Un Oeil: Short flight chronicles

Since there's no way to try to keep up or compete with Mad Dog's awesome flights here in Annecy, here's a brief recap of my not so stellar but none the less satisfying flights over the last few days.

23 August 2012: Rain day - drove to Grand Bornand for some intelligence gathering.

24 August 2012: Rain day - drove to old town part of Annecy and wandered around the lake shore and canals.

25 August 2012: Rain Day - drove to Chamonix for some reconnaissance.

26 August 2012: Montmin launch, Lafonnet, Roc des Boeufs, back across lake, Doussard LZ. Bill and I launched Montmin about an hour after Don and Chris launched Planfait due to really unreliable shuttles at Doussard LZ. By time we got up Mad Dog was already up 7000ft and “bored” so headed across the lake. I got to push my self imposed limitations by pushing across to Lafonnet a bit low, since I saw some other pilot head over that way really low. Bill was on chase taking a much smarter conservative higher outside line than I did. But we both made it over there and worked the thermals. Bill caught a good one up to 7000ft and headed out toward Dents de Lanfon, while I opted to try a different route for crossing the lake going directly from Lafonnet. Don was also nearby and we all crossed to Roc des Boeufs on different tracks, both Bill and Don taking the more standard route and thus arriving at the other side of the lake much higher and further back than I did. We all hung out over there for quite a while Mad Dog headed off into the distance toward Arclusaz on a mission to try and do a big triangle. Don, Bill and I all made it back across the lake, with Don landing at Talloires since his car was there, and Bill and I at Doussard since our car was there. Jeannine graciously picked up Chris somewhere near Ugine.

27 August 2012: Drove to Grand Bornand, took up telecabin Rosay then walked across to TS Lachat chairlift up to 6000ft. Launched and scratched around the peak for 30 min. Conditions were very stable with not much thermic development. Bill launched a bit higher almost up on the summit and was able to get above it a couple times. We both stayed up longer than any locals flying, they all seemed to only be interested in doing sledders to the LZ. Eventually glided out to land in Le Bouchet LZ since there was a children’s carnival going on in town and the normal LZ by the rink was closed.

Also took the last shuttle back up from Doussard and got a late flight off Montmin down to Doussard landing around 7:30 pm.

This time I really didn't take any pictures, so you'll have to rely on Flystrong Bill and Mad Dog for image capture.

Adieu! Bon Vol.