Randolph Friday

After working like crazy for weeks, I finally made time to take Friday afternoon off to go flying!

Cody and I drove to Randolph and met up with the usual suspects at the Crawford Mountain launch - including Cal, KC, Dan, Wes, Shadd, Liz, Greg, Bruce and a couple others. By 1:30 at launch it was blowing straight in, gusting from 18 to 25 mph. Cody set up the F3T "SuperFloater" while I set up my U2.


Cal was off first, reporting strong but smooth winds aloft. He quickly climbed to 2,000+ over launch, and invited all comers to join him in some Air-Play'n!


Cody made a great launch of all 225 squares and did quite well, sans-VG in the serious air.


Greg, Shadd and Wes assisted me on launch at my nose and side wires. I wasted little time getting buffeted on the ground, and soon found myself quickly climbing in the bar-stuffing classic Crawford conditions with a huge grin on my face! Soon there were nearly ten gliders in the air, although conditions on launch had become even gustier, so some people elected to remain on the ground. We all cruised around the sky, exploring the steep Crawford range from end to end.


It was a beautiful fall day, with numerous little cumulus clouds, and some higher cirrus and stratus clouds also. As I flew southward I marveled at the beauty of the bright yellow aspen trees mixed in with the pines, tucked away up narrow canyons. It was as if some of the views were reserved just for the fortunate air travelers!


The valley had changed from the bright green of Spring and Summer, to the rusty earth tones of Fall. We exchanged radio chatter about altitudes, thermal strength, sail tops, winds aloft and other pilot banter. An hour and a half into the flight the sun was lower in the sky, and the glass-off began. I relaxed and took more pictures, and then engaged a local raptor in a game of follow the leader - with him, of course being the leader!


As one by one people returned to earth in the big LZ below, I pointed due west to see how far I could fly into the wind. I was flying without any instruments, but I could tell I was steadily climbing, as my view into the Bear Lake Valley to the West continued to get better and better, until I was at least 4,000' over the valley floor, still climbing and almost over Highway 16 about five miles away from launch.


I took a picture from straight over the "turnpoint" and continued about a half mile farther to the west, until I finally began to lose some altitude. I turned 180 degrees and scooted back over the LZ, arriving with still about 3,000 feet to play and practice some seriously steep wingovers! Fifteen minutes later I finally got low enough to set up my final approach, and came in for my regular foot-drag, no-step landing. With only one other glider still in the sky, the stories of the days' flying experiences had already begun, as the Crawfords had once again delivered some incredible flights!


Airtime: 2 hours 30 minutes!