For weeks now, we have watched the Dr Jack's forecasts change from spectacular to dismal as the future (one or two days out) forecast became the current (today) forecast. Yesterday was no exception. Checking the soaring forecast yesterday AM, I saw that the promised "go to Georgia" day had once again mysteriously changed to a " maybe we can make it to Ocala". Only this time....the bastard was wrong! Thinking there was no hurry, Lauren went off to ride her horse and I leisurely went to Quest to set up my wing. About the time I got set up, I noticed the sky had started filling with Q's in these nice straight lines. Then I found grains of sand nestled between my leading edge and my sail and had to take my right wing half apart to clean them out and stop any potential sail damage. While doing this several of the best pilots, including Kevin, launched and headed north at around 11:00. By the time Lauren arrived with the rest of our gear I figured the opportunity for a really big flight was lost so we decided to fly together and I thought I could possibly help her get a bit further. We launched around 12:30 and I actually think I was more of a hindrance as I tried to radio control her flight for the first 20 miles where the limited glide on her wing put her on the ground. I offered to land with her but she knew the correct answer and told me she was fine and that I should "fly to Georgia". I remember at the time thinking, Oh sure, with luck I might make another 20 miles or so.
The clouds had flattened a bit and the streets were not so well defined but they were working and I headed towards Ocala with a huge blue hole to my right and good clouds on my left. It was a bit tricky here because following the clouds put me west of a good course line and over LOTS of trees but I tip toed along the edge of the blue sky and watched my GPS tick off the miles past my old personal best of 45 miles and beyond the Ocala airport that I over flew about a mile east and at 3,500 feet. The clouds continued to dry up and about 75 miles from Quest they were pretty much gone. At this point, without any friends to help find lift, I thought my chances of going much further were not good. But the winds at my back were still strong and luck was on my side as I continued to find solid lift of 200 to as much as 500 up interspersed with huge areas of massive sink. My new ATOS, with its incredible glide and speed really helped here.
Just south of Gainesville, there is a huge area of swamp to cross with very few LZs before or after it. As I approached this area, I knew I'd need lots of altitude to attempt the crossing and I was way too low. I headed to one of the last possible LZs thinking again that I was done but as I cruised over the truck stop next to my field a boomer rocked my wing and I quickly climbed to 5,500 just when I needed it most. The crossing was then uneventful and as I approached Gainesville I flew back into some nice, helpful clouds and continued along.
About this time (85 miles out) I started thinking I just might get my hundred miler and was, once again, watching the miles tick off when suddenly my GPS shut down. For a couple of minutes I tried to re-start it but then realized my 5030 was low on batteries and it had shut down the satelite reciever to save enough to continue to run my vario function. The GPS had quit at 94 miles and soon I knew I must have made the magic number but it was still early and the sky just kept getting better. It was around this time that I found my strongest lift (790 on the averager) and highest climb (6,069 feet). It was also when I was getting my butt kicked by some really gnarly thermals that would swing from momentary 1,000 up to 400 down. Maybe I was just on the edge of some big ones but some of this didn't seem to have a smooth center. The sky was starting to change with high sirus so maybe it was a convergence layer.
When I saw I-10 slide by I started to think that Georgia might actually be a possibility. Pretty much just kept on doing what I'd been doing until the high layer above started shutting it all down around a small town called Jasper. I might have held on for a couple of more miles but there were VERY few LZs and I was pretty exhausted. Guess it was good that I didn't know I was just 10.6 miles from the border or I might have been tempted to do something stupid. Landed in the only decent field around about a mile off I-75 and called my rather frantic wife who was certain I was lying dead in a field somewhere. She was unaware that Kevin had flown 210 miles, setting a new flex wing Florida record, and Jim Rooney had knocked off a cool 109 or so on a Combat. Most the other pilots had considerably shorter flights and she figured I probably couldn't still be in the air. She and our new best friend, Jamie, were waiting in Gainseville for my call and were at my LZ by the time I had packed up. While loading my gear, we got a very excited call from Kevin telling us of his spectacular flight. Really excited for him but it sure kept my head from getting too big over my paltry 147 miles on a rigid. Found out about Rooney on the way home and we back tracked about 30 miles to pick him up. He was pretty happy to see us as we rolled up at about 9:30 in the dark. Made it back to Quest at 11:30 and briefly celebrated with Kevin before crawling home to my nice, soft bed.
A sidebar: I hate to have dry mouth and get dehydrated while flying and always carry a camel back even if only a very short flight is expected. Well, as I was hurrying to get launched, I didn't notice the hose from my water supply had slipped down the back of my harness and I couldn't reach it in flight. Four hours and forty seven minutes in the air without a drink was a long time! Bet I don't make that mistake again for a while.
Hope your spring flying gets good soon,
Paul
Almost Georgia !!! (long)
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Almost Georgia !!! (long)
Gee, Paul...maybe if you have a really GOOD flight one day you'll be close
enough we can drive down and pick you up.
Way to go!
Brian Vant-Hull
301-646-1149
On Thu, 7 Apr 2005, Paul Tjaden wrote:
> For weeks now, we have watched the Dr Jack's forecasts change from specta=
cular to dismal as the future (one or two days out) forecast became the cur=
rent (today) forecast. Yesterday was no exception. Checking the soaring for=
ecast yesterday AM, I saw that the promised "go to Georgia" day had once ag=
ain mysteriously changed to a " maybe we can make it to Ocala". Only this t=
ime....the bastard was wrong! Thinking there was no hurry, Lauren went off =
to ride her horse and I leisurely went to Quest to set up my wing. About th=
e time I got set up, I noticed the sky had started filling with Q's in thes=
e nice straight lines. Then I found grains of sand nestled between my leadi=
ng edge and my sail and had to take my right wing half apart to clean them =
out and stop any potential sail damage. While doing this several of the bes=
t pilots, including Kevin, launched and headed north at around 11:00. By th=
e time Lauren arrived with the rest of our gear I figured the opportunity f=
or a really big flight was lost so we decided to fly together and I thought=
I could possibly help her get a bit further. We launched around 12:30 and =
I actually think I was more of a hindrance as I tried to radio control her =
flight for the first 20 miles where the limited glide on her wing put her o=
n the ground. I offered to land with her but she knew the correct answer an=
d told me she was fine and that I should "fly to Georgia". I remember at th=
e time thinking, Oh sure, with luck I might make another 20 miles or so.
>
> The clouds had flattened a bit and the streets were not so well defined b=
ut they were working and I headed towards Ocala with a huge blue hole to my=
right and good clouds on my left. It was a bit tricky here because followi=
ng the clouds put me west of a good course line and over LOTS of trees bu=
t I tip toed along the edge of the blue sky and watched my GPS tick off the=
miles past my old personal best of 45 miles and beyond the Ocala airport t=
hat I over flew about a mile east and at 3,500 feet. The clouds continued t=
o dry up and about 75 miles from Quest they were pretty much gone. At this =
point, without any friends to help find lift, I thought my chances of going=
much further were not good. But the winds at my back were still strong and=
luck was on my side as I continued to find solid lift of 200 to as much as=
500 up interspersed with huge areas of massive sink. My new ATOS, with its=
incredible glide and speed really helped here.
>
> Just south of Gainesville, there is a huge area of swamp to cross with ve=
ry few LZs before or after it. As I approached this area, I knew I'd need l=
ots of altitude to attempt the crossing and I was way too low. I headed to =
one of the last possible LZs thinking again that I was done but as I cruise=
d over the truck stop next to my field a boomer rocked my wing and I quickl=
y climbed to 5,500 just when I needed it most. The crossing was then uneven=
tful and as I approached Gainesville I flew back into some nice, helpful cl=
ouds and continued along.
>
> About this time (85 miles out) I started thinking I just might get my hun=
dred miler and was, once again, watching the miles tick off when suddenly m=
y GPS shut down. For a couple of minutes I tried to re-start it but then re=
alized my 5030 was low on batteries and it had shut down the satelite recie=
ver to save enough to continue to run my vario function. The GPS had quit a=
t 94 miles and soon I knew I must have made the magic number but it was sti=
ll early and the sky just kept getting better. It was around this time that=
I found my strongest lift (790 on the averager) and highest climb (6,069 f=
eet). It was also when I was getting my butt kicked by some really gnarly t=
hermals that would swing from momentary 1,000 up to 400 down. Maybe I was j=
ust on the edge of some big ones but some of this didn't seem to have a smo=
oth center. The sky was starting to change with high sirus so maybe it was =
a convergence layer.
>
> When I saw I-10 slide by I started to think that Georgia might actually b=
e a possibility. Pretty much just kept on doing what I'd been doing until =
the high layer above started shutting it all down around a small town calle=
d Jasper. I might have held on for a couple of more miles but there were VE=
RY few LZs and I was pretty exhausted. Guess it was good that I didn't know=
I was just 10.6 miles from the border or I might have been tempted to do s=
omething stupid. Landed in the only decent field around about a mile off I-=
75 and called my rather frantic wife who was certain I was lying dead in a =
field somewhere. She was unaware that Kevin had flown 210 miles, setting a =
new flex wing Florida record, and Jim Rooney had knocked off a cool 109 or =
so on a Combat. Most the other pilots had considerably shorter flights and =
she figured I probably couldn't still be in the air. She and our new best f=
riend, Jamie, were waiting in Gainseville for my call and were at my LZ by =
the time I had packed up. While loading my gear, we got a very excited call=
from Kevin telling us of his spectacular flight. Really excited for him bu=
t it sure kept my head from getting too big over my paltry 147 miles on a r=
igid. Found out about Rooney on the way home and we back tracked about 30 m=
iles to pick him up. He was pretty happy to see us as we rolled up at about=
9:30 in the dark. Made it back to Quest at 11:30 and briefly celebrated wi=
th Kevin before crawling home to my nice, soft bed.
>
> A sidebar: I hate to have dry mouth and get dehydrated while flying and a=
lways carry a camel back even if only a very short flight is expected. Well=
, as I was hurrying to get launched, I didn't notice the hose from my water=
supply had slipped down the back of my harness and I couldn't reach it in =
flight. Four hours and forty seven minutes in the air without a drink was a=
long time! Bet I don't make that mistake again for a while.
>
> Hope your spring flying gets good soon,
>
> Paul
enough we can drive down and pick you up.
Way to go!
Brian Vant-Hull
301-646-1149
On Thu, 7 Apr 2005, Paul Tjaden wrote:
> For weeks now, we have watched the Dr Jack's forecasts change from specta=
cular to dismal as the future (one or two days out) forecast became the cur=
rent (today) forecast. Yesterday was no exception. Checking the soaring for=
ecast yesterday AM, I saw that the promised "go to Georgia" day had once ag=
ain mysteriously changed to a " maybe we can make it to Ocala". Only this t=
ime....the bastard was wrong! Thinking there was no hurry, Lauren went off =
to ride her horse and I leisurely went to Quest to set up my wing. About th=
e time I got set up, I noticed the sky had started filling with Q's in thes=
e nice straight lines. Then I found grains of sand nestled between my leadi=
ng edge and my sail and had to take my right wing half apart to clean them =
out and stop any potential sail damage. While doing this several of the bes=
t pilots, including Kevin, launched and headed north at around 11:00. By th=
e time Lauren arrived with the rest of our gear I figured the opportunity f=
or a really big flight was lost so we decided to fly together and I thought=
I could possibly help her get a bit further. We launched around 12:30 and =
I actually think I was more of a hindrance as I tried to radio control her =
flight for the first 20 miles where the limited glide on her wing put her o=
n the ground. I offered to land with her but she knew the correct answer an=
d told me she was fine and that I should "fly to Georgia". I remember at th=
e time thinking, Oh sure, with luck I might make another 20 miles or so.
>
> The clouds had flattened a bit and the streets were not so well defined b=
ut they were working and I headed towards Ocala with a huge blue hole to my=
right and good clouds on my left. It was a bit tricky here because followi=
ng the clouds put me west of a good course line and over LOTS of trees bu=
t I tip toed along the edge of the blue sky and watched my GPS tick off the=
miles past my old personal best of 45 miles and beyond the Ocala airport t=
hat I over flew about a mile east and at 3,500 feet. The clouds continued t=
o dry up and about 75 miles from Quest they were pretty much gone. At this =
point, without any friends to help find lift, I thought my chances of going=
much further were not good. But the winds at my back were still strong and=
luck was on my side as I continued to find solid lift of 200 to as much as=
500 up interspersed with huge areas of massive sink. My new ATOS, with its=
incredible glide and speed really helped here.
>
> Just south of Gainesville, there is a huge area of swamp to cross with ve=
ry few LZs before or after it. As I approached this area, I knew I'd need l=
ots of altitude to attempt the crossing and I was way too low. I headed to =
one of the last possible LZs thinking again that I was done but as I cruise=
d over the truck stop next to my field a boomer rocked my wing and I quickl=
y climbed to 5,500 just when I needed it most. The crossing was then uneven=
tful and as I approached Gainesville I flew back into some nice, helpful cl=
ouds and continued along.
>
> About this time (85 miles out) I started thinking I just might get my hun=
dred miler and was, once again, watching the miles tick off when suddenly m=
y GPS shut down. For a couple of minutes I tried to re-start it but then re=
alized my 5030 was low on batteries and it had shut down the satelite recie=
ver to save enough to continue to run my vario function. The GPS had quit a=
t 94 miles and soon I knew I must have made the magic number but it was sti=
ll early and the sky just kept getting better. It was around this time that=
I found my strongest lift (790 on the averager) and highest climb (6,069 f=
eet). It was also when I was getting my butt kicked by some really gnarly t=
hermals that would swing from momentary 1,000 up to 400 down. Maybe I was j=
ust on the edge of some big ones but some of this didn't seem to have a smo=
oth center. The sky was starting to change with high sirus so maybe it was =
a convergence layer.
>
> When I saw I-10 slide by I started to think that Georgia might actually b=
e a possibility. Pretty much just kept on doing what I'd been doing until =
the high layer above started shutting it all down around a small town calle=
d Jasper. I might have held on for a couple of more miles but there were VE=
RY few LZs and I was pretty exhausted. Guess it was good that I didn't know=
I was just 10.6 miles from the border or I might have been tempted to do s=
omething stupid. Landed in the only decent field around about a mile off I-=
75 and called my rather frantic wife who was certain I was lying dead in a =
field somewhere. She was unaware that Kevin had flown 210 miles, setting a =
new flex wing Florida record, and Jim Rooney had knocked off a cool 109 or =
so on a Combat. Most the other pilots had considerably shorter flights and =
she figured I probably couldn't still be in the air. She and our new best f=
riend, Jamie, were waiting in Gainseville for my call and were at my LZ by =
the time I had packed up. While loading my gear, we got a very excited call=
from Kevin telling us of his spectacular flight. Really excited for him bu=
t it sure kept my head from getting too big over my paltry 147 miles on a r=
igid. Found out about Rooney on the way home and we back tracked about 30 m=
iles to pick him up. He was pretty happy to see us as we rolled up at about=
9:30 in the dark. Made it back to Quest at 11:30 and briefly celebrated wi=
th Kevin before crawling home to my nice, soft bed.
>
> A sidebar: I hate to have dry mouth and get dehydrated while flying and a=
lways carry a camel back even if only a very short flight is expected. Well=
, as I was hurrying to get launched, I didn't notice the hose from my water=
supply had slipped down the back of my harness and I couldn't reach it in =
flight. Four hours and forty seven minutes in the air without a drink was a=
long time! Bet I don't make that mistake again for a while.
>
> Hope your spring flying gets good soon,
>
> Paul
Pushing close to 6 months with no airtime, I'm as thirsty for a flight as you probably were for a drink of water after that close to 5 hour flight. Tuesday and Wednesday where the best days so far this season for flying at Highland but unfortunately it was their day off. If I don't fly soon I'm going to bust a you know what. But hey, I can just imagine that you, Lauren, Jim and Kevin were just drunk with euphoria that evening, I am so happy for all of you! I know it will start soon for me, I just have to be patient. Congratulations to you all!
Paul Adamez
