I met up with Dan and old Trev in Canungra and we drove up to Beechmont. The wind was SSE and no one had launched. It was 10.30am. Everyone thought it was a bit too south and wouldn't be very good. But the sun had come out in the valley after being shaded by high level cloud and I hoped the wind direction would go a bit more East. So I set up my glider. There were already a few gliders set up but no one had launched. Soon a couple of hang gliders launched and a couple of paragliders too. They seemed to be doing ok and the air looked pretty smooth. So I launched and soon found myself struggling for ridge lift with about 15 other pilots. It wasn't much fun as we were all at the same height and were constantly having to avoid each other.
I managed to climb to about 2,500ft a few times but then dropped back down. I got low on the ridge and scratched my way back up. This happened for nearly 2 hours. A few people top landed and few bombed out. Until only myself and Davo were on the ridge (persistent buggers we were). Well the sun came back out in the valley and the clouds were looking better. Eventually the ridge lift died and I got really low and headed to the bombout. Davo was a few hundred feet above me and still on the ridge. Anyway, half way to the bombout field I hit a bit of lift that I could turn in. So I worked it hard. At first it was zeros then 5oftpm up. At 1400ft Davo came in under me! Which surprised me. I was determined to get back up so I kept adjusting to find the core of the thermal, and eventually I climbed to cloud base at 4,400ft. Davo climbed with me but he was about 500ft below me when I headed west cross country at 4,600ft.
It was so nice to be up there again. With a spectacular view of the coast. So off we went. Two of only four people to get away from Beechmont (that I know of) for the day (Jason Turner made Boonah T and Ashley got out to the Turf Farm). But we had earned it. I headed to Gordos and found a 200fpm climb infront of Gordos. Dave ended up on Hinchcliff but there was no ridge lift, and after a while landed at the base of Hinchcliffs. So now I was on my own.
I climbed to 5,000ft near Gordos and headed off into the Kerry Valley. I was trying to get to Rathdowney because I had an aerial shot of the town that I took nearly a year ago that I wanted to give to the local pub. I was punching a cross-headwind out there so it was a bit slow going. I managed to get to Laravale at about 4,000ft after climbing to 6,000ft in the Kerry. But it began to shade over everywhere and even rain on me. I saw the Tamrookum road house and thought about landing there for one of their nice hamburgers, but I really wanted to get to Rathdowney. So I punched straight headwind but unfortunately found no more lift and I landed 4.5km south of Tamrookum. Dan had kindly offered to come get me. So while waiting for him I decided to hitch to Rathdowney (only about 5km south of where I landed).
I had a big sign saying "Hang glider pilot needs lift please" but nobody stopped. Until finally a paraglider pilot heading to Killarney saw me and stopped (Kieran from the uk). He dropped me off at the Rath pub. Where I enjoyed a beer and a chat with 'Fred' the female bar tender. Soon Dan turned up and I gave the mounted picture of Rathdowney to Fred who seemed very appreciative.
A very big thanks goes to Dan who didn't even fly his pink glider. (don't worry he isn't gay, I think) It was only about 30km for the day, but I got my much needed fix and am subsequently a very happy chappy.
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