A day's delay - 4 May - was forecast; we took it easy. I must say the pause was welcome. The following day - day 5 - was all set to be a bumper 100-miler. However events conspired against us. In essence ..... we were up very early, to get set up on the field for a prompt launch. I had delayed asking permission to use the field because of the early hour; as the wind was settling in we were denied that permission: my fault for not getting it fixed the previous day. It took an hour and a half to find a friendly farmer who was only too pleased to let us use a field of his. By now the wind had dropped away, but we expended a lot of energy chasing light gusts from every corner of the compass. I should explain that younger flyers with more modern agile wings can get airborne without wind; I cannot do this without a light breeze in my face. Finally the wind settled; then however I discovered the previous engine defect (inability to stop it without pulling off the spark plug) had re-emerged. This we fixed ourselves; another precious hour was lost. By now the forecast high dark cumulus clouds and strong gusts, of which I had been determined to keep ahead, had arrived. I couldn't handle the wing safely; we had blown our chance. This was a massive disappointment. Very soon the wind will come into the south which I expect for several days will prevent further progress in that direction.
- charlesstylecs