Raptor Heaven

April 22, 2013. Me and Marc Fink setup down at the Whitwell PG launch. It looked a little nicer for self launching. Marc launched at 2PM and had an extended sledder. There had been cycles coming in all morning but it got quiet just as we got set to launch. I launched half an hour later and hit a nice one right off of launch. I counted to 3 and banked up hard climbing well. Then I fell out the back and did an unscheduled launch dive. I tried to get back in it but by then I was below launch and too close to the trees. Not a single bump all the way to Castle's LZ. There was something breaking off over Castle's and I managed 3 or 4 turns in zero sink at about 200' over the ground. It didn't pan out and I landed.

Dave Pugh was around with some visiting PG pilots and he drove Marc's truck down and picked us up. Marc threw in the towel but I set up again at the HG launch and got off again at 4. Once again Dave came through for me offering to drive my van down to the Church where he and his friends were going to be kiting their PGs.

Wasn't strong enough to ridge soar. Got nothing much to speak of and headed toward the church. About halfway there I got something over a clearing with a house and pond. I worked a search pattern and finally found a broken climb. It was mostly parallel to the ridge and very slow going.

Star Gap

It slowly edged me closer and closer to the trees. I was drifting closer to the LZ so I didn't mind just hanging out. At the exact moment I reached ridge height it turned over the back and started to increase in strength. I rode it up to about 4500' before it fell apart. I flew back out and caught a new bubble in exactly the same spot. That one did exactly the same thing. Finally topped it out at 5500'. There was a stiff inversion there and I tried for literally 20 minutes to punch through but I was unable to get it. It was late and the thermals weren't strong. From there I could see Galloway's and I knew there would be lift enough in the valley to get me there. If I got half way there and hit another decent thermal I could have probably made Henson's. However it was getting late and my car was at the church and I hoped to get home in time to tuck the kids in bed.

Time to go to church

After that I headed out into the valley and that's when the magic happened. Right in line with the church LZ are those brown fields. There was a sweet little lift line that was working between 2500 and 3500. It was some of the smoooothest air I've ever had the pleasure to have flown in. It was close to 6PM and the sun had that amazing golden evening color. After a few minutes a few black vultures broke off of the ridge and came out to join me. Then a hawk I didn't recognize came right out and started swapping turns with me up close. About 8 or 9 turkey vultures came out and started messing around on the ridge. A while later 2 bald eagles flew over. Within a mile of me in any direction there were a dozen soaring birds of varying species all just floating around enjoying the same beautiful glass I was in. It was one of those life moments when you just have to say "Damn, is this possible? Am I really experiencing this?" It was better than in my dreams.

This was pure freedom and joy.