Davis sent Paul an email this morning. It said, simply; "looks good, 50, 100, or 150 K?" Paul has been trying to break world records with Davis. But Paul and I had to travel to Polk City this morning to sign contracts, so we would be late arriving at Quest. Besides, Paul said he didn't feel up to a grueling task.
Therefore, Paul decided to fly with me (something we have not done for 6 weeks or more). Long tasks are difficult on my glider, particularly on a light-wind day like today. Furthermore, this is my first day out of bed since I was afflicted with the "death-cold", so a huge flight was even more unlikely in view of my health. Paul looked forward to an easy day. I looked forward to having a flying buddy, which I have been lacking since almost all the pilots we know left for the North-lands.
We set a task of a triangle of about 30 miles, first stretching to the East beyond Clermont, then to the South and West by Highway 33 South of Seminole, and finally on home North to Quest again.
Well, I'll try to keep this brief. Paul and I managed to get along better than on our last flight, but our radio transmissions still turned into fights twice. We floated along at 6000 feet, gazing at eagles and clouds, but then Paul would scream where the heck I was going and I would demand that he not yell at me and the moment wasn't quite the same after that.
We headed to the East first, but a blue hole blocked our progress every time we tried to cross over to Highway 27. Finally we just decided to fly the triangle backwards. At Seminole, perhaps 9 miles South of Quest, we had already been flying for well over an hour. We hit our turnpoint to the South and then battled our way back east. We finally decided to tackle the blue hole again, since we were so high.
I knew I probably couldn't reach the obvious cloud that hung over Lake Louisa, even with 6000 feet -- and I was right. I diverted to a field to the East when it became clear that if I continued on North I would become the "Lake-Bitc*". I struggled between 1000 feet and 1300 for another 20 minutes, but finally decked it in a cow pasture.
My Gawd. They say you can't see terrain from the air. I had no idea how true this is. On final, perhaps 30 feet from the ground, I noticed the hills looked vaguely reminiscent of the mountains I used to ski in Colorado. And the little clumps of green I had noted from the air were huge bushes that reached as high as my waist. The ground undulated down and then up. My concentration was as busted as a teenager caught smoking in the school lav. I set the glider frame down landing but it was OK otherwise. I guess my landing skills need to be even better than they have been, like good enough to land in a tailwind or downhill. I have sooo much respect for the XC mountain pilots. I was grateful for my easy glider today.
The day deteriorated. Just prior to landing, my radio cut out. I had totally misjudged how big the field was, besides misjudging the fact it was friggin' mountain. I hiked out for at least half a mile, beating the bushes as I hiked to clear out the snakes. (Yelling, "Hey snakes, hey ya snakes, run you guys, hey snakes...")
Paul made it home to Quest, since he got to my landing field with more altitude than I did, and caught a thermal (neither of us could make the great cloud by the lake). Broke a down tube landing. Was horrifically worried about me since he had not seen my glider move after I landed. Got lost coming to pick me up. I was bitten by numerous ants but was not threatened by arrest.
Ha, the joys of being punished for a good deed. Poor Paul. Davis broke the world record for 50 K with a zippy little flight of about an hour. Paul and I waffled around for 3 hours, and I made 20 miles of a triangle. Yeesh.
I had cocktails with Belinda while Davis helped Paul fix his glider. At least I'm not bored.
Lauren
not bored....
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
not bored....
I can tell how far you expectations have developed - not satisfied with
a 20-mile XC. Enjoyed your post - busted out laughing twice. The part
about the snakes especially! C'mon back - it's good here now. - Hugh
On 15 May 2005, at 21:49, Lauren Tjaden wrote:
> waffled around for 3 hours, and I made 20 miles of a triangle. Yeesh.
> I had cocktails with Belinda while Davis helped Paul fix his glider.
> At least I'm not bored.
> Lauren
>
>
>
>
a 20-mile XC. Enjoyed your post - busted out laughing twice. The part
about the snakes especially! C'mon back - it's good here now. - Hugh
On 15 May 2005, at 21:49, Lauren Tjaden wrote:
> waffled around for 3 hours, and I made 20 miles of a triangle. Yeesh.
> I had cocktails with Belinda while Davis helped Paul fix his glider.
> At least I'm not bored.
> Lauren
>
>
>
>