Making The Drive..

On my way down to Dog Mountain this morning, I got an important call that I had been waiting for.. I turned around just south of Puyallup and headed back to Marysville; And a little later when the sun came out just a bit, Desiree, Karma and I cruised to Blanchard Hill..

With a couple of gliders already in the air, things were looking good.. I launched at around three fifteen and immediately circled up in smooth thermal lift..

Hooking the Cap..

Everything really got going right after I got in the air.. I watched as the most incredible cap cloud formed from the south end of Blanchard and extended all the way north towards Bellingham..

I sneaked my way up above the leading edge of the cloud and then it was a fantasy glide above the condensate.. The trip was in 50 to 100 FPM all the way north to just about Larabie State Park where the cloud cut back sharply towards the east..

The Bald Guy..

The locals were enjoying the glass air too.. On one trip out-and-back I happened upon at least six eagles that were chasing each other through the sky.. I hurriedly fumbled for my camera, but the experience was only a fleeting moment; this image is the best that I got..

By the time I put my camera away I realized that I was quite far out over the bay.. The locals kept going but I chickened out and went back to Chuckanut..

Over-the-Top..

Brian called it Sci-Fi.. No matter what you call it, the day was one that I will not soon forget.. The multiple glass smooth rides from the south end of Blanchard Hill all the way to the north end of Chuckanut Mountain may never be repeated in my experience..

As you can see from the images, the deep blue backdrop along with the creamy white textures made true sensory overload a real possibility..

Classic Blanchard Hill..

This image is a mainstay for late afternoon soaring over Sammish Bay.. This time however, an eerie Sci-Fi shaft of light completed the appropriate effect for an unbelievable Sci-Fi day..

Not too bad for winter soaring..

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