Cloud Base addict

So I paid some dues the past couple weeks, staying grounded for the most part. This was the first time I’ve been flying without causing doghouse nights. Except I missed dinner again…
The first ride in the Sport 2 was a sledder…10 minutes tho. The second trip, I had no water left, it was FRICKIN hot and I launched parched. After scratching for a while in the heat, 1k over the LZ, I finally hooked a slow climb to a cool and comfy 12k. At last, a time to play with the new glider and try some XC. I headed South to try to cover the 10 miles back to land at my house and it wasn’t bad. Started with a tailwind, but it was 90degree cross after the first couple miles. I’m used to scratching this route home at 9-10k, but today I was milkin stuff and it was good to my highest alt from this site yet of 14.5k. It got scary over my place b/c I guess DIA was routing the incoming and outgoing at that altitude right there so I could tell which airlines were going by. Almost could count the windows. A leer jet went under my 1k when I was there. And a couple big boys were exactly at my alt, just a couple mile or 2 east of me. FREAKY. I putzed around and tried into the wind glides and some stalls, watching the yarn on the wing change directions. That Sport2 flys when the middle cord is super stalled. It’s crazy.
Anyway, was getting lower and my hands started to feel better, but for some reason thought I’d head back N some and just followed my nose doing a low scratching flight back to Lookout. Thinking I could get back to my truck and zoom home before dinner, instead of land at home and make the wife drive me around. Low an behold, I got back to Lookout and noone was around. I think I was a bit hypoxic earlier, but at least I’m warm now. Went past launch and explored to burn off altitude to land and drive home. Figured I’d explore under this nice cloud street that was connecting the clouds and showing the beginning signs of Ba-Boom stuff. The coolest thing about this flight was the thermal I found here. This thing made my vario sing like it could break glass. And it was smooth and big. The peak was 2520ftm, but the average (20 sec maybe) was 1520fpm. Just for fun, I checked and had climbed a mile (5266ft) in 4 min 45 seconds. It was a riot.
So then I had to think, way below base(which hadn’t really formed over me yet, and I started heading towards the edge and perfectly came to the edge and a little up in a clear dome of cloud. Between you and me, I poked the wing tip into the side of it as I left at 15,150ft. My super highest for Lookout! I decided the cloud, which was like a wall behind me was done with me and would soon be letting the door hit me where the good lord split me. So I got another chance to check the glide on this baby, and flew BACK 10 miles to my house again. But this time, never slowing to thermal. Made it 10 miles in 13 minutes and then had to burn 5k to land. That cloud later visited my unbroken down glider and rained like nobodies business. I don’t know if the headache was from altitude or lack of water, but I drank like a fish at home.
It’d give my left nut to have video of that ripper and the cloudbase experience.
Forgot to mention. I was on final coming down fairway 13 and the golf cart that had just left my spot turned around and headed back at me. It was like we were playing chicken. Then I guess he just froze and turned around by their other ball or something RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FAIRWAY. The nerve. Anyway… I adjusted and landed right next to him in a perfect position to start a drag race. I apologized and walked in front of them to get out of the way. I sure hope they don’t start getting ticked at me!
And I missed dinner b/c my vario wasn’t adjusted for the time change… many moons ago.
From the doghouse,
BJ