AGP -3: Rain, (Otivar), Padul

Yesterday: rain, no flying. I visited my friends Giacco and Rolfito in VdA (Valle de Abdalajis). Giacco turns 90 soon and had moved last summer from his nearby finca (where he had lived for the last 27 years) to an senior citizens home in the village of Abdalajis. He seems to be well (physically as well as mentally) and told me, that it is a good place and that they take good care of him. Rolfito is also well, apparently doing well and is pretty busy: his bike and walking tours are popular and well booked. See link. He's been living in VdA for 15+ years and certain is a very competent guide if you're into such tours.

Today it looked better, but it was hard to make up our minds about where to go. In the end we decided to go to Padul, but not along the faster highway, but via Otivar and across the montains. Getting to Otivar it looked flyable at first: some sunny patches, a little head wind a times. But waiting a little longer we noticed that the north component was pushing through.
We contined towards Padul, a ridge which with north wind should be flyable. But how different it looked since my last visit (in 1995!): finally we managed to find the road to launch.

Pano at launch looking North (towards Granada - on right side of pix)

As it was pretty windy (and also rather cold) I didn't want to fly. So I 'played' driver for Andy.
But even he elected to descend quite a bit below the 'official' launch in order to find a spot where wind speed was lower than on top of the ridge.

He had a very good launch and ridge soared until the cold 'made' him land...

AGP -2 (Sierra de Lujar), Cerro de Itrabo

Not really good flying weather, but at least not as bad as forecasted ;-)

As the chances for good flights loooked pretty slim today, Andy and I went on a 'site'-seeing trip: Sierra de Lujar (1860m).

Calahonda

On the way we passed a possible soaring site in Calahonda; but not enough wind and not the right direction today.

Sierra de Lujar: southeast face

Although there is a paved road all the way up to the antennas, it's in very bad shape (lots of big holes) and sometimes really steep!

Sierra de Lujar

Up here at 1860m the wind was too strong and not from the proper direction...
The LZ would be on the beach 12km  (a 1:6.7 glide) away.

In the end I could make a sledder from 'Cerro di Itrabo', a little higher up than 'Loma del Gato', from where Andy had launched yesterday.

Cerro de Itrabo

AGP -1: Lomo del Gato

ZRH-AGP: Mittelland

The long awaited 'escape' to the South / 'warmth'...

Well, it's not really warm, but at least 10°C less cold than at home ;-)

Almunecar: Lomo del Gato

Andy (who'll stay with me for the first week) could make a short sledder into the sunset. Unfortunately the fcst for the next few days is not too promising. Let's hope that the forecasts here are as unreliable as thos at home.

Almunecar