Monday 4/15 dawns with the promise of 20 mph straight up the hill with light rain clearing off by 4:00
As I drove out there were still some sprinkles on the wind shield so I took my time and waited at the bottom of the hill till they were gone.
Once at the top the wind was 22 mph with gusts up to 30
I had brought out my combat wings {a 26 oz Knife Edge and a lighter wide body KE} perfect conditions to do a check out flight before the upcoming Glider Games in Cleveland in 2 weeks and a week later out to Wilson Kansas for "Wings over Wilson".

I launched with no problem and was trimming out the down elevator that I had put in when i was last out with it in 40 mph wind .
About 2 minute into the flight my hat blew off my head and I started backing up the hill to try and get to it before it went over the top,
I turned to take one more big step to get it and the next thing I know i am on my face ... yup dirt nap both me and the plane
I got back on my feet and hobbled my way down to the base of the hill{mild sprain of my ankle} where it went in,as i got closer i could see it was hurt pretty bad-
I climbed back up to the top and switched to the lighter wide body Knife Edge,with great flying conditions I was not going to quit.
Flew for about 5 min,the wind had built up some more with higher gusts at times ,the wide body was doing ok even though it doesn't penetrate as well as my 26 oz that i just ripped in half .

I got stalled by a really big gust and landed about 1/4 way down the hill but before i could get to it another gust picked it up and got it flipping end over end to the top of the hill where it took a even bigger hop and wound 20 feet up in the top of a tree.
by the time I got it out of the tree it also was beat up and minus both tiplets.

Hows that song go "Daddy said there'd be days like this ... "

I will be in the shop building this week end

I got out for a couple of hours of flying after work today.
I was not sure if the wind direction would be flyable as they were calling for a west wind which blows through a tree line and is crossed ..but 25 to 30 mph was calling me
I brought out a Bob Martin Coyote 54 oz
and a 2 M T-Tail that I think is a Gerry 53 oz
I put the Coyote up first and flew for around 40 min, I had not put my gloves on because I was not sure if I could launch it with my left had with a glove on... besides the temps were in the mid 40's,I flew a lot colder that this this past winter
The launch was no problem but by the time I landed my fingers were hurting pretty good {must be getting old}

It took at least 10 minuets of swinging my arms to get my hands warm again and it was time for "Gerry", by this time the wind had picked up to over 30's with gusts around 40 mph trying to rip the plane out of my hands.
I had to sit down on the slope face in front of the plane for at least 5 minute before I got a lull to launch in..it was worth it
The lift was brutal but a blast with some huge pumps and at other times the wind just stopping it as the direction changed to south and then back to west - {North Easter weather at its best}
Keep them in the air Boy's