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Dashed hopes
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Today's disappointment
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Great forecast this morning: good thermic
conditions all the way to Switzerland, so it was with some enthusiasm that
Wendy and I prepared the Duo for an expedition to pastures new. Eager
to avoid a repeat of yesterday's getting-away agony, we towed to Trainon and
were rewarded with a cracking climb to 7,000ft or so.
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The route to the parcours was fairly easy
after that, although I did feel a degree of trepidation as we approached la
Blanche at an altitude rather lower than I was used to. It worked though,
and we headed off to the Dormillouse en-route to Morgon and Guillaume.
Disappointment emerged in the form of a large storm between pic de Bure and
the Ecrins, moving slowly southwards and spreading east, potentially cutting
off our retreat if we were to push on into the Maurienne.
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Morgon
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We took a climb at the tete de Lucy and
worked our way to the eastern Ecrins. The storm's shadow was now spreading
quickly to meet us so, as we reached Briancon, we abandoned thoughts of the
north and flew to the sunshine over the Queyras where cloubase was a
healthy 11,500ft.
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Today's fun
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Flying into the Barcelonette valley along the peaks to the
east of the cols de Vars, we worked around the horseshoe to Mont Pelat for a
look at the lac d'Allos. Then, back to the parcours where we decided to
follow the streets towards the pic de Bure, from which the storm had by now
departed.
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Obiou
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The Ecrins were still getting a soaking, so
we flew westwards past the pic de Bure towards
the Obiou ridge which overlooks the col de la Croix Haute and the road to
Grenoble. We briefly considered visiting the Glandasse but thought
better of it, and then decided to call it a day and flew back home. Not the
full experience day we had planned at briefing, but a great day out
nevertheless - thanks, Wendy, for the company. As
a postscript, we both thought that today's clouds looked rather odd; working
cumulus with lenticular caps while the wind speed was generally less than five knots
from all around the clock.
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Cotton wool and flying saucers
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