Post Comp Thoughts

[John Simon]

?The comp is over and what a week it was.? If anyone ever has an inkling to join one, or wants to just check it out they should do so.? The organizers (Dave Glover and others?) and the Highland guys made it very easy and pleasant for a new guy to come out and fly with some top pilots.? Everyone is very friendly and willing to help out someone new and they make you feel welcome and included right away.? Dave Glover is really a good guy and his light hearted wise cracks and all around easy nature make participating a pleasure.? Of course, the staff at Highland was as always very, very helpful with problems and issues with equipment and gave everyone a very good deal on tows for the comp.? They and their core of volunteers really made the show go off without a hitch, really smooth.? Rob Kells was there and offered to let me fly the U2, Sport2 and T2... I took him up on the U2 and will fly the Sport2 at a later date, the T2 at a much later date.?
???I can't tell you how much I learned as a new XC guy.? Even as a weekend thermal-around-the-house type guy there is amazing opportunity to advance.? We flew on a couple days I'd never even bother to setup, and low and behold I was able to find stuff to climb in (a little)?even on those days.? I made a ton of rookie mistakes and hopefully have learned from them as well.? Just coming back to Ridgely after landing out and hearing all the other stories of the day is incredibly worthwhile from a learning standpoint.? I met a slew of new people and hope to see them when I travel about the country or when they return to the Mid-Atlantic.? What a pleasure it is to hang out with 30 folks who enjoy flying as much as I do for a week.? Plus there were free kegs available... nutritious!
??What is really cool is how much fun it is to "compete" even just a little with your buddies.? A comp is just plain fun.? Sure, it's more fun when you complete a task or win the day which only happened once for me, but you look forward to each day of?flying even more in a comp and once in the air you can't help but enjoy the challenge.? Rudimentary strategies and tactics, weather, glider considerations and hawking other pilots....? all give you plenty to ponder.? I sure wish there were more informal "sport" type mini comps each year during a long weekend or something so more people could have an opportunity to try one and so I could fly in more than one per year.? The whole thing is just a good deal and so much fun... If you ever get a chance to enter, even for a few days I highly recommend it especially the sport class because the more the merrier down there.
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Take Care,
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John Simon

[Paul Tjaden]

I'd like to add my complete agreement to John's post. I was going to write something similar but I'm certain his literary skill far surpasses mine.
Conditions were safe but only approached really GOOD on just one day, yet we all had a blast making the best of what the day gave us. It was worth the whole?entry fee?just to be at?Massey air field?when Daniel B. landed at goal and to see that s--t eating grin plastered on his face.
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To those of you who couldn't make it this time, be ready to free up some time next year and see why we're so excited.
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Paul
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p.s. Special thanks to Paul Adamez who generously drove my truck for retrievals all week and who steadfastly refused to accept a dime for his time and trouble.

[Matthew]

BIG CONGRATS to Paul and Daniel and everyone else for having great and safe flights at the ECC. And KUDOS to Highland for putting safety first and calling the day when winds were borderline strong and cross.

Matthew