Hanggliding
Julian Todd
Team Wings: Mark S, _Julian._
Support crew : Olly (photographer), Keith (chauffer), Wook's car.
Finally made it at 11am to the Loser hut. I unfolded my wings and flew from the ramp. The ground flops down in ripples like a table cloth, stacked up with trees; your shadow skates across it and becomes out of focus. Unaware of quite how much 800m in height meant distance wise, I hovered the whole time above the landing field in Altaussee, the houses and trees refusing to get any bigger.
When we packed the hang-glider and drove back up, it was Mark's turn as pilot. He was watched and photographed by a passing landrover load of cavers. Olly stayed in the landing field afterwards and got bored because we delayed for two hours and bought lunch in Loserhut as the air was too rough, turning umbrellas insideout and blowing other people's food onto my plate. Tried to set off again at 3:30, but this was made difficult by a crowd of 50 spectators all getting in the way, making me nervous and heckling me as I tried to carry the glider up the road to the ramp. The air was rough, damn rough. Afraid the glider would disintegrate above the forest. The lake is simply beautiful to glide across at plus 500m. Mark did the final flight of the day and waved at some children on the beach, who waved back. When he began packing, he discovered what had gone ping! during the rigging in the car park prior to the flight: a rivet had disappeared.
T/A 15 minutes each.