Really good pilots

Way too many adventures to describe in the limited blog time I have set aside at the cafe this morning. The lift starts at 8:30 and I want to get Sharky up there early for some nice morning flights.

After yesterday's morning flights, the thermal research team launched and found better lift than the previous day. Mad dog led the way out of the Chamonix valley to Plaine Joux, and Reaper and I sunk out at the last turnpoint, landing in a field with a combine harvester - a moissoneuse! It was my best XC attempt here and my first outlanding.

It seemed like we'd made the best possible effort to follow Mad Dog, as the sky was devoid of gliders while we packed up, but then three gliders gradually appeared high over the valley wall on their way to join him: Nikki, Thom, and Berndt. Words cannot describe the bittersweet feeling of watching your dearest buddies overfly you to reach your dream XC destination for the second day in a row. But maybe I can try a French word - yesterday I learned the French word for "really good pilot" is "un bâtard" - speaking in the vernacular, of course. Reaper and I caught the bus back to Chamonix and les Bâtards caught the train.

I heard Frosty and Kaaawa Larry had a brief aerial encounter involving feet in lines - pretty scary, but they detached without trouble. Then Flash finds himself downwind of the LZ and low in a brisk valley flow - we watched the incredible footage he shot with his helmet camera, as he scanned all around for landable rooftops or tiny courtyards. Implausibly, he skimmed roofs and kicked trees to slide past them all into a little field next to a pool, where there were a bunch of topless girls sunbathing.

Apparently they applauded as he zoomed in for a running downwind landing. Later a bunch of us launched from the other side of the valley to soar above Plan de l'Aiguille in strong afternoon flow, before heading over for a close inspection of the bossons glacier and turning back for an exciting landing in the turbulent strong airflow at the Bois du Bouchet LZ. Which happened to have a really cool micro brewery brasserie across the street.

About fifteen of us ended up splitting about thirty pitchers with some of our our nice new British pilot friends. Including Baz who soared for a very long time after I sunk out from Plan de l'Aiguille - another really good pilot! More adventures to come. Stay tuned.