Highland, Thursday Aug13

[Ward Odenwald]

Can’t fly on Wednesday but Thursday's forecasts for Highland look very good. If they don’t change by tomorrow evening, I’m going.

Ward

[jimsmess]

I can't make it Thursday but Friday is looking pretty good too. I hope to make it there Friday and spend the weekend for the Highland Challenge
Jim Messina

[Ward Odenwald]

Will go on Friday instead of today. As Jim indicated, both days are looking good and considering work, taking off on Friday is better for me. Ward

[Ward Odenwald]

ETA 11AM.

[jimsmess]

I hope to be there shortly thereafter and will be staying through the weekend it looks like it's going to be an awesome day let's do some miles

[Ward Odenwald]

Remarkable day at Highland. The flights of the day go to the Falconers! I arrive at 11 to watch Rooney tow Jeff M. up (Falcon pilot #1, sorry can’t remember his last name but remember that Adam said that he was one of the first to purchase a Highland tow package – an old timer). I spent the next 1.5 hrs setting up my glider and looking up at Jeff. He flew for over 2hrs during the part of the day that was not supposed to be soarable! By the time I was ready, Jeff had landed and said conditions were drying up which was confirmed by Rooney so we waited. Simon and Messina were next off and headed south on a XC triangle (don’t know how they faired). Jim towed me up next. While it was a good/very good flight by my standards (didn’t break anything) it was uneventful - one thermal to 3.2K, that Jim towed me into, followed by 20 min of searching unsuccessfully for the next one. While breaking down, I watched Valerie (Falcon pilot #2 – our Valerie) go toe to toe with a T2 in a thermal. When I first realized that they were in the same thermal, the T2 (red undersurface - don’t know who it was) was ~ 500 ft below Valerie. The two circled together climbing two over ~4K and from "my seat" Valerie was looking down on the T2 the entire time! It was one of those events where you stop what your doing and start rooting for the underdog in the mismatch. Valerie - thanks for the thrill.

Ward

[jimsmess]

Yeah was a very good day at Highland Falcon pilot nu mber one was Jeff Mumford. For those who have been around awhile, they will remember Jeff being the driving force that Brought the Highland crew to Ridgely. The T2 pilot was Doug Rogers from Pa. as for John and I we completed Our 51 mile triangle in very good conditions with a couple of tough spots along the way. John completed it in just under three hours. While I got stuck towards the end and squeaked into Highland with 300 feet for a total time of 3 hours and 15 minutes. the night was completed with a full simonizing near the fire.
Jim Messina