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Near the col de Vars
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I
thought this might be a repeat of yesterday, so I made the same plans to
fly north. A midday launch to Trainon was enough to get me away towards
the parcours and across the Barcelonnette valley to Grand Berard, where I
had a tricky few moments trying to get above the ridge for a climb. Once on
top, it was fairly easy to cross the col de Vars and continue to the heart
of the Queyras. From there, I pushed
on north of Briancon towards Mt Thabor where, at 12,000ft, I found some
westerly wave. The conditions further north looked poor under a layer of
cirrus, so I stayed with the wave, in the company for three or four other
gliders, to around 14,000ft. After a brief foray towards the col d'Etache
it was time to head south again. |
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Looking east into Italy
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The Italian plains were still hiding under
low sheets of cloud, but the Queyras still had good cumulus. Further south
there is a tiny triangle of airspace, near the lac de Neuf Couleurs,
created to protect nesting eagles and vultures. As I approached it, I saw
about a gaggle of about ten of them, marking what turned out to be an
excellent thermal. I do like these birds... |
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Chaberton fortifications
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I
carried on along the northern ridge of the Barcelonnette valley and onto
Dormillouse. The parcours delivered, as expected, and I was soon at the
lac St Croix. I had been a little bit concerned about the forecast
increase in westerly windspeed, so I headed back to the Durance valley to
avoid unnecessary difficulty should the day die early. When I got there
the thermals were both fewer and weaker, so after what I call some
"messing about" I returned to a now deserted Sisteron
airfield. |
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