Florida to South Carolina (almost)
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
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Paul Tjaden
- Posts: 398
- Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 10:28 pm
The norm around here for assaults on "the record" has been time spent on line looking at forecasts, sometimes for days in advance, followed by lots of last minute preparations and discussions about drivers, routes, etc. finally followed by the actual flight and relization that the conditions are not as good as the forecast, followed by landing well short of any record, sometimes just a few miles. Lauren and I made an attempt two days ago and got nowhere along with Bo and Campbell. Davis did get 120 miles that day.
Well, I talked with Dustin today and he said that yesterday morning Jony Durand walked into the Quest Clubhouse and asked what he (Dustin) was going to do for the day. He then announced that he was going to try for the East Coast record and walked out and launched. Dustin scrambled around grabbing his gear including radios and varios that were not fully charged and took off to catch Jonny! Late in his flight Dustin's Vario was so low in power that he would turn it off to go on glide and turn it back on as he approached clouds where he might expect some lift. Dustin also said that they flew over some serious "tiger country" with very few if any landing options, sometimes covering stretches as long as 20 miles with no decent LZ's.
Jony had decided to go for it based on a look out the window while Lauren and I (who had been planning a flight that day) decided to bag it based on Dr. Jacks prediction that the winds would be too much from the west and would blow us towards the ocean at Daytona Beach rather than north to Georgia. So much for detailed planning!!!
I also talked with Chris Smith, US Team Pilot and yesterdays hard working driver (he drove for 15 straight hours out and back sometimes reaching speeds of 90 to 100 trying to catch up with these guys). He said he agreed to drive thinking he could grab some coffee and maybe breakfast and then pick up Dustin and Jony a few miles to the north ( the usual distance for these attempts!!!
Paul
Well, I talked with Dustin today and he said that yesterday morning Jony Durand walked into the Quest Clubhouse and asked what he (Dustin) was going to do for the day. He then announced that he was going to try for the East Coast record and walked out and launched. Dustin scrambled around grabbing his gear including radios and varios that were not fully charged and took off to catch Jonny! Late in his flight Dustin's Vario was so low in power that he would turn it off to go on glide and turn it back on as he approached clouds where he might expect some lift. Dustin also said that they flew over some serious "tiger country" with very few if any landing options, sometimes covering stretches as long as 20 miles with no decent LZ's.
Jony had decided to go for it based on a look out the window while Lauren and I (who had been planning a flight that day) decided to bag it based on Dr. Jacks prediction that the winds would be too much from the west and would blow us towards the ocean at Daytona Beach rather than north to Georgia. So much for detailed planning!!!
I also talked with Chris Smith, US Team Pilot and yesterdays hard working driver (he drove for 15 straight hours out and back sometimes reaching speeds of 90 to 100 trying to catch up with these guys). He said he agreed to drive thinking he could grab some coffee and maybe breakfast and then pick up Dustin and Jony a few miles to the north ( the usual distance for these attempts!!!
Paul
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John Simon
- Posts: 300
- Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 12:33 pm
Wow
Jasus! How long were these guys in the air? Zoinks already... that's a lot of miles. I don't know any drivers who like me enough for that kind of a trip. Good thing I can't break 99.9 miles.
What time did they launch? I heading to Ridgely tomorrow, might try to get >40 miles. Hah.
John
What time did they launch? I heading to Ridgely tomorrow, might try to get >40 miles. Hah.
John
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John Simon
- Posts: 300
- Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 12:33 pm
Love to go XC
I'd love to go XC with ya' anytime. I hope you aren't driving. Sounds like some awesome XC at Woodstock. I sure hope Joe heals up well.
John
John