Finally, finally for me at least I was finding myself rigging on The Dyke, I almost could not believe it and almost chose to do other things, due to the forecast light winds I expected a wall of paragliders and a difficult single shot at getting up and so felt for a while that the day might be better used cycling or gathering bits for camping next week.
The scepticism followed me right up till I felt the air on launch, nothing about it said it would not work and so rigging became a joy, I remembered what I had once taken for granted, the thought I would fly soon infected me with the same.
The light winds made my run extend down the hill a little more than normal but take off was fine, the air was ok and the traffic was nothing at all like I had feared.
Soon finding lift I was soon feeling happy Id stay up, the lift was a little drifty, more than you would have thought given the forecast and meaning it took a little chasing to keep in the core.
I made cloudbase ok, loving the cool haze and whispy embrace, but at the same time my time this day was conflicted and I had to be on the ground to pick up children and collect camping stuff and so while I did not explicitly make the decision to land I tool a line along the front looking for a thermal for which there was no cloud only to find nothing at all and have to make a decision to land before I went below the top.
My approach was marginal and in the gradient at the back of the bowl field full of Pride campers. I kept lots of speed, brought on more and had a great landing.
Chatted to a few people while de-rigging, watched as the clouds turned perfect and lamented being on the ground.
But got on with my day picking up a little early making dinner and being part of
I great day.