I got's to thinking

[Fingers]

As I am lame (in more ways than one) and with no desire at the mo to take to the air, or should I say drive round the UK countryside, hump up a hill to sit and talk shite for 6 hours, fly down to go to the pub, then go home £30 out of pocket. Having had the rose colour specks knocked from my face and stamped firmly into the ground I have had the opportunity to ponder and observe.

Please correct me as I am taking the last 7 weeks info from the posts on our board. My reckoning in the last 8 weeks the NHPC have had 2 good days of flying, I am not referring to surfing on the coast or gail hanging, I refer to good thermic conditions. So that being said this year so far has been, well poor just does not seem to put it into words. Observing that the last 3 years the conditions for flying have degraded with each year I wonder if this is how things go? There is always fluctuations with the weather day to day week to week but the mean temps and conditions do seem set for the year.

So I wonder if these patterns have always been there, the guys who have been flying since the 80's should have some feel for how the last 25 years have went flying wise.? is it possible to even create a chart!!! and is it even possible to then use this to predict the future conditions? The cycles and ebb and flow of nature has been shown to repeat over time, well the free flying community as a whole should by now have potentially a great deal of data that could be compiled to produce some interesting reading.

After all, just how many times can you go to a site to sit for 6-7 hours with a bunch of raggy arses, with out having a drink! Also anything to help reduce the carbon foot print of Gary, has to be a good thing.

[John Wallis]

Steve I don't think it matters about the weather, the trends, how long you sit on a hill, how many raggy arsed pilots you talk to, how many top to bottoms you do, or how many miles you drive. If you have this internal desire to fly nothing else matters or matches.

Are you finished with flying or just taking a break ( no pun intended)

[Fingers]

I never say never John, but without doubt the keenness was wearing off long before my bump.

For me it all about risk V reward, once the risk out weighs the reward, its time to call it a day.

I have other people to consider as well as other things I want to do, the thought of throwing in the chips for a scratch back and forth Model Ridge seems a very stupid thing to do. Flying is good, but at the mo for me its not worth paying the ultimate price for.

The only thing I will miss is the crack on the hill with you bunch of raggy arses I have come to be very fond of.

[Mike Brown]

For me the less thermic days the better!! Give me surfing up and doon the coast anyday which we've had quite a lot of lately. Im not in it to defy gravity using the rough stuff. I just like flying the things and being in the air with the minimum of fuss. If i want to go off on a jolly then obviously I straps the lawn mower on and go where I like and can then come home again. And i'll use far less fuel than you Paratravelers!!
Come and have a go on the Dark side Steve you know you want to!!
Cheers and hope your fully mended soon
Regards
Mike

[ron freeman]

Mick, its sad to read that you feel that the only way to enjoy yourself is to fly in coastal conditions or to have a motor strapped onto your back ?

Getting into a good thermal and climbing to cloudbase on your own steam... then going over the back and landing a long way down wind there is nothing can touch that sense of enjoyment & achievement.

I also fly power (great fun) but only when the condition are not soarable.

Steve, I think you are expecting to much in a very short time, British weather as you know is a constant battle...getting the best flying conditions for when we are not at work is fine juggling act.

I find patience & experience will always come through, I enjoy soaring (scraping) just as much as flying to cloudbase...it all about being in the air.

[gary stenhouse]

nice picture steve on the bike looked like that was in the leaner meaner days

cheers gary

[RonDon]

If you have this internal desire to fly nothing else matters or matches. "John Wallis"



That says it all. RonDon

[Mike Brown]

[quote="ron freeman"]Mick, its sad to read that you feel that the only way to enjoy yourself is to fly in coastal conditions or to have a motor strapped onto your back ? quote]

Each to their own Ronnie but I bet im not the only one that thinks like that! And as for flying with a motor on my bike then that's what you call freedom! I can fly where I like and not just where the lift happens to be taking me. As John say,s if all you want to do is fly then it don't matter how you do it does it? It and I am certainly not sad!
Cheers for noo!
Mike

[ron freeman]

This is where the written word goes wrong on web sites...did'nt say you were 'sad' Mike ! I said 'it was sad to read that'....

I'm all for everyone doing their own thing too... I enjoy the challenge of having to find your own lift...and I accept everyone has there own comfort zone !

You don't go where the lift happens to take you ? thats what I'm on about you have to use lots of skill and good judgement to do out & returns, triangles, & open distance.

I love to fly my mozzie, but nothing will replace that feeling of staying up on your own steam.