Newcastle Hang Gliding Club

Dawson has it pretty much covered but words can’t really convey how good it felt to be circling up in smooth, organised, reliable lift, over a breathtakingly rugged and remote landscape, with mates on the radio enjoying the same thing, sharing the view and just bloody flying around drawing 20km wide star shapes on the GPS screen. The atmosphere was incredibly clear for such an unstable day. The Widden Valley and Wollemi area just looked surreal. Over dinner at the pub we agreed it was the best day’s flying in a very long time.

I changed my mind about all that on Sunday arvo.

And to understand why, I have to drag you back a bit.

Many years ago, I’d driven back from Dubbo along the golden Highway. I’d not flown for a quite a while and was getting distracted by other pastimes. But, after seeing the landscape of long undulations, covered in grasses and grain, with hardly a power-line in sight, the spark reignited. I wanted to fly that highway and see that landscape from cloudbase.

That was a long time ago, and my best attempts, after years of trying, seemed to always end at Denman or Merriwa through brain fade or day’s end. I‘d had some great flights but never managed to get it together enough to make that goal.

So when Pete landed the trike on Sunday morning saying the wind and streets were heading toward Dunedoo, the spark warmed. Death was keen for a go and Pete foolishly put his hand up for a drive, so it was decided. We would leave the strip! Today! OMG!

Donsta had flown himself silly on the foot blender and Dave Millman merely feinted when we asked if he was keen (too much logistics involved). Geoff Martin seemed happy to have nailed the whole aerotow thing and stay local, so it would be Death and me and Pete.

Put up, or put on a frock time. Death zoomed up the rope. Pete then dragged me up-wind into a great looking sky.

Being a gentleman he dragged me under a big fat street so I pinned off at 2000’ and the vario just kept on beeping. The cloud and ground looked better upwind so I just keep moving till I got to the main climb over a large bowl in the ridge. Circling up, I see that this street leads into tiger country and Death agrees that we need to jump sideways – a dicey move given the strength of the breeze and lowish base, but we have no choice. We meet up over Sandy Hollow and avoid a severe trashing (its quite breezy from the SE) by climbing away. Again we have to jump, but this time its blue in front. A cloud starts to form and then fades, and we head for an unlikely glide to the next one forming, cross-tail. My line, slightly upwind, delivers me over a hill and into the lift while Death is millimetres too low and a touch downwind. I go up and Death gets to experience Gungal.

I've had that experience so I push harder.

We chat about options and I call a goal at Cassilis (40km on). My phone is dodgy, but the radio is good and Pete’s on the way so it’s all OK. This climb is rough down low but soon smooths out and delivers me to base and where a street starts to form.

And then it hits me. Its happening…I’m at base nearing Merriwa… there’s streeting clouds and a good tailwind. I’m finally going to fly the Golden Highway!

A young wedgie joins me and we circle along taking in the view. I can see he’s as happy as I am to be here and he’s great company. He wanders away north leaving me to zigzag downwind, cloud to cloud, grinning like a goose. Even though the streets are short it seems easy to get from one to the next. Staying high is almost effortless and on the odd occasion, when I need them, clouds actually form mid glide, right in front of me. Did I mention I was happy?

Cassilis rolls by and I can’t, just can’t, bring myself to land. Oh well. I’m climbing and there’s only this one highway and Death & Pete know I’ll be on it. Keep going!

I know the radio has carked it when Death (in the car now) starts the 20 question routine… One click for “yes” and two clicks for “no”. Easy peasy!
“You are at Cassilis?” he calls.
I click twice.
“OK” he says. ”That’s 1 click for yes, You are at Cassilis”. ( the battery is so low the 2nd click is not heard).
“Click click click click click” I reply.
“Are you on the south side of the road?”
“Click click click click”
“OK. One click. You are on the south side of the road. We will be there soon”
“Click click click click” Oh forget it – I’ll call in when I land.
This conversation continues intermittently – the clanger being when Death calls “ We are past Cassilis now. Are you back in Cassilis?”
You can guess the next bit. They only get one click. They go back to Cassilis while I drift on at base determined to see the humour in the whole thing.

And eventually I get too lax and the ground comes up, 16km short of Dunedoo. And its blowing a bit. The trees all wave at me as I skim low over a hill and pile gracefully into a leeside paddock right next to the highway. My carbon base bar is makes crunchy noises but otherwise all is well. The farmers (Gavin & Penny) in the homestead opposite saw (or heard) my arrival and offer a phone and water – both much appreciated. Turns out a friend of theirs has just got an Airborne trike and lands outside their backdoor, so they know all about it. Small world.

As these things go, Pete and Death and the beers arrive as I finish the pack up. There’s a hefty drive home in front of us all but I’m still happy as a loon. I’ve flown (104kms) the highway that got me back into flying and it’s a bloody good thing to do. Maybe we’ll do the rest of it some day.

So like I said Saturday was spectacular, (even by Denman standards) but Sunday… Sunday was real spesh.

And thanks Pete. For the tow, for the drive, and for letting us have the best fun imaginable at your place. We owe ya big-time.

There's a few pics at this link... http://picasaweb.google.com.au/alanwingtech/090305Denman#
And a track log at this one... http://paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/165839