My thumbs have been itching for some good slopin for some time, so I welcomed the chance to get up to SDR and Eagle Butte again.

This was a leave early Saturday morning and make it up to the hill by 10:00 or so.
The forecast was for N winds and that meant SDR would be working. But how much wind at the top? When we arrived, some of the Canada crew were already up and flying their lighter air Pikes and whatnots.

I did not get a lot of pix at SDR, 'cuz I wuz FLYIN'

I managed a successful Maiden flight on my new 3pc SRTL
It was extra nice to have Jay Decker huck it for me. (the extra 7ft launch height helps!)

WinchDoc

Sunday we arrived at Eagle expecting the SW winds we needed for big air fun.
There wasn't much happening for most of the morning, I got to wiggle the sticks on Dave Jensen's Alula as we took turns sidearm launching it into some little gopher-flatulance thermals that were starting to pop loose as the hill warmed up.

By Buddy Del broke out a small zip-start bungee and several folks made use of it to get some flying in before the wind finally came around.

looks like a fun day it was raining here so I couldnt enjoy the wind

The wind was light but it did swing around enough that we could fly light stuff on the frontside. The lift was mostly compressed thermals drifting up as the sun warmed up the rocky face, but I put my trusty Hypnosis together and hucked it into the fickle air.

When it was good, it was good. but the wind paused to take a breath, and I saw my Hypnosis' shadow down on the valley floor.

A little while later the hypnosis met it's shadow in a small cloud of dust.
Del went down the hill and brought up my plane. I've been down there; it's a long way down and even longer back up!
Thanks Del!!!

While I was sitting on the side of the hill about a third of the way down, I see Joel's Pike plus floating overhead. It makes a few descending passes and gets lower, and lower. It gets below my perch on the hill and I say, Kinda out loud, "go out further" Eventually it does go out further, and snags that thermal I missed, and worked it back up!

Good Save!

she ran thru

Sam had a giggle with this little weasely-alula-ish sort of thing.

All in pretty light air, mind you.

I was waiting for this report, thanks cousin! -- Were the SRTLs too fast for photos?

Dieter Mahlein, ShredAir

Originally Posted by ShredAir

I was waiting for this report, thanks cousin! -- Were the SRTLs too fast for photos?

Dieter Mahlein, ShredAir

All the SRTLing was on SaTLday, and I was busy flyin'.
Maybe someone else will post pix.

I tried out the video on my phone, captured the Artist at SDR on Saturday, and formation Tomahawk action at Eagle Sunday. Can't remember what the wind was, but was light when both clips were shot. Too bad the sun was so low when I shot the Tomahawk video. I'll try and post them in the sailplane vid' forum.
Thanks to Sam for digging me out of the hole when the Pike sunk out.

good to see the slopes are workable already, i cant wait for the april combat! i am going to try and fly what may be *the smallest* plane to ever try and slope there i will make you guys wait till i bring it before i show it.

keep up the pictures, it just makes me want to go even more!

Man I gotta get out there, come mid June my wife has got me totally booked threw August.


Russ was doing all that flipping, and flopping in light air cripes. I remember flying with him at Blanco I was struggling to stay airborne, and he was out there doing roles, and flying inverted.


Maybe I'll try a really long weekend in May there.


Ploof

you guys make me sick...

Thanks for posting those photos WD. We had two days of great flying. Eagle was rockin late Sun afternoon. 30-35 mph! Imagine it was great today as well for the Seattle Crew and Cannucks. Have to say I really enjoyed Saturday at SDR the best - great flying w/o the sun in your eyes!

Hopefully Mr. Jensen will stumble upon this thread and share some of his pics.

Vic