Annecy Day 2 - Chasing a Dream!

Day two in Annecy started the same as the first: relaxing beautiful cool morning in Bluffy, totally clear skies and very stable conditions. We didn't launch Plan Fait till after 3 pm, and it was hard to get up at first, but by the time I reached the top of Dents Lanfon, One-Eye, Ike and FlyStrong were hot on my heels! Topping out at 6,809 feet, I started chasing my dreams, and off on the crossing to Le Parmelan I went...

Half way across I passed one lone glider returning from Le Parmelan, so I radioed the gang: it may be good if you reach 6,500 feet to depart the Dents Lanfon, but I'll say for sure when I get there. As I reached the south corner, I immediately hooked a thermal in the lee to the top of the granite cliff face in about 3-5 minutes, so I told the gang it was good to go if they acquired the altitude to cross. Although One-Eye, Don and Flystrong made the top of the Dents, they said just couldn't get the extra height needed to cross, so they stayed local and had a blast there.

I maxed out over 6,500 feet, and began the cruise down the long granite wall to the end of the Parmelan. The views were amazing: glacier covered Mont Blanc in the distance, and the Chaine des Aravis, in all its splendor. Arriving at the end above the Parmelan, I fully intended to go back to  Lake Annecy, but somehow my toy ball got loose from my hands and it blew around the corner, so the child had to chase it! Off I went on the north route to Chamonix, which is the longest and hardest possible way to go. Downwind now to Col de L' Enclave was the first stop. The wind was splitting the spine so a choice had to be made fast now! Wooded side in a side wind, or granite cliffs in a cross wind? I'll take the Granite? Whew! In the rotor! So I pulled out and away to the far side of the huge bowl further in the valley, but to no avail. I was sinking all the way, so deeper in the valley I went to the next bowl and still nothing! OK, dirt it is then...

As I was heading in, just 5-700 feet above the valley floor, I saw the trees rustling like crazy from the valley breeze. I gave it a last momentary try on the trees, which were in the perfect angle for the breeze. Amazingly, up I went, ridge lifting up to thermal height, then cranking circles for a 2,400 foot gain from my LZ approach point! Finally I topped out 6,500 feet, and I dove over the back of Col de L' Enclave and downwinded it to my next GPS point at Peak Surcou. (Yes, I actually had this route programmed just in case.) Arriving at Surcou, it was a grassy slopping pasture, from which I hooked an immediate thermal to the top of Surcou at over 6,000 feet, then I flew over the back again to the next stop.

Downwind speeds were 30-35 mph, so I was making good progress in zeroes most the way to Pointe D' Andey. There, funny enough, I found some raptors circling, so I joined them up to 6,500 feet to jump over the back again and glide toward Cluses way off in the distance. I stopped in every little jutting out cliff face which would grab the wind, as it was totally cross to the mountain, but straight downwind to my destination. The closer I got to Cluses, the more it was turning into foothills and lower slopping hills, so I again milked the zero lift to Cluses.

I arrived at Cluses still at a good altitude to glide five more miles at least, but the city is huge, with no more pastures to hit before it reached the opening of the Passy valley, which is super narrow from this side. Plus I knew the valley breeze would be howling through there violently and I would be super low by that point. So I called it quits for safety and went out to descend into the last open field before the city proper started. I made a perfect landing into a good stiff valley breeze, with 6 mph penetration. I was finally on terra firma! I had the hugest grin you could ever imagine as I hit Planfait on my GPS to see a 21 mile point to point distance. And there were just 3 miles left before entering the Passy Valley, having approached from a side I never imagined!

I had no cell coverage, so I packed up and walked across the street to see five lovely young women hanging out in their front yard having cocktails. Giving it my best in French, I told them of my flight and borrowed their phone to call La Peste for a rescue recovery. I gave her my coordinates and off I went to find shade to relax in. Sure enough, in a quick 1:20 minutes, the cavalry came to the rescue with One-Eye and FlyStrong at the helm, and Jeannine tagging along to give me a hard time for flying so far away. Back to Annecy we all went in the setting sun just like in some western movie, arriving back in Bluffy at 9:30 pm, just at dark. Jeannine made dinner for me and my rescuers and we had another garden dinner party under the trees, with Pelforth and red wine. A beautiful end to an amazing day!!! Till next time...

Aloha from Mad Dog et La Peste

Click here to see the flight on Leonardo and/or Google Earth.