Highland Sunday

[mcgowantk]

I couldn't get out during the meet, but Sunday looks very promising. I hope to be out there with a driver. Come out unless everyone is too pooped out from all the great flying this week.

Tom McGowan

[markc]

Thinkin' about it.... Will leave the glider on the truck and try to rest some soar flying muscles tonight!

[stevek]

Yep. Looks like it should be good. Like it has been every day for quite awhile. I guess i will see you there. Wish we could space all this good stuff out some.

[mcgowantk]

Highland was really rocking today. Mark Cavanaugh and I decided to try a task to the east at Harrington and then south, hopefully in a convergence to where ever. Climbs were not super strong for me but we did get high. Over 7000 mutliple times and a max of 20 feet short of 8000 (which as not quite base). We hit Harrington pretty easily, then headed south. When I arrived at Georgetown, you could see the sea breeze coming in. Clouds were forming a couple of thousand feet below me. Mark got caught up in the sea breeze stable air and landed SE of Georgetown. I decided that since it looked better back to Ridgely, I would head back for a triangle. Managed some good climbs and glides. Got to 7500 just east of Harrington and tried to glide in. I found some lift toward Ridgely but not enought to climb in as the sky was all blue from Harrington east. I ended up landing about 3/4 of a mile short of the airport. Too bad, it would have been a 66 mile triangle.

Still a great day. Thanks for going XC with me Mark. Our new driver Quasar did very well and picked us both up before we could break down.

Tom McGowan

[markc]

Tom was kickin' butt! Me, I was making obvious mistakes, sigh.

Wish I could say that I made Georgetown, but I didn't.... Landed east of Rt 113 between Milford and Georgetown, with Lewes Beach in sight. My major mistake was in not planning for the sea breeze. At a crucial moment, I should have headed *hard* south, instead of south-some/east-some/south-some. Then I got low-ish at a bad time (sea of trees ahead), and took a much too-easterly track (to remain near some LZs). Had one cloud ahead, got an anemic climb out of it.... And then *bam*, into the stable easterly sea breeze. VERY educational flight, and I've got to thank Tom for lots of insights. For a change, comm was working, we had a plan, we left the airport at the same time, go figure!

My best was 7300' MSL, just south of Harrington. Awesome frickin' day!

Oh, and should I mention that within minutes of landing I again had a cold brew in my hand, courtesy of Dale and his family? He and his wife, three girls, an older teenage boy, lots and lots of questions! (esp. from Lauren, the littlest). Not quite the 'Little House on the Prairie' moment that I had some years ago, after landing at an Amish farm NE of Ridgely. But close, and lots of fun.

Major kudos to Quasar for the efficient navigating and retrievals (though Tom could have probably hiked back to the airport by the time we got there, that bum!)

MarkC

[CraginS]

Well, the big kids went XC. I stayed around the flagpole, topping out at over 4300' on my one-thermal flight. Nice to see folks there and meet some new ones.
The new GoPro seems to work great.


Oh, yeah, the new FLY helmet sure is shiny pretty, too.

[jyoder111]

Nice video, Cragin! Glad to see that new Gopro in action.

Jesse

[sailin]

Nice flight Tom and Mark! I stayed around the park and made it up to just over 4000'msl....wanted to go higher but just couldn't seem to map out the ladder to take me there. Very fun day !!

Jon

[Pete Schumann]

Bastards!

Pete

[Lostgriz]

Great flights gentlemen. I am sorry that I didn't get a chance to meet you guys. I had a fun flight with John before dashing home to my crew.

See you out there...

Matt