club comp version of the xalps, fantastic

[gary stenhouse]

Well turned out to be a really good comp with great task setting with a fun emphasis on it. with a task of flying high cap to the radar masts then open distance, with the twist that if you go down you could walk back up and take off again, long as you were above the masts when you passed them.

Conditions light and southerly with low inversion, but this did not deter the brave hearts of over 20 members and even 1 pilot coming all the way from Aberdeen. Paul was the first to make the dash to Manit edge closely followed by me and Alister, only to have to walk up again to take off. Then it was take off again and try the gully and it was only possible to maintain, although Paul landed and walked to the top, I carried on and worked Manit edge. managed to get what I thought was a good thermal only to peek out at the inversion, so carried on to the next hill to find Alister there landed so thought I would give it a mad dog bum landing. Took off again and got a decent lift so went on a suicide glide to Melmerby bowl and bear with the big walk up required. Took me a good hour to walk up, but by now I was well ahead of the rest that was until Chris marching little came on the radio. But what the hell I had half an hour on him, so continued a slow march up the hill. got to the top and got the kit out once again and was off again this time a bit scratchy and thought well what next, then another thermal and now I was a whole 77m abto so thought shame to dash off may as well enjoy the flying, but by then Chris had just getting to the top and was replacing his batteries as he had obviously sprinted up. I had my chance and blew it and ended up back down below take off, but not to worry Chris’s ground handling give me time to climb back up and take off before him again. This time I just took off and went for millers leap then turned for Melmerby as I knew there were others already there. So managed a glide just outside the town, only to look back and see Chris go for a suicide glide to millers leap to get the 2nd place. It was a hard race with a lot of fun along the way, only to be rewarded with a closed pup in Melmerby; instead it was a piece of carrot cake and an orange juice at the bakery, thanks Kay. We were rewarded later on with a bar meal at the Cumberland at Alston and all went home happy with our efforts, even mad dog smiled when he heard Miskin was having a harder time than him.

Cheers Ron for a great day
Gary

[ron freeman]

Enjoyed reading your write up Gary, it explains what competition is all about... having fun.

[AlastairW]

It was a great day Ronnie!

Well done for setting a great task... and many thanks for the time and effort put in to organizing the comp.

It is so good to be able to cut that invisible tie with Take Off, and go and explore some other places.... such as Man at Edge, Muska and Melmerby Bowl...... and being able to land and relaunch meant that you were not finished after 5 minutes.

In the end only five of us got past Man at Edge, as the conditions were not great, but it was GOOD FUN!

And well done to Paul..... the only person to attempt to fly up the gulley at Man at Edge, and then make his way along into Melmerby bowl, leading to a comp winning flight!

Why not have another comp next weekend? Lots of people came out, the company was as ever excellent, and that little bit of edge generated by the competition added the spice to the day.

[brian day]

Yes Alistair, I agree, we should have more than one comp a year, it makes you reach into the zone a little more, and even if I was cursing, saying I can't be bothered to walk up there,,,,again! I was hurting inside, just thinking that those that took the thermal before me from high cap had all made it away from Man at Edge
Didn't walk as far as some,,,but it was still tooooo far for what I got! damn that inversion.
I can see the funny side, but only just! Perhaps helped by Misk cursing his glider and lines as they wrapped him up like a xmas pressy just one more time! I hope he can remember some funny moments as well.
Here's hoping next weekend will bring something flyable, instead of walkable, I can only put up with,,,but it's a lovely day and fantastic views for so long!

[Fingers]

Oh joy, sounds like a great day out.

Climb, Haul, Scramble Hump and Sweat your way to the radar mast.

What a shame I missed it...

Oh that reminds me I must remember to fill in my aplication to run the great north run wearing leg irons whilst carrying a cast iron bath full of beans which can't be spilt.

[John Wallis]

Oh that reminds me I must remember to fill in my aplication to run the great north run wearing leg irons whilst carrying a cast iron bath full of beans which can't be spilt.

While at the same time pasting a link to the trophies so people can see what they've won for all their sweat and toil

[Fingers]

Rest your sphincter John, I done the page Friday but had other things to attend to so it did not get uploaded.

You will no doubt be happy with the trophy page come Monday.

[brian day]

I think Wallis needs an egg cup,,,,,,,perhaps for being the sad b***@d that walked the furthest, to get the quickest fly down with the least distance. Maltby, when are you going to take the rocks out of his harness?

[antobaird]

Great task setting Ronnie - you sadistic bastard !!

After trudging up the gully of doom with Wallis, Miskin and Maltby I was the 6th person "over" Man At Edge. But seeing how far it was to the soarable bit of Melmerby Bowl I gave up asnd turned back. Dehydrated, despondent and doomed.

Actually it was fun in a sort of we're all-in-it-together way - hats off to Ronnie for helping us make the most of a sub-scratchable day.

[John Wallis]

Brian you are robbing yourself of an egg cup. Your grid of NY64890 35550 is the back of Muska Hill. You ended walking to just below where Maltby, Anto and myself took off above those nasty shear craggs. I feel you walked the furthest for the least flying but in doing so showed great determination and will to win. Unfortunately you didn't so the egg cup is yours

[Kay]

First of all...THANKS RONNIE for once again rising to the occasion of our esteemed Club Comp... and setting a task in very difficult conditions....Stroke of genius making it aREd Bull XC adventure, that released you from the fear or a 30 sec flight that may result in you being out of the comp. to being able to have ago at a possible flight to the winnerswinners podium


As it was a 'Race to Goal' Paul decided speed was of the essence so as soon as the window opened took the best height he could get from High Cap and flew deep in to Man at edge, then using Kiting ' technique got him self to the top of the fell. From there he said the smaller then bigger Mellmeby bowl were working well. He flew without having to land right along the top round the corner to the 'Aerial Masts'

Some husband he turned out to be !!!!! obviously without a care in the world for his poor wife sweating buckets a good way back.
After ignoring some good height that I managed to scrape on High Cap I obviously waited till a LOW point and made the dash across to Man at Edge...Landing just below the wind cut off height, so wing on the shoulder up to the corner ..Passing a smiling John Miller (I think he was smiling...I did'nt like to stop it looked like a personal moment !!) Then joining John Watson and Ian Miskin patiently waiting for the next' Off 'The Hill Cycle to come thro..Thro it came I took off little waft around. not gaining but not really losing either..Bugger It I coul'nt really see it getting any better so round the corner and Northward I flew....FAST!!! Grass Heather and Tussocks zooming by not far from my clenched toes...But I was'nt losing height. It was great..So down the ridge and in the distance I could see a small bowl with a Tit style hill at its westerly end with a little colomn of smoke wafting from the summit ...Of course as my luck goes not a beep from the bowl but made it on to the summit of the Tit ! only to find Ali W there before me...Enjoying a moment of peace and solitude an Man and his cigar...Then I arrived..Sorry to shatter the silence Ali

Thoughts then to jump back into the big bowl. But conditions getting lighter by the minute. So next little cycle that came thro..we were both off no chance of jumping back into the bowl so down wind we shot, just landing shy of Mellmerby. Just in time to see Chris L and Garystaring the LONG walk up from the bottom to the top of the Bowl. For Ali and I that was the end of our X Fell Red Bull (Well sort of Shitty Brown from the one's I saw) XC Challenge. The Pub beconed, of into the sunset we ambled, swapping tales of death defing bravery, courage daring Do and FUN.
A Great Day...Made so by all who took part...

[AlastairW]

Then I arrived..Sorry to shatter the silence Ali

I could not ask for a nicer person to shatter my silence Kay....!

Apart perhaps from Kate Beckinsale.....

But I dont think she flies paragliders....

Better not to go there.....!

And of course I would not be as indiscreet as to mention you stripping semi naked on landing.......



It was good to have company on the amble out.... tales of derring do as you say!
Mind you I think the Cumbrians need some education on how to use microwaves properly......!!

Cracking day!

[brian day]

You ended walking to just below where Maltby, Anto and myself took off above those nasty shear craggs. I feel you walked the furthest for the least flying but in doing so showed great determination and will to win. Unfortunately you didn't so the egg cup is yours

I think the sweat was in your eyes to much Mr Wallis. While you were climbing up from well below my landing spot at Man at Edge I was flying around the sky and landing again. Mr Maltby set off walking towards you and Anto, Misk flew part way, followed in the next thermal by yours truly. From my next landing I walked an altitude of 50ft to a better take off, where Misk and I watched the upward march of your good self, Anto and Andrew.
From there you seem to have a fairly reasonable memory of watching me float effortlessly over your head to my landing place, somewhat nearer to take off at High Cap
I just thought you were far more deserving of the egg cup, as I've already got a big one! http://www.nhpc.org.uk/nhpc/album_pic.php?pic_id=1854

[Kay]

CAPTION COMP.......ANY IDEAS ?

[ron freeman]

kay, can you check Pauls grid ref again ? Ta,

[myerscouse]

Hi Ron .
Grid Ref NY 630406

Ron I flew past the mast, I could have flown over but with very little height . I am never quite sure what these aerials are giving off ! and I don't want testicles like 'Ringos' so a nipped round and past.

Paul....and thanks for a fun day

[ron freeman]

Cheer, and a very good flight in very light conditions.

[John Watson]

I Dont want testicles like Ringo!


I DO

[quote][/quote]

[Chris L]

I really enjoyed the comp this weekend not just because as Gary claims I could run parts of it – nearly impossible with a pack weighing 20kg! but because I had the opportunity to fly more than I would normally from different take offs including going XC over new terrain in conditions that I wouldn’t have even thought about doing so normally.

This is what happened to me –

At High Cap take off couldn’t get any decent height because of the inversion but tried a few times and ended up slope landing near the bottom and having to walk back up
Decided once I got back up to the highest point I’d reached earlier I’d glide to Man at Edge.
2-3 others had made it across but were all decked. Paul was away by this point and Gary was just leaving. Got in a few beats but not enough to jump back – so slope landed and walked toward Muska Hill. Through a gate and up a rising before Muska - smack into wind with some thermals coming through. Watched Gary land next too Ali Wolf on Muska Hill and the two of them attempt to get off in the thermals Gary did and Ali went down and was near the top again when I took off in a thermal and flew over his head waving gleefully
I flew around the side then edged in behind, heading to the next hill facing into the sun with a scree covered slope. Classic thermal trigger – but nowt doing, so landed as close to the top as I could. Wrapped my wing around the only thorn bush and spent 15 mins trying to extract it Again waited for a light thermal to come through and launched off to get a nice glide toward the North end of Melmerby Bowl. Skimming over gullies a couple of fences and a wall and just avoiding a field with a large bull
Gary had now spotted me and was trying to talk me to death on the radio, blahh, blahh this, blahh blahh that. Keep asking him questions distract him, slow him down but I was onto you my son I packed up my glider and decided to climb up towards Melmerby Low Scar where I now had a visual on Gary, a good 200 metres higher and with a half hour lead on me. (very impressive for someone who couldn’t walk 5 month ago – hats off to you for getting up there as quick as you did) Off I stomped (not running) following Gary. Then I heard Kay on the radio just landing close to where I’d taken off. We both agreed we were having a great time even though Kay was ‘sad to admit it’ We were both suffering after forgetting to bring along any water, and Kay scoffing a bag of Crisps then had to fly down to the pub at Melmerby (which was shut)
I reached the small crag at the top of Melmerby Bowl just as Gary took off, he was just maintaining height while I got my kit sorted out but he then managed to get a couple hundred feet above but didn’t jump over the back and ended up on the deck again as the wind dropped off at the same time I tried to take off. Gary got off quickly as soon as it picked up again and disappeared from view. I launched got a few beats up and down the escarpment while a walker took some pictures, and I posed with a wave as I flew over his head. God you feel good at times like that
Thought I’d better get after Gary and chase him down for 2nd place egg cup so I flew East looking for Gary – I spotted him heading toward the ridge running along the road, I could see it wasn’t working so decided to head straight over the back directly to the aerial. I past by Millers leap lower down the ridge on a suicide glide, flying over the hummocks along the way and landed with a clear view of the aerial to secure 2nd place victory (speech prepared following Paul at the presentation night)
Walked to the road and hitched a lift from the first car passing by to a locked up Shepherds Inn at Melmerby to be joined by the rest for a drink at opening time and the end of a brilliant day

I’ve got a suggestion for those who have read this far – based on the X-Alps style challenge why don’t we set a XC/hiking route (say from Cross Fell to Castle Carrock Pub) or similar elsewhere (eg Money Laws to East Hill) or any other suggested routes and see who can do it in the fastest time over the summer season and winter season.
You can select any weekend to have a go but need to inform the comps officer and register the attempt and record this on a gps and have some support/retrieve in place.
I’m happy to help with organisation or have a crack at a suggested route, if anyone’s interested.

[John Wallis]

Caption Comp
If I stick my nuts in here and cook for 3 min's will I have nuts like Ringo's