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Section/time to Avila from PN

3 Day forecast

Once again a potentially good day with NW winds, though higher than yesterday. High pressure but with an approaching weak cold front. the winds will pick up in the afternoon and move to NE for tomorrow.

Today we can expect a flight to Avila, though comming back or going on will be tricky due to winds.

What Happened?

Geert, Anton and myself landed near Avila at El Fresno with Bill and Luc a little further back. The Pass claimed Tim and Wim. Nice thermic conditions but wind getting up as the afternoon wore on. We declined an evening flight as it was a bit windy.

This is a great image forwarded to me by Duncan of  Eddie Colefox and Jocky Jocky Sanderson making the big leap into the Pozo de las parededes (behind PN) during the 1994 British Open. Amazing and very brave.  Amongst others who did the  leap were Fiona Mckaskill.

0000 Tuesday

1500 28ºC

section to Avila

High pressure and a ridge in altitude and slight increase in max temperature and slight drop in minimum. This should be a very nice day. The NW will make it difficult to go beyond Avila, but a return back to the Pass should be OK if we are keen to spend a long time in the air.

What Happened?
A very nice day indeed with a few claimed at the Pass, but a great cloudscape in the Avila Valley and an easy route, even though there was effectively no tailwind. Bill, Luc and myself in Avila along with Tim who then flew back to Muñogalindo. Geert also close to Avila.
Great restitution for the evening flight

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X SEction to Avila /time

An improvement over yesterday with Cu base now around 3000m with cumulus less likely to build to congestus or Cb level. If temp max stays around 23ºC and upper level clouds keep heating down it could be OK for a slow XC to the E (SW winds). As the afternoon goes on the upper level clouds will thicken, probably preventing heating and reducing probablity of Cbs. Tomorrow looking better, but we should get something out of today.

What hapened?
5 of us hoovered out of Lastra for a trip over the Pass, landing earlymdue to Congestus near
Avila

Monday 1200

3 day forecast

Should be less instability tomorrow and ver good for Tuesday.  Fights to Avila and Segovia once again I hope.  Sad to see the DSC club go this morning.  Though this week we still have a bit of DSC with Bill and Liz.  The rest from Belgium and  Ed from the  USA.

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Downwind section from PN

Upper level troughs over the peninsula.  Once again light winds (should come onto PN) and base around 12000ft.  Early build up of Congestus clouds and probably showers with some storm activity.  Not a brilliant day for paragliding. Hopefully we can be at launch and get off before significant build up if the wind comes on early.

What Happened?

Storm development very early starting at Pass and growing across the main ridge.  A fly down for me, but certainly not worth the risk.   The others were sensible and packed and came down in the van.

Finally a bit of rain though which is the upside.

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Section downwind from lastra

Increased instability in altitude (cool air in upper layers).  The instability up to cloud base also better, which may promote the wind at PN (wind over the back at 9am).  Climbs to near 3800, but  Cbs likely.  We will probably to directly to Lastra to ensure an early flight as we cannot wait for it to come on to PN if it has not done so by 11am.

What happened?

Not much.  An early trip to Lastra, but NW wind so back to PN just as the cumulus were getting to Congestus phase.  Myself and Joe flew, but got down quick due to the build up.  A fly down at the end of the day after the storms abated.

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Section to Salamanca

This is potentially a superb paragliding day with climbs approaching 4000m (on skew T to 12500ft+). Easterly flow but very light so very subject to local effects. A good Potential to fly towards Salamanca or to the NW or Plasencia. Mainly blue thermals though some clouds on convergence probable in the convergence if it sets up over the mountains. Flying over the back mountains is also possible today if the convergence sets up and the promised thermal tops are as given

What Happened?

The wind just did not come on at PN which was very frustrating as the sky looked epic. FInally around 3pm went and flew at Chia. I was able to climb out and flew around locally but unfortunately none on the others managed to climb out. As the wind was light it was catch a thermal or go down. Hero of the day was Duncan, who climbed Mt Chia twice even though he has painfully arthritic legs. (Also Pedro and John for carrying up his glider).

The ridge of high pressure in altitude has moved more north allowing an increase in instability and finally we have lost the strong NE airflow. Light E so it should come onto PN allowing interesting flights to NW or Barco direction.

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Section to Tornavacas

What Happened?

Well, we had a very nice day. Starting with a flydown at 11am, then a goal flight to Barco for most, then another flight to Barco on the evening flight for Joe, and Alan at San Lorenzo again. A PB for Jonothan at San Lorenzo during the morning flight. Possbile to have gone on beyond the Pass as one of the other group flew down to Plasencia (c80km).

Sad to day that the old white van took its last journey over the Pass today to the scrap yard at Niharra. She had been with us for many years and I am sure many have fond memories of listening to Flanagan and Allen and old 50s radio broadcasts over the wireless as we went up the hill. I will miss her.