Snowshoe Hike

Blue skies, high pressure, low winds, sunny, warm days and cold nights. That's the weather pattern here for the last week and it's predicted to stay the same for another week or so. The flying is good but it isn't great. Up aloft, there is a strong stream from the E or NE, and once you get above 2000m things become a little bumpy.

After flying yesterday, I decided on a snow shoe hike in the medium mountains (up to 2200m) today. Very pretty, though the snow was a little bit soggy. Glad I put on lots of sunscreen!

Spring Flying

Coming back to the main ridge from Sapee

After lots of hike and flies in December and January, February turned out to be a no-fly month. Most forecasts were encouraging today (RASP was the exception), so I was keen to get into the air! I guess I've been spoiled hiking with lightweight gear this winter - my normal XC gear seemed very heavy. The snow got deeper as I got higher and I was glad when I finally got up to launch.

Over St Lions, looking towards Barreme

I changed my socks for some dry ones on launch and layered up before taking to the air. Lots of punchy thermals gave plenty of lift. As usual on a decent winter's day at St Andre it was very cold higher up. I did some goldfish-bowl flying around launch (with trips to the Allier, Sommet de la Sapee, Mouchon) before landing back at La Mure after 2 and a bit hours as the batteries in my gloves died.

Shanghai

I'm just back from a 2 week visit to Shanghai for work. It's a fascinating place and it's changing very quickly; I was last there around 7 years ago and I think they had 4 metro lines - now they have 14. It's also seems more accessible for westerners - more signs include English or Pinyin (Mandarin in Latin characters). Some more pics.

I'm back home now to the peace of St Andre. The weather is lovely and and I'm looking forward to some outdoor activities.

Hike and Fly Season 2013-2014

Grim weather conditions on launch

Except for a couple of months in the heat of the summer, all my flights here start with a hike up to launch. But in the depths of winter, the hiking becomes more important than the flying. I go for a hike up, hoping to fly down, rather than a flight where I have to hike up. Equipment weight becomes more important than performance. Stable conditions and low winds become desirable, rather than a problem.

This has been easily the best hike and fly year since I've been here with lots of low winds, sun and very little snow. I've had lots of standard hike and flies - a lovely hike, a big run to get airborne, no vario beeps and an equally big run on landing. But I've also had soaring flights where I've just managed to stay up - either with ridge lift or thermals - and eventually had to land when I got too cold.

Today was a lovely day and firmly in the second category. I had a nice hike up with Merlin, Carol and Nigel and just managed to stay airborne before landing with frozen fingers.
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The church at Vergons

Vergons is a little village - almost a hamlet - a couple of hours walk from St Andre. I had a snowy hike there and back today. It was a Sunday and the church (l'église paroissiale Notre-Dame de l’Assomption) was open but deserted. Absolutely stunning, a real gem! 

Hiking in the Freezer

The sunny part of the hike!

I had a longish hike today, basically a big loop around Chalvet and the Allier. The first 3 hours or so were in the nice, open valley out to the west through Moriez, Hyges and Lambruisse. It was warm and sunny and I hiked in shirt sleeves. Over lunch I admired vultures flying along the ridge in the stable, weak conditions.

But then it was into a valley that is always cold, even on a hot summer day. The valley never gets the sun in winter and it was just like stepping into a freezer. I put on all my layers and was still cold, despite walking back to St Andre as quickly as I could. Some pics.

My Cunning Plan

St Andre

When it's thermic at St Andre, you normally launch and go straight up. It's easy to believe this is because you're flying really well, but stable conditions in winter provide a reality check. This December has been sunny, dry and stable and, despite several hike and flies, there has been a distinct lack of circling and beeping.

Today I hatched a cunning plan to break this trend. I matched my biggest wing to my lightest gear so I was well under the weight range. I launched into a slight breeze but, while I did manage a few circles and get a few beeps, the air was still too stable. Every little bubble of lift died out almost right away, and any altitude gained was lost by the time I found the next bubble. At one point, I was joined by a vulture and I thought he might help me out. But when he started flapping his wings I knew I'd be back on the ground soon...