KRONFELD ON GLIDING AND SOARING.pdf - Lakes Gliding Club

SOME FLIGHTS OF MY OWN 143
possibility of observing accurately the change of wind that
unfortunately took place. Then I saw some fine cumuli
puffing themselves out ahead of me heat clouds
overhanging the heath. From the great Hermannsberg
I tried once more for my higher contact and now succeeded
in obtaining it perfectly for the first time that day. And
very necessary it was, too, for beneath me the trees seemed to
stretch endlessly ; a forest which I guessed to be some four
or five miles broad and of incalculable length made all
thoughts of landing impossible. I saw the Hermann
monument in the distance and steered directly for it ;
here I found that the hillsides sloped more gently while
the range bent to the south.
The foothills were so steep that it became impossible
to soar by the help of updraughts from slopes. And now
again the cumuli proved themselves anything but reliable
assistants for I speedily lost all the height I had gained.
The treetops drew dangerously near ; matters threatened
to become critical as I fell and fell. I turned farther
eastward, but all of a sudden came a downward gust that
pushed me to within fifteen feet of the branches. I began
to look out for a place among them where I could build
myself a nest.
In order to save the machine I saw that I would have
to go back some five miles to the last good landing place
I had noticed. Heartbroken, I turned away from the
sixty-mile limit I had so nearly reached, but just as I
put the machine into the turn I saw dimly before and
above me, far away from the slope, a tiny tattered rag of
mist of the type that crowns a weak warm air current.
Here was a forlorn hope. If I could gain about one hundred
and sixty feet, I should be able provided that I turned at
once to dodge along under the cumuli now travelling
swiftly over the ridge. The bronze Teuton warrior, past
whom I had to return, raised his sword dangerously
towards the heavens, and I was so low down that I nearly
ran down (or rather flew down) good old Hermann.
The town of Detmold came into my field of vision
on the left of my route, and the vital question was : would
the clouds be strong enough to overcome the downdraughts