I didn't fly yesterday but managed to get 2 flights into today even though they were little more than top to bottoms (although the height difference between top and bottom is a lot more than I usually get back home). We went to a new site called El Bosque ( in Spanish means the forest) which has a nice high but small launch and is surrounded by trees.
We drove nearly all the way to launch and had to walk the last 10 minutes or so in the heat which seemed to half kill nearly everyone (not just me). The launch site was very unforgiving, smaller than previous sites and just as rocky with small spiky bushes bordering the take off. While we were all having a breather we got a site briefing. We were warned about going back too far toward the spine back top of the hill unless we had excessive height. There are a couple of lower cliffs off to the left of take off which was the direction in which it was suggested we fly if we failed to get lift. It was also pointed out that you cannot make it to the official bottom landing field for the site if you do not get any lift. There are a couple of bomb out fields just at the foot of the cliffs which can be used if necessary but as I found out access to the fields isn't great. There was every chance of two flights at this site so we were not worried if we had to land.
After my usual faffing around I got ready and after nearly all of the rest of the group were away I managed a clean(ish) launch on my first attempt. No sooner I had cleared the launch site than I hit a thermal and started my 'S' turns until I was high enough to perform 360s. I soon decided that I had enough height for me to push forward and start looking for new lift. I managed to get some lift over the cliff faces to the left of take off but soon tired and I was aware that the Flyspain retrieve bus was already at the landing field. So with plenty of height to spare I set off for the huge landing field.
On the way to the landing field you pass over the Spanish equivalent to a UK 'A' road. This was the first time I have flown over such a main road before and remember thinking if this presented any additional considerations. The only thing I could think of was that if I somehow I end up landing on it but I had more than enough height to prevent that.
I have previously watched flights of huge top to bottoms on Youtube and Vimeo and wondered how it is possible to burn the height of to land. I know the safe technique of getting near your chosen landing spot, or even over it if you are worried about penetrating forward in strong wind, then burning off your height in 'S' turns. I have always had a doubt about me actually pulling it off. The trick seems to be to make sure that you are not coming in to land at the same time as anyone else and then you won't have other pilots to worry about. I was quite glad I did burn my height off so close to the landing field because the last few hundred feet before I landed were all in sinking air.
Only after getting my feet on the ground and collapsing the wing did I think I should have kept the wing up and tried to walk closer to the entrance to the landing field. I jumped on the radio to tell the group I had landed in the bottom landing field then packed up and made my way to the Flyspain bus for another trip up to take off.
My second flight was much the same as my first but with little or no lift. I made the cliffs but it was obvious to me I was going to land soon so I had already picked out the field just the other side of the main road that I was going to land in and the one this side of the road should I not make it. I headed out and as I looked at the first choice field I realised that I couldn't see if there was a gate between that field and the one next to it with all the cattle in it. Being in Spain the fact that they bread bulls for their aggressiveness helped me decide to go for the nearer landing field even if it did mean a significantly longer walk out.
As I got closer to the landing it became clear that it wasn't what I initially took to be a cotton field. Only when I landed did I realise that it was a field full of scratchy dead plants about a foot high that were covered in small white snails. I was wearing shorts so my legs were getting a bit of a scratch while I packed up as quickly as I could. I thought that I would get out of the field next to the house nearby but as I approached it became clear there was no way out. Rather than dander around the field until I found a gate I decided to try to climb out onto the main road and head back that way. I got on the radio and said I would make my way to the cafe at the bottom road leading up the hill. Eventually I found a way to get onto the road without damaging the fence, myself or my kit but for a while I was a little bit concerned I could be there a while. Once on the road I noticed that there were all sorts of itch scratchy crunchy things in my socks and boots, nothing painful just a bit uncomfortable.
At least fifteen minutes and a litre of water later I made it to the cafe to find two other pilots from our group who I joined for a refreshing beer. It wasn't until I got back to the shared house we were staying in that I realised that some of the crunchy in my socks were several small snails that I assumed must have jumped in when I landed or while I packed my wing away in that field.... nasty!
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