Day one

Day one, hot. I picked a 150km task today with a shorter 100km secondary task depending on how conditions looked on the way to my first turn point. If I didn’t think I could make it I had a closer turn point on the way that I could use to shorten up my triangle. You get a lot more points for coming back to Chelan.

I launched late as I was a little nervous after my poor launch yesterday and didn’t want to get in the way. I climbed out easily over launch to 8000’ and had no problem getting out over the flats. I wondered aimlessly around over the power lines looking for my first climb out over the flats. This is not how you fly big distance. I finally found something and got up over 9000’. I headed off to Mansfield and hooked up with a bunch of pilots that looked like they were heading back already. I got high over Mansfield to about 11 000’ before heading off again. I just couldn’t make my self speed up. It was good lift and I wasn’t getting low but mentally it was still hard to speed up. I decided to stick with my first turn point and just do an out and return. My goal was to try and stay up as late as possible and still make it back to the airport. As I went by my alternate turn point the ground in front of me looked a lot greener. I was low just before a lake I needed to cross to get to my turn point. It was getting late and I was low. I found a weak climb and hung on. I could make it across the lake but I didn’t think it was worth crossing only to land and make retrieve that much harder. I figured if I could get back up I would just start heading back. I got back up to 6000’ and started back. Once I got back to Sim’s corner the lift stared to get a little better. I hooked up with Tom Pierce at Sim’s and we flew the rest of the day together. The thermals were now 200’ per minute instead of the 500 or 600’ per minute we were getting earlier. I knew if I was going to have any chance at getting back I needed to pick up the pace. Although the climbs were a lot slower I wasn’t wasting any time. I topped out at about 8000’ just out side of Mansfield and thought I might make it back if I could climb a few hundred feet more. I headed towards home keeping my eye on the ridge across from the airport. If I could clear the ridge you can make it to the airport. The trick was am I going to get over that ridge. The air was very buoyant and I would get a few beeps as I flew a long. Tom was in front of me turning so I headed to join him. I made a couple of turns with out gaining any height so I pressed on not wanting to lose any height either. As I got closer the ridge I was starting to see more of the fields on the other side of the river, indicating that I’m going to clear the ridge. I had my elbows tucked in and toes pointed. As the ground started to rise up below me I was getting a little bit of lift to help me get over the top. I cleared the ridge by 500’ and headed for the airport. As I was trying to figure out the wind direction I saw Tom 500’ below me. I was surprised because he was a few hundred feet over me when I passed by him climbing. He told me he hit some big sink on his final glide. Not sure what my score will be for the day because for out and returns and triangles you have to hit designated turn points not just turn where ever. Hopefully I got over the Sim’s turn point or I won’t get scored for the out and return. My total distance was 116km out and return and I was in the air for 4hr 15min. A great day of flying. Paul, Christine and Doug had a hard time getting over the river and landed at the soccer field. Leif was working on getting his glider fixed. Fiona had a new personal best. I will get her to tell the story!!