Italy -'H&F' day 3: WIND!! > sightseeing: Campo Imperatore, Santo Stefano

Tuesday: unfortunately too windy at all sites nearby; the only place that might have been flyable was Norma, but 2.5hrs drive one-way :-(( So it was decided to do some sightseeing and hopefully find a place to ground handle (or even fly).

We drove via Ofena (leaving my car at the LZ for Capo da Serra); but no way that we could make a flight here! After a coffe stop at Castel Monte we continued to Campo Imperatore. Here Michael has been the only one to 'play' for a few moments with a glider in the strong and gusty wind...

Gran Sasso (left)

We then continued to Santo Stefano, a small village at the outer edge of Campo Imperatore, where reconstruction after the last earthquake is still going on.

On the way back via Rocca Calascio (strong tailwind on launch), we picked up my car and returned to Pescasseroli.

Italy -'H&F' day 2 -Monte Tranquillo

Monday: another h&f day: at around 1000 we left Forca d'Acero (where I had parked my car yesterday) and headed for Monte Tranquillo. After 4+ hours (with an altidude gain of 430m) we reached our launch...

Initially the track led through a nice forest (in the shade) and I could carry my glider myself (about 60% of the whole distance), Then for a while (about 10%) the track became very steep and difficult, here Ronnie left his pack further up and came back down and took my pack. As I reached the spot where Ronnie had left his gear, I took his rucksack and carried it for the rest of the way. Many thanks to Ronnie and Rene for their assistance!!! 

Track recorded by Ronny

resting on launch

launch looking SW

Pano looking East (where we had come from / Monte Panico)

I landed after about 50' at the same LZ in San Donato as yesterday; unfortunately the cloud cover arrived much faster than forecasted/ anticipated and dampened the thermals quite a lot. This provided for a smooth ride, but also shortened our flights quite a bit.

Getting back to our hotel at Pescasseroli, Aisha (an elderly lady-wulf) rested in front of the entrance...

As I had 2 ice-creams at San Donato, I skipped dinner ;-)

Italy - 'H&F' day 1: Monte Panico / Gioia dei Marsi

Today's program: hike and fly Monte Panico in the morning and in the afternoon go to Gioia dei Marsi.

Monte Panico is (about) a 400m hike from the car. I started out with the group, but unfortunatley the trail ended already 80m above the car where it became trackless and very steep. Even though Rene offered to carry my gear to the top, Michael recommended that I turn back...

Monte Panico (seen from my launch at Forca d'Acero)

'climbing' to Monte Panico (pix by Gudrun)

...as there is another, much easier to reach launch available, this certainly has been the right decision. But to that point I'm quite happy how I could carry my pack. Anyway: many thanks to Rene for this generous offer!! 

Forca d'Acero: about 15' hike from the car park

I was ready to launch here at the same time, as the others launched from Monte Panico.

San Donato

(HG) LZ

I flew for a bit more than an hour before landing at the large/ wide (HG-) LZ.

Later we drove to Gioia dei Marsi via Opi and Pescasseroli - stopping here for some ice cream.

Opi

Everyone enjoyed a nice evening flight at Gioa. I toplanded after about 30', as at 1900+m it has been a bit too cold for the way I had dressed.

Gioia dei Marsi

Italy: 'day off' - gndhandling in Gioia dei Marsi

Driving to Gioa dei Marsi for some ground handling - most probably it would have been possible to fly and also to top-land, but I didn't want to risk to sink out...

Italy -iCamp days 8 / 9: Cassino / Rocca Calascio (Pineta)

Thur / Fri: during both nights there has been some rain, making it a bit difficult to find a flyable site.

Thur: It was decided to go to Cassino once more, as it the moutains it would stay too cloudy: not too windy on launch, but it has been much more difficult to stay up and/ or get high above launch. Most of us made 2 flights. Between flights, we made a stop at a very good gelateria in Cassino ;-)

Monte Cassino

Fri: even more difficult to find a flying site, as the wind in most places has been forecasted to be (too) strong. First we drove to Assergi and had a look at the Monte Christo launch. Michael made a very short flight there, but considered the conditions unsuitable for our group.

Monte Christo

We then drove across Campo Imperatore and Santo Stefano di Sessanio to Rocca Calascio, but this time to the upper launch (aka Pinetina).

Campo Imperatore

As conditions seemed to be worsening (wind/ maybe even rain) Michael urged us to get airborne quickly and not to 'linger' too long in the air. So I just made a 30' flight before landing. Later it turned out that the 'bad wx' approached much slower than anticipated and that we had landed maybe a bit prematurely ;-)

Rocca Calascio: looking SSE towards Pannettone launch

Rocca Calascio: Pinetina launch (center of pix)

As this has been the last day of this iCamp, we had diner together.

It has been a very successful week: flying every day (!), with no major incidents or even accidents :-)) In order to make this happen, on several days quite some driving had been necessary... Last, but not least: I got to know/ fly 5 new flying sites :-)

Italy -iCamp day 6: Capo di Serra / Rocca Calascio (Panettone)

Tue: as the fcst for Gioia dei Marsi has not been too promising, we drove to Ofena for a late morning flight off Capo di Serra (Madonnina). Unfortunatley the 'temp' was not very good as it was way to warm at altitude, so not much thermal activity, but still 2 of our group (Beat and PeterN) managed a good flight. 

Capo di Serra (looking SW-W)

Ofena

Ofena

many landing options...

For lunch we then drove to Campo Imperatore and afterwards to Rocca Calascio - Panettone (the lower launch). Here a nice flight in thermo-dynamic conditions became possible.

Campo Imperatore

Rocca Calascio (Panettone): launch / toplandable

landing on the ULM-strip

looking to launch: Rocca Calascio

Italy - iCamp days 5 / 7: Gioia di Marsi

Mon/ Wed: flying at Gioia dei Marsi, the closest site to our hotel.

On Monday conditions have been better than on Wednesday, when the sky was partly cloudy, thus thermals have been dampened quite a bit. In the afternoon, finally the sky became completely covered: no more thermals/ restitution. So we headed back to Pescasseroli for some icecream ;-)

On both days I have been able to make also some toplandings :-)

Here some pix with no/ little comments.

large launch, toplandable

large LZ within easy glide

Gioia dei Marsi

LeelooT: Michael & Martina

(Monday)

(Monday)

some interested bystanders...

group 'Scuol' on final approach ;-)

...well worth a visit (or more)...