I wouldn't usually go out paragliding on a day with a rainy forecast, but I wanted to install a new lineset on the Aspen3 using Eagle Ranch's facilities, and when Alex and I arrived, it was still dry and cloudbase had just lifted above launch.
The windsock was dancing around a bit, and Lucas (visiting HG pilot from Kentucky) had been in the air soaring around for a while already. So Gerry, Alex, Wiley, and myself went up to launch to find Claudia, Peter, et al. There was a raincell over Chilliwack but it didn't seem to be coming closer (in fact it was dissipating). It looked like it would stay dry for a while longer so I launched lickity-split.
Idiot lift everywhere and the lift band extended way out towards the river. Max altitude was 1061m. A few other pilots got off before it blew out on launch, but it was smooth and fun in the air. After about 1 hour or so we all headed out to land, and the lower we got, the windier it got. Most of us opted for the Ranch but I think Peter went to Harvest Market instead. It then proceeded to get very windy up high and on launch: Jon Orders with a HG tandem had to stand down, and those who had just driven up were denied as well. So we got to fly in the brief window before it blew out, and later on that afternoon (as Alex and I relined the glider in the barn, a very time-consuming process!) it poured rain. It was a fun flight and a nice change to have a smooth ridge-soaring flight this time of year.
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