Chelan '08, Day 2

6/30/2008

Forecast for the day called for light winds from the east, switching to southwest later in the day. Chance of thunderstorms.

The wind forecast made for some interesting strategizing as pilots debated what direction to head first. Call it right and you may fly with a mix of cross winds and tail winds. Call it wrong and you could be fighting headwinds on your entire course.
I plan to try a medium size triangle. Farmers-Sims-Soccer Field.
I’ve eaten and prepared myself better today and feel excited for the flight to come.

I get off the hill towards the front of the line. Climbing up is difficult at first. Lift is light, and lots of pilots are crowing up the sky. I circle in tight trying to find the cores. I’ve gotten used to banking really tight in a good core and am finding it difficult to fly with many of the people in the air because they are turning too shallow. I turn tight inside a few and climb up above them. After a long slow climb I find myself I the top of the stack at 7,200’.

The lift seems to fade and Gerry radios he is making the crossing. I am 75’ above him and in a great position to follow. I’m feeling great at this point knowing I’ve got a great pilot to show me the way across.
My wing is gliding really well and I get a great glide ratio across the river. Reaching the other side I’m in the same spot as yesterday, but at 5,000’ instead of 4,000’. I see some dust devils on the other side of the power lines. I think I can make them, but decide to turn in some light lift at the edge of the rim. This was the mistake that sealed my fate for the day. The lift was nothing, and now I had lost enough altitude I couldn’t make it to those dusty’s.

Gerry and I work trying to find anything. Eventually Gerry lands and is followed by Joe who left lift to come join us (thinking we knew what we were doing…). It looks dusty and miserable down there. I maintain 200’ off the deck for a few minutes with one faint hope that I might make a climb out. It doesn’t happen and I bring it down about ¼ mile from Gerry and Joe in a less dusty field.

The sky seemed to turn on after we landed. Cumulus clouds dotting the sky. Pilots getting to nearly 14,000’. It was painful to listen on the radio to the reports. We get scored on the best 4 out of 6 days here, so I’ve got to start flying better.

My ankle is holding up nicely. I was worried about my launches since I hadn’t run at a full sprint since hurting myself 5 weeks ago. But I’m able to run strong with no pain.