2011 Lakeside Event
Last weekend was the 35th annual Lakeside Event in Invermere BC. I love this event - it's a spot landing competition where paragliders land in a kiddie pool with an inner tube in it and the hang gliders try to land in an inner tube in the lake. The weather is always great and the turnout is good too.
On Saturday morning the winds were already strong and pilots began to worry that the day would blow out. But loe and behold, the winds died down and as the organizers always joke, the forecast was bang on - sunny and hot!
After getting up at launch and taking off, I found lift immediately and started soaring around launch. It was amusing as I could hear a lot of the pilots cheering as I must have been one of the first to climb over launch that day. I didn't have a vario (I didn't want to get it wet by landing in the pool) so my flight was eerily quiet. I haven't flown without a vario for a long time, so flying along without those reassuring beeps was strange. I flew out into the valley and ended up thermalling in what seemed like 3 or 4 thermals somewhat connected. Without my vario I certainly wasn't the most efficient at thermalling, but I was able to get back up to launch height again.
My attempt at spot landing this year was nothing like a couple years ago - I didn't even come close to the kiddie pool. I landed probably 15 feet from it - boo! After landing, I had to call it a day. By then I had way too much sun for the day and couldn't imagine being up at launch again where there is little shade. I spent the afternoon socializing instead.
My boyfriend's first attempt at spot landing was better than mine, but he was not that close to the target either. On his second attempt however the winds had picked up and he was able to come in nice and slow and land in the kiddie pool with one leg in the inner tube! He ended up winning the event for paragliders - yay!
That night was a party with a live band and some balloons were released in memory of Dano, a past organizer of the Lakeside Event who had died suddenly this year.
The next day we went flying again and I had a nice little flight, playing with some strong thermals. I didn't fly for long as I was still feeling the ill effects of the sun from the previous day, but it was nice. The day ended with a nine hour drive back home.
I have a lot on my plate for the next month or so but I hope to find some time to be able to fly again in the coming weeks. The weather is mixed and not entirely favorable as seems to be the trend this summer, so I may opt for mountain biking instead but a decent XC flight this year is something I'd definitely still love!
On Saturday morning the winds were already strong and pilots began to worry that the day would blow out. But loe and behold, the winds died down and as the organizers always joke, the forecast was bang on - sunny and hot!
After getting up at launch and taking off, I found lift immediately and started soaring around launch. It was amusing as I could hear a lot of the pilots cheering as I must have been one of the first to climb over launch that day. I didn't have a vario (I didn't want to get it wet by landing in the pool) so my flight was eerily quiet. I haven't flown without a vario for a long time, so flying along without those reassuring beeps was strange. I flew out into the valley and ended up thermalling in what seemed like 3 or 4 thermals somewhat connected. Without my vario I certainly wasn't the most efficient at thermalling, but I was able to get back up to launch height again.
My attempt at spot landing this year was nothing like a couple years ago - I didn't even come close to the kiddie pool. I landed probably 15 feet from it - boo! After landing, I had to call it a day. By then I had way too much sun for the day and couldn't imagine being up at launch again where there is little shade. I spent the afternoon socializing instead.
My boyfriend's first attempt at spot landing was better than mine, but he was not that close to the target either. On his second attempt however the winds had picked up and he was able to come in nice and slow and land in the kiddie pool with one leg in the inner tube! He ended up winning the event for paragliders - yay!
That night was a party with a live band and some balloons were released in memory of Dano, a past organizer of the Lakeside Event who had died suddenly this year.
The next day we went flying again and I had a nice little flight, playing with some strong thermals. I didn't fly for long as I was still feeling the ill effects of the sun from the previous day, but it was nice. The day ended with a nine hour drive back home.
I have a lot on my plate for the next month or so but I hope to find some time to be able to fly again in the coming weeks. The weather is mixed and not entirely favorable as seems to be the trend this summer, so I may opt for mountain biking instead but a decent XC flight this year is something I'd definitely still love!
posted by Veronica at 12:18 PM
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