2.5 hrs Cape Lookout Epic flight 12/15/17

This is a longer version of Friday (12/15/17) Cape Lookout flight. 
Youtube: https://youtu.be/M5xutA-plV0

Viemo : https://vimeo.com/247730998

2 minutes shorter version 
https://youtu.be/zjN7RylPijw

Background music:
Castle in the Sky (from the animation movie Laputa)
Composer: Joe Hisaishi

 

Awesome day at Cape Lookout. I launched right after David Pendzick at around1:45 and landed 2.5+ hours later at 4:20pm. It was the highest Cape Lookout flight I've ever had. Maximum altitude gain between 3,000 to 3,300ft AGL/MSL. Six satisfied hangs (Dave P, Ray B, Neil C, Ken D, Craig D and myself) packed up after sunset with a big :-) faces. Thanks to all the outcome of accurate forecast predictions. Congrats to Dave who drove the distance in getting his first Cape Lookout (Epic) flight. More pics and video will come shortly. Btw, Good to see Joe Evens today.

Cape Lookout Friday video
https://youtu.be/zjN7RylPijw

1.5 hrs flight at Cliffside 12/13/17

https://youtu.be/jRW_KeemzRE

Cliffside Report:
The wind were stronger in the morning when I was hiking up. It was about 8 to 10 mph from ESE at launch and about 0 to 3 mph at the LZ by the river in the same direction. Two hangs (Gabe & myself) and two bags (Keita & Laren) went up to the upper launch since it turned much lighter from noon to 2pm (approx 1-3 mph). It got a little bit stronger around 2pm so Gabe decided to launch first. Gabe showed us good lifts over the old hang launch and the ridge is working so we launched after Gabe. It was easily soarable and we all got right up. The ridge lift and small thermals bubble were light but super huge especially right above the old hang launch. Two more pgs launched at the bottom and joined us for awhile. Pretty much can stay up till sunset. Laren and l landed around 4:15pm (more than 1.5 hrs flight). My Max altitude was 1,550 ft AGL.

Only have time to upload two 30 second footages of my landing and flying with 4 bags on my FB.

Rick
6:05pm

 https://www.facebook.com/pdxrick.lai/posts/10155432548704285?pnref=story

For the pass consecutive 10 days (12/5 to 12/14) of light East and ESE days, Cliffside appears doable for two days with an interval of a two day break before returning back on again. The forecasts within the 10 days seems to be following a repeated pattern.

Interesting repetition:

Dec 05 (Tue) Soarable

Dec 06 (Wed) Soarable

Dec 07 (Thu) Sled ride

Dec 08 (Fri) Sled ride

Dec 09 (Sat) Soarable/EPIC

Dec 10 (Sun) Soarable/EPIC

Dec 11 (Mon) Sled ride

Dec 12 (Tue) Sled ride

Dec 13 (Web) Soarable

Dec 14 (Thu) Soarable/likely soarable today. 

2 hours 2 flight at Cliffside in frosty temperature 12/8 & 12/09/17

12/08/17 Friday

Three hangs (Chi Tang , Shahrokh Kazemhad) had a sledder, all landed by the river.  The winds never blow more than 3 mph at the 1,200 ft upper launch.  Zero wind at the LZ all day. Clouds ceiling was about 1,600ft (few hundred feet below the windmills).  Two pgs came didn't fly and left. Looking forward for more sled rides tomorrow and Sunday.

12/09/17 Sat
A great day at Cliffside . l took off  into a buoyant air at 1pm (Approx 5-8mph at the 1,200 ft upper launch) right after few paragliders. It was very cold (around 25°F at 2,000ft)  so l flew for one hour and 45 min   Maximum altitude 2,000ft right below the cloudbase. Lifts were much stronger when l reached 1,700ft pass the aluminum plant.  Winds direction was more south today therefore the whole ridge was working really well. There were 5 hangs (Chi T,  Shah K from Seattle,  Mark R, Rob S  and myself) and dozen paragliders came out to play. Congrats to Chi and Shah getting their first soaring flight at Cliffside.

This is the live video link from today
 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155421835104285&id=719859284

2.5 hrs Epic flight at Cape Lookout 12/03/17

 Video link coming:
https://youtu.be/iMkAnE0xXvg 

I arrived Cape Lookout States Park at 10am. Giant waves wiped out the whole entire beach due to high tide and high surf.  It was sunny , clear skies with dead calm wind at launch and Tillamook.  I went to Tillamook skatepark to do some skateboarding for couple hrs and than went back to Cape Lookout around 1:00PM

3 hangs and a dozen of bags had a great flights at Cape Lookout today. I launched right after Mark Sanzone and John Kraske (pgs) at 2pm and we went straight up. I chased Mark to the end of the Cape and North Point. Plenty of lifts and wasn't that strong either. Conditions was friendly for bags and hangs. Ray B and Ken (2 hangs) launched 30 mins after us and we all flew till sunset which around 4:45pm. Ray was always few hundred ft higher than me , our max altitude between 2500-3000ft. Excellent day at the coast.

Ray Berger report:
Amen! Super Moon flying. One step landing. I have never seen such a high Netarts Bay when I arrived about 12:15, even my bailout landing on the bay was under water. Later, we were amazed how fast the tide retreated and we all landed in front of the gazebo parking lot at sunset. Good grief, super moon! Ken Dawe showed up to show us how it's done at 70.
Mark Sanzone, John Kratzke, Rick Lai led the way and at least a dozen paragliders filtered in later. Some bailed earlier to go fly Kiwanda and Sollie but came back for the best flying at Cape Lookout today. I've flown Jan. 1st before at Cape Lookout but never in December. Good times. Ray