The PrePWC had to cancel today as the winds at launch were a little top end.  However, later in the afternoon, around 5.30 , we launched from the lower take off, and 13 of the group crossed to the Avila valley.  Some getting as high as 3600m.  5 in Avila and the rest spread back along the valley.  Not bad for what was really almost an evening flight.  Curiously, I made a badly judged transition to the hills south of Avila but was caught out by the strong wind and did not clear the crest of the hill landing on the top amonsts stones and bushes and a pack of 4 dogs.  Keeping the glider above my head I was able to get to the edge of the hill about 40m in front and glide off, saving myself a considerable walk down.

A challenging day with a lot of overcast.  Approaching the pass in a group, along with quite a few other pilots arrived for the pre PWC, it looked as though we were all to land at the Cemetery of Casas del Puerto. However, just as the saddle before the conical hill half of us managed a climb.  Once over in the Avila valley we made steady progress reaching upto 3300m and Wallis, Ken, David,Han and myslef  landed in a SE flow at Avila.  Sunnith, decided to fly back.  On the way back the Cu started to activate and he reached 4500m.  However, approaching the Pass, things started to look problematic with potential Cb’s so he landed with around 80km flown.

A very pleasant day with light winds and smooth thermals to occationally 3200m , but a little inverted in places with tops to 2600m.  The highlight for me was when our group were thermalling with a big flock of young strorks just after the Pass.  Ken, Mike, Wallis, Sunnith, Ester, Mark and Steve in Avila, Martin and Han just after the Pass and David and Melle around Muñogalindo.

With climbs only to arond 2700m we made a nice circuit of the Croneja Valley going form near the Corral, to Puente de Congosto, to Barco, then home.  Mike and Ester landed on route at Barco.  A day of low saves and flatland cruising.  The evening flight also very good with nice restitution.

Track log Steve

A nice flying day with Cu around 2400 and light to mod NE flow.  Most of the group got to Barco, with a few of us going on to the big fields towards the Tornavacas Pass (31km).  An evening flight too, but a bit windy

Sunday gave up some good conditons with the convergence running NE from the Pass.  The new arrivals managed a short soaring flight at Lastra in the evening.  Monday was a short thermalling flight from PN, landing early before storms at around 2pm

Today we set a goal to Iscar, the town just between the airspace gap south of Valladolid.  Leaving Lastra before 12am we found things rather scratch with climbs not much above 2400m for the first hours.  A few landed before exiting the Piedrahita Valley.  Ian, flying a loaned Phi Tenor made 100km.  Luc and Fred were around around the 50 to 60km mark.  Hero of the day was John who made goal, arriving at 3000m, making his personal best in distance, altitude and time in the air.  At the end of the day the conditions were giving us over 4000m cloudbase with perfect Cu.  Landing around 5pm and with over 3 hours of convection left with the day fully working, it would have likely been possible to make the 200km.  However, it was great to make the declared goal and we made it home around 9am; time enough to have dinner and get rested for tomorrows equally big day.

Track log

arrival at Iscar at 3000m

John makes goal at Iscar

Strong winds and  ugly clouds during the morning.  Lunch for may of us at the long bar and horse riding in the river near Salamanca for Luc and Ian.  A nice evening soar at Lastra at the end of the day.

With a la launch form Lastra on our first trip at around 11.30 we found it hard to climb

Evening XC from La Lastra with David in view.

away, but once over the back things got easy with climbs to 3000m and good Cu.  However, the sky soon started to look big with Congestus clouds on track, so those of us in the air around the 25km mark decided to land.  Later in the afternoon we made a nice flight home from la Lastra, with David and myself landing in the home field and John with a more downwind track.

A big day yesteday with great convergence to about the 40km mark on our task to the North.  After falling out of the convergence most of us found headwinds , Best of the day for Luc.  Also, Gill, though not in our group made themost impressive flight with a return to Piedrahita.

Luc’s track

Gilles track