Big air over miller today as the Aspen trees were beginning to change color. Huge areas of lift were enjoyed by 4 stiffies and 3 baggers today. Dr speck, j-lo, rafe and e-tucker were riding the stiffies. Rafael got a long soaring flight today and had his first experience in finding it challenging to get down. Eric enjoyed the big lift after a year's hiatus, and j-lo was all over the huachucas before he decided to cross the valley and land at the bird sanctuary.
Of the flaccid fliers, I dummied off first in what turned out to be the only good breeze that came up launch all day. It lifted me right off the hill and that thermal didn't stop until I left it at 13.5k. There wasn't much breeze on launch, but Terry and John Wolf managed to get off the hill. Up wasn't ever a problem today. I crossed most of the valley without turning and still stayed above 12k.
It was pretty sporting conditions for we aluminumless pilots today, with peak climb rates into the upper teens. Most of the lift covered tremendous expanses of space and had reasonably soft edges, but it still got your attention.
The common conversation in the lz were stories about how difficult it was to get Down!
For me- I crossed 100hrs in my paraglider. Almost 25 in my Atis2. Not very many in 8-1/2 years of flying
