.  v. light NW with climbs to around 2600m..  Most of us flew around the valley, landing near Piedrahita, though Cahterine went to the Cementry, and Ben crossed the pass to fly to near Solosacho.

Strong stormy gusts in the afternoon, but it calmed for an evening flight.

The weather ahead well into next week is looking very good.

Wave bars and a strong  Sw put a stop to flying, but our build continues well with our American guest, Art, doing wonders on the framing of the roof

Sunday, which I spent in Madrid, was a good one for Ben who finally made it over the pass.  The new group got back very late, but managed a quick glide before darkness.

Today, Monday, was very pleasant.  We made it as group to the corrals, but I had to go down to land as Maria my tandem passenger was feeling sick.  Of the others Michal and Nigel went over the pass to around 40kms. The rest landed around the cementery or thereabouts.   I spent the rest afternoon helping Art and the builders with placing roof rafters.

Today was a great day, principally since our Log home specialist Art arrived from the States to start work on our roof.  What an amazing contrast after what went on at the site before.  Art is an artist with a chain and circular saw and spent the day in 30º heat rectifying many of the problems which have upset us for the last months.  At last our house seems to be back on track, Art staying with us to get the roof finished for the next 10 days.  At the end of the day I took Art for a 45 minute flight so he could view his work from the air.

Our XC flight was pretty good too!  Mike, Nick, Thomas and I went over the pass.  I have a climb to 3100m at the pass, but the other rushed things a little and landed soon after.   Rod had a very interesting struggle around the tree lined spine doing very well to save himself from a bomb out at Villafranca.

On this mornings flight, Nick managed to get himself in a bit of a pickle, though saved in time by a timely throwing of his reserve, depositing him safely some 400m west of launch.  At this time many of us were already landed in the valley.

Baz Rhodes happened to be at take off and lent Nick a spare reserve and on our XC flight we had some great climbs in very clear air to around 2800m.   Over the back on the south of the Gredos  the forest fires seemed to have been put out, but there was still a large plume of smoke reaching Avila.

Most bombed at the Cemetery near the pass, but Rod and Nick crossed with me, Rod landing soon after in Poveda, and Nick getting another climb to make it to the bend in the road.  Not bad after the mornings little experience………and the fact that he is also nursing an ugly looking toe after a bad arrival back from the Panera bar the day before.

We did a morning flght after the conditons/wind straightened up, but then were a bit late to the top take off for the XC fligth.  We went from lower down, but the wind was around 20km from just south of west , so things were turbulent.  I decided to land in the valley after getting worked a little by the conditons.  Thomas had a better time of it and carried on over the pass to land after around 30kms.  The others, seeing my ride, decided to go for the evening flight……..however that never happend as conditons stayed poor.

Top score for Rob today with a 42minute flight in the morning scratch, then a whopping flight to Avila (over the walls and cathedral) on the XC flight.

Only Dave, Ian, Rob and myself managed to get over the pass in some very light and stable condtions running up to it.  At the pass Rob, Dave and myself got a climb to 2900m, but Ian got ¨pass rush¨, and seeing the ¨promised land¨ rushed over a little low landing at Villatoro on the other side.

We had great and easy run to Avila, climbing to just over 3000m near Muñogalindo.  We decided to land at Avila as it was 6pm and we wanted to get back for the evening flight for the others.

A great end to a week which had some very low points (loads of days of a very strong southerly).   Next week is looking very nice though.

Pete, our driver made his first flight again after getting all his kit and van stolen over winter.  He has been building up his equipment over the last months (a new Sport 4, and his gift from Paul Russell -a Kamasutra harness).  A good evening flight.  The first of many for him we hope.

A great day, with light NW winds and climbs to 2600m.  Excellent for Mike, with a new pb to near Avila.  Most got three decent flights, though apart from Mike, most bombed near the pass on the xc jaunt.  Looking good from here on for a while.

Now is the 4th day of amazingly strong winds.  Looks like tomorrow we will be back to flying. Here´s hoping.