Primavera en Berga

Berga has been 'ON' this week and gave us the opportunity to introduce Judith & Geoff to the true beauty of flying here in the Pyrenean foothills. I have been very lucky in avoiding the sink cycles from launch and have managed to climb out without too much faffing. Thursday saw me straight up and onto the back ridge and heading to the Monastery tp while the others were sorting themselves out on launch. Its one of the few times when the Roca D'Aro has seemed just a glide away and the temptation to keep heading east over the reservoir was compelling. However, I decided to stick to the task we had set ourselves and found myself plummeting towards the Primera Maria on my return leg. A lot of ridge soaring later (I arrived in one of those sink cycles) I was established in a good climb and drifting right back where I had come from! Grovelling forward to the launch at Segunda Maria I nearly met up with Geoff who was sliding at great speed towards the ground in the mother of all sink. For reasons that will remain between those parties concerned I had no intention of finding myself alone on the ground with him ( ;-) ) and like a spawny git I managed to connect with a snotty little climb right in front of him and eek my way back up about the plateau and into more good climbs. This pretty much summed up the day - avoid the sink by any means possible, sky out in smooth round climbs, get flushed, grovel, climb out again. By mid afternoon the flats in front were releasing making the landing the most committing part of the whole day! Its strange how a day can change and bring so many different flying styles into play - what a way to get flying fit. Berga is just the best!