Pulpit 7/14/09

Post by **RedBaron** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 1:04 pm

The first time I feel entitled to post here, yipieeeeeeee!

Arrived at the Pulpit at 11.30 and saw three intense pilots (McGowan, Schumann, Cavanaugh) hurrying to get ready. They all had but one thought in their mind, distance! I guess Larry's inspirational 200 mile flight put a rocket up everybody's butt. Not expecting much for myself I set up, smoked a few and helped the others off. I launched last when Mark and Tom had already left the ridge.

Took me some time to get to base. A nice street was forming and I went OTB praying not to suck. Tom and Mark had already crossed the Michaux. I made the valley without ever getting low and jumped my first street when I realized I was too South off my course line. Arrived at the HR ridge with lot's of altitude but the clouds indicated no ride for me over the Michaux State Forest. They were drying up and I was getting low, trying to figure out what to do. Decided to soar High Rock for a while and went there when another street was forming right behind me. Turned around, went upwind and took the street over the Michaux. Came out at base and found even more awesome conditions for the next 40 miles. Never got low.

I was totally stoked when I saw the Baltimore Skyline South from my position. I was also totally beat, I'd been flying for 4 hours now, without water, food and just a short sleeve on. A cramp in my left thigh was announcing its coming on top of everything. Even puling the VG chord became too hard and the thought of landing became more and more attractive. So, while conditions were still good I lost my focus and my will to stay up. Went on glide for some extra miles, skipped lift and picked a reall sh*tty field to land in. I think with better preparation and more stamina 100 miles would have been possible yesterday. It took me 20 minutes to walk the glider out of the field, I was done.

Still, 77 miles. I totally kicked butt yesterday. I'm also stoked that the 460 XC miles or so of the last 2 weeks were achieved by pilots who chose to launch from the new pad. The new launch is paying off big time.

I would like to thank Tom for calling this epic day and including me in his XC arrangements. I would also like to thank Meinhaj for being a very skilled wire-crew man and driver.