Well almost!  Sophie seems to have brought back some nasty little virus/bacterium from play school on her last day and left Puri and I prostrate with sickness.  Luckily for me the first day was blown out, more luckily am resucitated today, but unluckily for the comp the wind continues to blow.  However, tomorrow bodes better.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, there are going to be 5000 pensioners arriving in Piedrahita for a picnic and a bit of bingo and such like.  Hopefully we can also provide a bit of a paragliding spectacle for them.

A great forecast today and most of the pilots dotted around Avila, with Richard the furthest at the windmills at 70km.  Great

The Goya fiesta starts today, and lots of competitors are arriving.  The take off is not finally finished (will get topsoil and grass over winter), but is still pretty good and BIG.

I flew the Artic 2 today, which was nice.  I am going to have a go at flying the sports class in the comp, and hopfully a number of tandems with the press and TV.

A cool change and some nice thermal soaring around the valley, reluctant to cross the pass.  We made 2 flights, but by the evening a strong SW came in.

The take off is shaping up.  I hope it will be finished by Sunday.

Due to a late cancellation we now have space for 1 person (possibly 2) this week. This comes directly after the Spanish Nationals and right bang during some of the historically biggest XC days.  This is for pilots who want XC kms, so no beginners for this week please.

Like yesterday a forecast with a lot of southerly wind…..and a high chance of back winds at Peña Negra.  However, both today and yesterday the wind was on the hill quite early.   Just like yesterday we decided not to over the pass (the winds in the Avila valley are often stronger and conditions more turbulent).

Ony Khobi and Jan stayed up on the first flight and made their way to Villafranca.  On the second flight although light at launch it was much easier and 4m/s not uncommon.  Colin made a good climb near the Long Bar and made a fast glide home, though the rest of us got caught in the increasing winds landing between the Villafranca junction and San Miguel on the way back.

Conditons are looking good for the Brit Open next week with long flights likely.

Registration for the 2009 British and Dutch Open in Piedrahtia will be in the Panera Bar on Saturday, 27th June from 18:00 to 23:00.

There will also be a late registration session in the HQ, which is in the Palace Garden, from 07:30 to 08:30 on Sunday 28th June. This is for pilots who cannot make the main session and is by prior arrangement only.

Today we had some strong conditions.  Very nice this side of the pass, with most of us climbing to 3500m just after take off in light wind.  With a climb to 3700m at the pass we moved into the Avila (Ambles valley) and picked up a strongish tailwind (groundspeed of 70km).  Massive areas of lift, and for me a glide to near the Y junction near Avila without turning the whole way. (some had correspondingly massive areas of sink).   Very turbulent from the North at lower levels so we decided to land.  Julius landed directly south of Avila, and Robin just to the West of it.

Friday turned out to be a classic looking day with an amazing Cu-scape.  Unfortunately on our second XC attempt Andrew made a landing error around the bottom of the big spine, going in tailwind and clipping  a tree.  He was knocked unconcious and fractured his humerus.  With the good access we soon had the ambulance on site, and within a short time the resuce helicpoter from Valladolid, and the medical helicopter from Salamanca.  Andrew is still in hospital in Avila, in good spirits and hoping to be discarged to return to the UK on Tuesday.

Yesterday (Saturday) was a good Barco day for Phil and John.  We also shared the skies with the central league, so it was a foretaste of the busy times we are soon to have with the comps comming up.

Todays evening conditions seem a cert.  The league have had a good day for their task.

After a rainy Tuesday, Wednesday has turned out pretty epic with nice Cus, very little wind and perfect climbs.

The recently fledged storks have been out in force around the valley taking climbs to near cloud base and generally getting flying fit for the big migration towards the end of July.   Laura and I had an encounter with them on the morning flight near the landing field, and on the XC I got involved with group of around 20 (with a couple of vultures mixed in) around the Long Bar.   Laura, who is a novice to thermals did a flight of around and hour and a half with climbs to near 2500m landing near the quarry.   The best from Jonathan, who climbed at the pass but got decked on the way back home.    I had an easy flight back from the pass with little need to turn in the huge blocks of lift.

Hopefully we will have another big evening lift off for another modest out and return to the zig zag or corral.

With a terrible forecast (strong back winds and storms), Monday turned out to be a super day.   Three flights from Peña Negra (though we stayed local for the XC flights as the clouds were big) with a classic out and return to the zigzag/coral restitution flight in the evening.  Great flights for Laura and Martin who have been patiently waiting for an easy day throughout last week.

Today, Tuesday is v.bad, though the rest of the week is looking good