A Snow Covered Devil's Dyke

There had been a cold spell of weather and as I approached the Devil’s Dyke, I could see snow on the hill. With a northerly wind, it was going to be bitter cold up there, but I was eager to fly!

After I had said hello to everyone I rigged my glider. When I had finished, I had no sensation left in my hands. The ice cold northerly wind had cut through my inadequate clothes and I was beginning to shiver. I had to warm up before I considered a flight, so retreated into the Devil’s Dyke pub for a much needed hot drink. Everyone had had similar ideas!

After I had warmed up, I emerged back into what looked like a frozen wasteland. My glider was almost burriend in an ice drift and I had to clear off the ice before I could erect my glider. I had plenty of help getting clipped in and positioned at launch; I suspect everyone else considered it too cold. After I launched I beat back and forth across launch and gained no more than 100 feet. Soon after, my poor skills combined with the bitter cold got the better of me, and once again, I was destined for another bottom landing. The landing was un-eventful, if not requiring a little bit of a run, but I was down safely.

After I had packed up my glider, I once again trudged up the hill to collect my car. It was still flyable, but I was cold and the sun had now sunk lower in the sky. I decided by the time I had collected my glider from the bottom of the hill and returned to the top, there wouldn’t be time to rig it and have a second flight! So with that thought, I headed home, ready to fly another day!