XC from Keadeen mtn to Glenealy and Wicklow town.
Pilots:
Tom, Rafal, Greg, Gerry and Lubor
Yesterday Sunday 03-04-2011 a group of IHPA PG pilots met on Keadeen Mountain near Baltinglass Co Wicklow. There was a light W to WSW wind at the bottom of the mountain and it looked like we wouldn't have to climb too high to get enough wind to launch. We climbed for about 15 mins and waited for the wind to pick up a little as it was still light where we considered launching from up on the hill.
There were some dark clouds overhead and we could see rain approaching but it looked like there was some sunshine behind this weather front. We might just be trying on our optimistic hats yet again. Well rain it did and with no shelter all we could do was get behind our bagged gliders and wait it out. Looking to my left while trying to remain positive about the day I looked at Mount Leinster in the distance and it was in bright sunshine. I knew that there were HG pilots over there about to fly and of course I wised them well while they were bathed in sunshine and is was lashing down on us ( nearly true!)
Anyway the rain passed and I launched, I managed to get lift and I was holding my own well but it was very bumpy. I saw Tom launch and when next I looked his direction he was very high but I seriously thought of landing as I felt more than a little uncomfortable in the lumpy air.
Tom announced that the plan was to get to base and fly to the mountain behind Keadeen as it had a bowl which was in bright sunshine. The consensus was that the bowl might act as a collector and we could top up on height there if we needed to. Well that didn't work out too well and we tried to make it back to Keadeen but with strong wind and increased sink we lost quite a bit of height and it was nearly a hike out off the mountain.
Luckily we all managed to gain height again with the lift being a constant 3m/s or better sometimes but while the lads made it to base and travelled about 5km down wind from me I was too low to head to the group so I stayed put and topped up my height and when nearly at base I turned and headed for the coast which at this stage was still over 30 km away.
I could see all around me for miles and I was nearly twice as high as Mt Leinster, just over 1500m with fantastic views. I was heading East across the Wicklow National Park following Greg, Tom, Lubor and Rafal in the direction of Wicklow / Arklow. The views from this height were truly breath taking and although we had broken thermals, cloud suck and sink air to contend with the air wasn't too rough at all. I looked at the sky reflecting off a little lough in the middle of a mountain called Arts Lough. It looked so remote and lost but I thought that it was a little gem. Further to my left ( North ) was Poulaphouca reservoir with Lough Dan nearby and I could see the wind turbines about 10km off the Arklow coast.
Of course I was heading down wind for the coast and I hadn't caught up on the lads quite yet. I could hear the chatter on the radio and although it was in Polish I knew they were delighted at the distance covered and their current altitude. I could see them under a cloud getting higher. I unfortunately was getting lower and needed some lift fairly soon. I was on the speedbar trying to maximise my glide and get through the sink.
Eventually a few beeps on my vario but I turned the wrong way and they stopped. So I tried turning to my right and they started getting stronger and then the cloud called me and I went up like a rocket. My Vario said 17 m/s. I think that it had a moment but when I checked the gps log later it showed 8m/s which was nearly enough for a bowel movement.
Still I was awe struck by the views. There were many clouds but plenty of sunshine getting through illuminating the scenery below which was gorgeous. I was doing up to 84km per hour at times and I had travelled nearly as far as the lads at this stage and I could see Raphal and Greg climbing under a cloud. I thought to myself that when I get there all I had to do was arrive and the cloud would call again but it wasn't to be. So I decided to continue towards the coast on my own and see if I could find another nice cloud or a thermal enroute. I fought with every bit of lift I could find and eventually followed the railway line that travells through Rathdrum and Glenealy.
The journey was nearly over for me at this stage and I chose the GAA field in Glenealy as a suitable place to land. It was tricky enough as there was some rotor from some nearby trees, hill and some thermic activity from the local graveyard.
Touchdown and before I could unclip some locals quizzed me about "Whats that big yellow and purple thing." :) Then someone else said there's another one of " those things" as Tom flew over me heading to Wicklow town.
The elderly gentleman in the house beside the GAA field Donal, kindly offered tea and brought me to collect Tom and then on to the local Pub.
Ah the day was truly epic, there were five of us who had gone Xc and witnessed the beautiful views from over 5000 feet above one of Irelands real treasures on a beautiful day while managing over 30Km and ending up at a pub in Glenealy together for a pint. This is truly the stuff dreams are made of. The retrieve was also epic and we didn't arrive home until after 10pm but I would do it again in a heartbeat.
There are some videos being prepared. links soon
Rafal's video with his GoPro hd
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g70yCImOgfA
Gerry
Now some important information about our Xc flight. We were using Lk8000 software with eire2008.txt Airmaps of Rep. Ireland on our flight computers.
The airmap seems incomplete and didn't advise us of controlled airspace other than Glen of Imaal which is not in use during the weekend. After the flight we realised that we had gone too high and entered CTR.
As a result I am withdrawing my flight from the Xc league.
Links to track logs
Lubor Kandera: http://www.xcontest.org/world/en/flights/detail:kando/3.4.2011/14:03
Rafal Mac:http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/427917
Gerry Kennedy:http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/427918
Tom Cardas: http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/427891
Greg Pelikan http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/427943
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