This year throughout July and August it has been phenomenally flyable with very few days lost to wind. Even on days with high wind forcasts we seem to fly. Today the forcast for sure was for doing something else, yet from 9am the wind was lightly on the hill so we went up at 10.30 and had a fly down in the beginnings of thermals. It seemed as the day would soon blow out so we decided not to go back up, but even by 3pm it was still ok in the valley and acceptable on launch. Graham made a flight, but the conditions finally got too boisterous and he landed just past the long bar in the increasing winds and by now large areas of very strong lift.

A change around drive to airport day, but Brian, John, Kieth and Rod were back in Piedrahita and able to get a good flight in. Brian made the most of it spending most of the afternoon aloft and getting to the Cemetery of Casas del Puerto and Back.  An evening flight had by all with a glide down to the Long Bar.

A pleasant local soaring day, with climbs to 2900m, but the winds precluding big XC. Alex finally gets skillfull or lucky and has a good flight. Early morning afternoon, late afternoon, evening and late evening flights. Tomorrow not looking so good.

A pleasant day with light N winds with lightish climbs to 2600m. We did an early morning flight and I flew with Alex so save him rigging the hang glider. Some nice climbs near the town.

The XC flight we flew to Barco, and Cliff, Kev, Chris, Brian and Peter(with me on the tandem) arrived to goal.

An nice evening flight for all to finish the day. Some photos of Cliff on his blue Golden up pretty high, and of Kevin arriving at the goal field.

With the passage of the cold front the visibility is up and the geostrophic wind in the NW. We did an early flight at 11am, which was stayupable near the landing fields. I flew with Gerry on the tandem and Pete did his first non evening flight.

For the XC conditions were quite strong in places, especially around the pass. Brian and I crossed, but found condtions rarely going above 2500 and quite turbulent flying. We landed at Niharra, some 12km short of Avila.

The evening flight was nice once we got in the air, but strong winds at take off.

With the honey top box removed, a plastic mesh covers the top bars, then over this goes the inverted clearer board. On the wire a kitchen towel soaked in formic acid, and on top of that to prevent evaporation Read the rest of this entry »

Today I made my first harvest from a Warre hive. The hive was the very first I set up, using a conversion board to allow the colony set up in a framed Langstroth hive to grow down into the smaller Warre box. After filling two boxes, the colony seems to have slowed down its development, and also from the debris tray below it is the colony most affected by Varroa. Read the rest of this entry »

Tom, a young Norwegian Pilot flying a Nivuk peak alongside Peter and I at the Pass on Monday made 197km. We of course stopped with John Kingsley at Avila (John´s radio and Gps had both gone down). A shame really, as that is twice this year I have been high at Avila early in the day when 200km on the tandem was possible (early July with Katherine when Bruno made 247km). Both these days were epic looking with nice Cu and light winds and convergence. It probably would have been possible on Sunday and yesterday too, but not so much fun as the winds were stronger and the convergence was marked by large congestus clouds.

No flying so far today. Some of the group have gone to Pico Cervero, and some to the river at Puente de Congosto. I have made my first Honey harvest from a Warré hive today and am spending some time catching up on work for the XC Open and the German Open.

Whilst arriving at take off 2 gliders were already flying across from Lastra, and the day initially looked very good with Cu´s near to 4000m and convergence setting up in the Ambles valley.  The forecast wind was a little strong and over the back, so there was some doubt as to whether it would come on the hill at Peña Negra.  However, conditions were acceptable, if not a little bit turbulent close in, and most climbed out.   In a short period of time the nice looking clouds in the Ambles valley became Congestus monsters, so we decided to stay in the Valley near Piedrahita, Landing quite early to avoid the stronger conditions of the later afternoon.

A truly epic day with light winds and convergence with good Cu at around 3500m. I flew tandem with Peter once again, getting a very low save after the pass, but then connecting with the cloud and having an easy time to Avila. John Kingsley, the senior member of the group at 62 years, got well ahead of the group and finished up at Avila. We landed with John as the conditions seemed to be more south east after Avila. Once again a nice evening flight, though a little west to be really good. Larry Pino managed 199km yesterday with the strong conditions and mega convergence line.