The weather looked promising today. Light winds, decent lapse rates, a good day for a triangle.
Around 12:30pm people started to launch. A line formed quickly and though I was only about 10 people from the front, several people potatoed on launch and I had wait a long time. By the time I got in the air Ben had already crossed the gorge to the flats. Bruce was topping out at 7200’ and getting ready to make the crossing.
I searched for a while before finding the core that took me up into the gaggle. I climbed through and around many people, but around 6,800’ it got really crowded. I wanted another 500’ before trying to cross the gorge, but eventually got fed up with the disorganized gaggle and went on glide.
I reached rim on the far side of the gorge low. I needed to get about 2 miles further before I would truly be on the flats and have a chance of finding better lift. Alex joined me and we scratched low on the rim for a long time. It was probably 45 minutes of working zero sink before something let off and gave me enough altitude to make it to the flats.
My plan was to make a small triangle, and maybe expand it if the conditions were good along the way. And they certainly were good. Now that I was across the river and in the flats, the lift was abundant and strong. Topping out at 9,000’ I worked my way toward the first turnpoint. It was cool up high, but it had been hot down along the rim at 3,500’. I was now regretting my poor planning that had resulted in me not eating breakfast this morning. Hunger combined with a bit of heat exhaustion left me light headed and feeling a bit nauseous.
I decided at the first turnpoint that I really wasn’t feeling well and wanted to get on the ground. So I tagged the waypoint and headed back to the soccer field LZ for a short out and return of about 24 miles.
The LZ here is fun to land in. You make a fast approach over the river, and then dive in between some trees to land in a nice, soft, grassy field.
Bruce and Gerry did a ~50 mile triangle. Alex did a decent out and return without a map. Haven’t heard from Ben yet, but he was going for a big one. Doug made it across the gorge and had his longest flight yet on his new T2
Tomorrow I’ll be more prepared. A good breakfast, earlier off the hill.
Around 12:30pm people started to launch. A line formed quickly and though I was only about 10 people from the front, several people potatoed on launch and I had wait a long time. By the time I got in the air Ben had already crossed the gorge to the flats. Bruce was topping out at 7200’ and getting ready to make the crossing.
I searched for a while before finding the core that took me up into the gaggle. I climbed through and around many people, but around 6,800’ it got really crowded. I wanted another 500’ before trying to cross the gorge, but eventually got fed up with the disorganized gaggle and went on glide.
I reached rim on the far side of the gorge low. I needed to get about 2 miles further before I would truly be on the flats and have a chance of finding better lift. Alex joined me and we scratched low on the rim for a long time. It was probably 45 minutes of working zero sink before something let off and gave me enough altitude to make it to the flats.
My plan was to make a small triangle, and maybe expand it if the conditions were good along the way. And they certainly were good. Now that I was across the river and in the flats, the lift was abundant and strong. Topping out at 9,000’ I worked my way toward the first turnpoint. It was cool up high, but it had been hot down along the rim at 3,500’. I was now regretting my poor planning that had resulted in me not eating breakfast this morning. Hunger combined with a bit of heat exhaustion left me light headed and feeling a bit nauseous.
I decided at the first turnpoint that I really wasn’t feeling well and wanted to get on the ground. So I tagged the waypoint and headed back to the soccer field LZ for a short out and return of about 24 miles.
The LZ here is fun to land in. You make a fast approach over the river, and then dive in between some trees to land in a nice, soft, grassy field.
Bruce and Gerry did a ~50 mile triangle. Alex did a decent out and return without a map. Haven’t heard from Ben yet, but he was going for a big one. Doug made it across the gorge and had his longest flight yet on his new T2
Tomorrow I’ll be more prepared. A good breakfast, earlier off the hill.
Gerry landing at the Soccer Field after a good triangle task.
1 comment:
Brian,
I've sent your mother up to make you nice healthy breakfasts for the remainder of the comp...
Hugs,
Chris
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