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7/4/00 - Marcus King, 6.9km from Tal-y-Bont

T/O Talybont Amphitheatre SO051194
LZ Nr Talybont village SO108233
Distance 6.9km
Date 7/4/2000
Glider MAC Feeling 29

We had a reasonable day on the Saturday. We headed to Talybont for the big walk up. When we got there conditions were great with Rich and Pete getting into the air. Pete got to 2000' straight away, and we were all getting excited. Of course as soon as we had briefed it went to pants, becoming sinky. It must be said a couple of pilots got very high, one of whom was trying to go and land, sound familiar?

Anyway the wind gradually headed off to the North, so Rich and a couple of others headed to a face over the back. The rest of us were discussing whether to go there or fly down when Charlie stormed over the top hill, after having gone down, and said something like 'if we don't try we won't know' and this and the sight of Rich suddenly appearing over the ridge meant we all rushed over. This face was working well with most people getting to 700' ato. Tom Mayne thermalled over the back to land in the car park area, and I thought Rich had gone with him.

I decided to try and drag some lATs with me and headed out following a lower ridge towards the Usk river valley. No one seemed to be following and when I got to the end I dived into a bowl heading for the only landing option without sheep. I picked up a thermal, which I managed to work long enough to give me enough height get to the edge of Talybont village which is about as close as I could get to the Star. I went to the garden and sat down with a pint. I was soon joined by Rich and Pete who had taken a more direct route, but not got quite as close, but we are talking hundreds of meters here nothing huge.

Gradually the rest arrived, some had followed me most landing a mile or so up the road towards the next village. Rich, Tom and I stayed over despite the forecast, we enjoyed an evening in the Brit, with the girlies according to Charlie, but the Sunday was too blowy.

Saturday was all in all a good day, and we achieved something anyway, even if the distances were not huge.

Marcus King