It's now official summer is cancelled

[John Wallis]

And so the endless crap weather continues for yet another week....I'm starting to feel depressed

http://www.meteonet.nl/aktueel/brackall.htm

[gordie]

We need a new smiley for times like this to describe the way I feel, one with a gun held to his head! This ones pretty close though.

Having said all that when you can chisel some flying out of the weather it can be lovely. Spent yesterday evening soaring on Ullock Pike with two young peregrines. They had obviously never seen a paraglider before and were very intrigued as to what I was. Initially they swooped down past me but soon settled and spent 15 minutes soaring wing tip to wing tip with me as we all worked the light lift together. It was a beautiful sight with the back drop of the iridescent purple heather, blooming in the sunshine.

[AlastairW]

I went down to Model yesterday, arriving about 3:15pm.

I had been checking Wendy all morning, and thought for sure it would be blown out.... Wendy was giving readings of upto 30mph.

But by 3:15 the wind had dropped to nothing. Zero. Not even a breath.

And according to the people stood on the hill, it had gone from 25mph to zero in the space of about 15 minutes.

I had had hopes for Sunday, but as Gary says, they are now dashed.

Bring on the new emoticons, where you get a chance to slash your wrists.....

[Jim Bittlestone]

Hi Alistair,
I just missed you at Model Ridge yesterday.
A couple of people had soaring flights of about 5 minutes around 1800hrs on the Carlton side, then flew back to the cafe later, just as the wind turned to the south!
It's a great view from there, I could see the effect of the low sea breeze on smoke from a fire coming up the river and the higher wind taking the smoke in a northerly... Until it turned southerly.
Suffice to say it didn't come out of the bag... Again.
Still, I've been to another site and I met Jeff from Chester le Street and a couple of people from T' south.
Lovely evening.. unless you wanted to fly of course.
I'll be out Wednesday and Thursday if the weather allows.
Cheers
Jim

[ron freeman]

Depressed....? try running a school mate ! just about ready to emigrate.

Happy flips (dream on)

[Pete Batey]

Depressed....? try running a school mate ! just about ready to emigrate.

Happy flips (dream on)

Time to get the aerotow sorted. If you set up near laragne (like judy and chris dawes are planning) you can count on 6 weeks of aerotow fees from me next year! I think most HG pilots would pay a premium to avoid the inconvenience of manefesting for a navette, and avoid the dusties, and avoid the uncertainties of which launch to go to, and the chance of having to "land in the fish" etc.
Pete

[tony anderson]

Still on my hols in Cornwall still raining .So I've tacken up surfing thinking Brian has got it about right. Surfboards for hanggliders anybody?.

[Chris L]

Well guys we've now been in France for just over 2 weeks and flown all but 2 days including Annecy, St Vincent le Forte, Laragne & Mens.
Been thwarted by thunderstorms today, some had a fly down I went for a run along Chabre ridge and made a hasty retreat when the thunder and fork lightening started.
Moving onto Annecy for 3 days then Chamonix followed by a week at Interlaken. 30-35C day time temps, blue skys fluffy clouds, not epic conditions though; big inversions and high pressure dominating until late afternoon but managed some short XC's so we're happy
Sorry to hear things are still so bad across there It can only get better. Stay happy

[gordie]

Summers back on!n I promise you by next weekend it will be here an hopefully for a while. Here's the latest forecast from MWIS:

PLANNING OUTLOOK: all mountain areas of Britain By Friday low pressure should have drifted east with a ridge building from the west slowly. Showers are still likely in the north and east, but hills many areas will see good breaks in the clouds developing outside any showers. There seems to be a good agreement between models for high pressure to develop near or to the north of Scotland during the weekend, with the prospect of a quiet and settled spell, particularly over the north and west.

Looking at the charts I have to agree:

http://meteonet.nl/aktueel/brackall.htm

I reckon it could be a 'radge' weekend in the Scottish Highlands

Off out to Bewaldeth now to sacrifice more virgin sheep and hopefully the wind will drop.....

P.S. If you can avoid the rain this week wind wise isn't looking to bad either. Come on Lad's, positive energy and we will beat it!

P.P.S. Chris............ "F*@k off winding us up man, and go fight some Germans for a sun bed.

[John Wallis]

I mean look at Wednesday you couldn't get more weather on a chart if you tried and as for the high coming in you watch it get squeezed south. The amount of high pressure systems I've seen above and below us is crazy. The British Isles seem to be like a magnet for low pressure, cold and warm fronts, troughs by the dozen, occlusions, and not forgetting the odd locust invasion earth quakes and parting of the seas.

Be positive

I'm off ground handling now and will probably run into a car rather than walk over it

[gordie]

Right then Wallis that's it, I have had enough of your winging, I am officially laying the positive weather gauntlet down, you miserable geordie *£@!£$%!

I sit here relaxing after spending the evening at Bewaldeth. After not finding any virgin sheep I turned my attentions to flying and guess what..... the wind dropped and it was perfect! Admittedly I did not believe a hurricane can stop so quick so off I set with my sexy new Gin Bobcattastic speedy wing, being desperate to get it out of the bag. Got to the top, wind was o.k. 18mph, got it out, flew a little bit, wind dropped a bit, spent next 45 minutes stood on top waiting for wind to pick up. It never did and was perfect for normal paragliding(note to self, never leave normal glider at home again!)

To get serious for a minute the latest update to the charts is looking even better, honest. The high is working its way in on Friday and bringing a nice cold northerly as it does so. By Saturday it should be over us doing its thing and I guarantee 'Doughting John Wallis' you will be floating in the skies with a smile on your face

As for the low's of in the Atlantic they are filling by this point and in decay, unlike the active ones we have had for an eternity. Yes they may flop this way for a while but they look much calmer then the ones of late and with much less wind and frontal action.

So there you have it, last time I was this certain about the weather was when I reckoned it would snow one November and promised the CSC committee that I would eat my underpants if I was wrong, Mmmmh they tasted good

Buy you a pint if I am wrong (John that is and not the rest of you)

[Misk]

Glencoe at the weekend for those that like the taste of tartan and the view from 9000'...........

[gary stenhouse]

well looking at the forecasts that have just been updated and i think its time. i have tried to be positive but i think my normal optimism has been finaly broken. thouugh i think the mynd will be cancelled then i will head up to the highlands if the weather is going to be better up there.

i will fly this weekend but where i am not sure?

[Bradleisure]

Call it a crazy gut feeling ...

I have to agree with Gordie in thinking that this weekend might be more than flyable!

Well Saturday on Clough anyhow as have to stay local this w/e.

[gordie]

Your gona hate me for saying this, but yes this evening turned out flyable at Bewaldeth. When the rain finally cleared, around 6 p.m. ish. The wind came on and gave me a couple of hours lovely soaring above Binsey until sunset. O.K. my gliders a bit damp but it was my old Nomad what loves to get dirty Couple of other locals also got out for an airing.

2 Days in a row can it continue..... well yes, chose yourself a northerly tomorrow afternoon/evening and enjoy And as for the day to throw a sicky, then do what every you can to get 'Big Friday' off

[Davehorne]

Right you lot, it's going to be good somewhere in the UK, sometime Friday to Sunday

Well I'll be there, together with every other desperate flyer

Quite where and when though - ahh that's the trick

Friday - Lakes??

Saturday - Highlands??

Who knows - I reckon we are all snake oil salesmen

[John Wallis]

"Who knows we are all snake oil salesmen"

I had to look this up Dave I thought it was some kind of Allendale speak but I fear you are correct.

Snake oil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about medicinal compounds. For snake oil in cryptography, see Snake oil (cryptography).

Clark Stanley's Snake Oil.Snake oil is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat joint pain. However, the most common usage of the phrase is as a derogatory term for compounds offered as medicines which implies that they are fake, fraudulent, quackish, or ineffective. The expression is also applied metaphorically to any product with exaggerated marketing but questionable or unverifiable quality.

Looking forward to hearing your infectious laughter to cheer me up

[John Wallis]

Looking bad for the Long Mynd lads I'm sorry to say unless they've got it properly wrong which is possible. I would suggest Gordie washes his undies ready for another nosh. Have a look at the chart below it make grim reading and this *hite weather continues.

So there you have it, last time I was this certain about the weather was when I reckoned it would snow one November and promised the CSC committee that I would eat my underpants if I was wrong, Mmmmh they tasted good

http://www.meteonet.nl/aktueel/brackall.htm

[gordie]

Ok Ok I probably owe you a pint Wallis, but if I fly does that cancel our deal?

As for today thought I better post under the Wednesday post

[Misk]

Whaat happended there then - look SH1T

[John Wallis]

Ok Ok I probably owe you a pint Wallis, but if I fly does that cancel our deal?

Nope

[Davehorne]

Good job you had a tight deal Wallis - the bugger flew again this afternoon

Friday still looks OK to me - maybe more east than west but we'll see.

Thursday too - if you fancy a drive to the Highlands - but you won't be reading this if you are already on the road