We had a nice, quiet family thanksgiving at home with G'ma and G'pa "W" coming to share the day with us. My day started at 5 am to the sound of a rude alarm clock.
Keri helped me put the inserts into the Thanksgiving newspaper - the biggest of the whole year, each paper weighing about 3 pounds! Instead of doing the entire route in one load like last year, I swallowed my pride and split it into two more manageable trips, and was done by 6:30. After a post-paper route nap, I spent the day watching a little football, doing various honey-do's, helping some in the kitchen, and hanging out with the fam. Keri did a great job with a very moist turkey
and her soon to be famous challalalalah bread masterpiece. Grandma helped with the trimmings, including her traditional stuffing.
During the wonderful feast, we paused to share with each other some of the things for which we are so grateful. OooPah! After dinner many of us were in need of a nap -
including Clover!
I finished up the day hanging some colorful lights on the house. A fitting end to a Happy Thanksgiving!
and Clover came as official "launch monitor" and to keep everyone company!
At launch it was mostly sunny and about 45 degrees, with a due-West wind of 15 mph.
I set up and walked out to launch, where conditions remained the same. At Short Divide, when the wind direction comes from 270 degrees and beyond it is forced to "wrap around" the upper mountain, resulting in a much smaller lift band and reducing the chances of benching up over the higher peaks in the absence of Summer-sized thermals.
The wind angle still allowed for a safe, easy launch,
I buzzed Clover and Landon taking pictures from the launch slot,
and eventually got flushed out to the valley when the wind angle turned a few more degrees from the North. I set up a nice landing approach, and waited a half second too late for my flare, resulting in a less than perfect, but still respectable nose-up landing. As I was breaking down, some high clouds moved in from the NW in advance of the approaching minor front. I was grateful for the smooth, extended 36 minute sled ride. I think ANY safe late November airtime in Utah is very fortuitous! Early in my hang gliding experience, most of my flights were measured in minutes - not hours. Today, a shorter flight now and then helps me appreciate the long ones even more :-)
Airtime: 36 minutes
Upon arrival at the gate, FS rangers were standing guard at the gate, which had already been locked! We parked and walked up to talk with the "nice man", explaining that we had been told that the gate would be open until midnight. He told us that the gate was now officially closed for the year, and that we got some "bad information." We told him that we had 11 hungry boy scouts and if we had to carry all of our large camp stoves, cabin tents, firewood and other supplies it would probably take two or three uphill trips, ending with us setting up camp in the dark and not eating until midnight!
The ranger must have had a flashback to his scouting days, as his unmovable attitude gradually softened enough to allow us 30 minutes to drive past the gate to the campsite, unload our gear for the night, and then park the vehicles outside of the gate. (I suspect he just didn't want to come back later to investigate a report of 11 lost and hungry boy scouts!) Eitherwhichway, we quickly (and gladly) complied,
allowing us to have camp set up and our foil dinners simmering on the hot coals by 6 pm!
The dinners all turned out great - with not a single charred casualty! We even had plenty of ketchup for the savory meat & potato concoctions (a scout is prepared!)
After some scary stories around the warm fire,
Scoutmaster Scott's delicious dutch oven peach cobbler hit the spot and warmed our insides.
After every scout was accounted for and sent to bed, the adults had some time to talk around the fire, as Scott told us about his recent very close encounter with a cougar on his hunting trip to Idaho last month. We all finally turned in as a nearly full moon lit up the narrow canyon. I drifted off to sleep to the echo of boy scouts howling and laughing into the night. The clear, dry night allowed temperatures to dip into the 20's, evidenced by the slushy, icy water discovered in our big water container as we prepared breakfast the next morning.
The morning campfire kept the chill away as the boys worked on their cooking merit badge, preparing bacon, pancakes, eggs and hot cocoa.
"Breakfast of Champions?"
We all took our time cleaning up, climbing the canyon walls, and playing "Frisbee 500" in the meadow.
We finished packing up the tents, kitchen, and other gear, and began the short hike out to the waiting vehicles. Other than a few minor scrapes and bruises, everyone was returned safely home - where a hot shower was very welcomed!
Landon and Clover tagged along,
and we met up with GliderMike, Cody, Liz, and some new flying friends Heather and Paul. After checking out the landing zone, we drove to launch and found conditions a bit light at 10-12 mph straight in, but the forecast called for increasing winds later in the afternoon.
It was an overcast, pre-frontal day, with occasional breaks in the clouds, and a record-setting November high temp of 70 degrees!
We all took our time setting up, and by 1:30 the forecast southwesterlies were filling in nicely at 14-16 mph. I launched first, found the mild house thermal off to the left, and soon drifted back to the face of the upper peak. I was barely high enough to find zero sink along the lower flanks, but when I reversed my direction I lost enough to prompt me to pull on VG and scoot back out over launch. By now Heather was in the air and doing very well in a nice bubble over launch. I found the same lift and soon climbed back high enough to attempt the bench-up again, this time finding lift and success midway up Clarkston Peak!
I made it up over Gunsight Peak, and spent the next two hours exploring the lift at altitude, enjoying the view, watching the changing clouds, and watching as, one by one everyone safely launched below.
At 8,600' the air was brisk and raw, until the sun came out for an hour to warm our faces, trigger some more lift, and make interesting shadows and patterns on the patchwork valley below. The fast-moving clouds were fun to watch as some tiny cumulus began to develop right below some high cirrus. Everyone had safe, enjoyable flights - some longer than others.
Short Divide is a great site which, on marginal days, may require a tighter scratchin' tolerance than some are used to in order to bench up. It took Cody and me a number of flights to learn all of the nuances of Short Divide in order to find the right tactics and strategies to maximize our airtime - but that challenge is part of the fun! One by one we all eventually landed on the Box Elder side LZ.
Clover and Landon were there to welcome me back to earth! Some landings were more graceful than others , and some were more entertaining - but everyone made it safely and unscathed! Cody was the last one still in the air, enjoying the sweet glass-off extending from the mountaintops to well out and over the valley.
Landon, Clover and GliderMike walked the LZ field in search of Landon's lost shoe, but with no luck.
We paused in the LZ to recount the days airtime events before going our separate ways. The forecast calls for rain & snow this week. I guess it is getting to be that time of year, so that's OK, as long as I can still make it to launch! It was nice renewing acquaintances, Mike & Liz, and nice to make some new flyin' friends, Heather & Paul! Hope to fly with you again soon!
