The weather that was forecast to deteriorate actually got even better and hotter! 37C. This promoted a further increase in the cloud base and a few isolated showers to the NW. John C and Roger flew for most of the day and got rained on. Julian had a long flight with G. Tom flew first with Merv and after a wrestling with the thermals in the 15kt SE was eventually rewarded with a short wave climb up to the airspace at FL135 and his first tour of the valley. Flying over the Parcours at 13000' is not quite the same - Tom has still to experience the true magnificence of running the Parcours! After a short introductory briefing to wave systems and soaring, John P was introduced to the delights of trying to soar the rotor in the lee of Le Pic De Bure - it was lively, after gaining 1000' we had had enough! and decided to return via a very pleasant and peaceful glide around the Ecrins and Dormilous arriving back at 20:30. By this time the wind had backed to the east and hopefully, that will slow down or even prevent the front, lurking to the west, from spoiling our fun.
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| View looking towards Ecrins |
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| Glider videos were the evening entertainment |
I know I am being painfully over-precise, but this is just so that you do not outrage the French:
ReplyDeleteThe long system of ridges from Dormillouse all the way down to Mont Dernier near le lac de Saint Croix was called the "Le Parcours de Combattants" by pilots out of Vinon. It roughly means the "combatants' route", though in the French Army it means an assault course. (Most of the popular section from Dormillouse to La Tête de l'Estrop is called La Blanche.)
While I am being really annoying, I can also mention that:
The summit of the ridge starting at La Tête de Boursier is "Malaup"
The big mountain with the observatory is "Le Pic De Bure"
sorrry not 'outraged', should be 'puzzled'
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