Only part of the gaggle at the start gate.
The farm I landed at, 15 km from goal.
Look carefully there is a kangaroo in the pic.
Day 7
After last day I was felling better about my flying. I got a good start just 1000 ft below the highest pilot and raced on course for a big out and return. I was kepping pace with the lead group as more and more pilots dropped off. We never lost them on glide, they just stayed behind in a thermal when the lead group went and were never able to catch up. I would go wenever the group would go but I was usually below them. We blazed out to the turn point and back towrds Forbes but I was getting low and really needed to top up. Thn I saw it... a dust devil 1/2 km wide so I dove to it and got a killer climb that put me in the middle of the lead gaggle. Now I was with Jeff O'Brien, Chris Smith and the rest of the rockstars. We raced back towards goal and I was able to keep up wich was real cool. Then I thought I was making a good decision, the lead gaggle went to the left of course line and had found a weak climb. Since I was gliding on the right side of the gaggle I was closest to a ridge line that was just to the right of course line and was pumping on the way out. I glided to it with a couple of others in chase but when I got there all I found was 300 up so I continued down the ridge looking for a boomer. I never found it and was unable to hang on to zero to keep me in the air. Jeff Remple was with me and he hung out over were I landed for 20 minutes until it turned on and was able to make the last 15 km to goal.
4 comments:
Glad you finished off ths comp story. Pathetic! But I have to admit I have been checking couple times a day.... It's COOOOLD here in Vermont, USA. Have fun at the next comp! Peter Kelley (was at Quest camped near your gang last yr). How's the guy who broke his ankle?
Scott, you did quite well. Bummer you didn't make it back on the last day, but, hey shit happens. In case you didn't know, you are alo one of the rockstars like Jeff O'Brien. Hasn't Jeff been doing comps a little longer than you have? It was a good choice to head for the ridge to find something, because the ridge had been working earlier in the day. It just didn't work as well as you needed it to work. You "ONLY" flew, what, 150 km on this flight? How many pilots do you know that you consider to be pretty good pilots that consistently fly 150 or more km? I personally get tired after an hour and a half in the air. Aeveral days you were in the air nearly that long before the start window opened. Keep up the good work, continue to have fun, fly safe, and good luck at the Bogong Cup.
Scott, you don't have to put this post or my previous post up if you don't want to. I sent it to you for your benefit, not the benefit of anyone else. Reading your blog, I can see your confidence and flying skill improve as this comp went along. You are a better pilot now, than when you started the Forbes comp.
OK, was it the next to last day you didn't make goal, and you made it on the last day? If so, that's better to finish the meet on a more positive note. When I looked thru the results, I didn't pay as much attention to the next to the last flight as the last, and I thought it looked like you made goal the last day, but the way I read your post, it read (to me) like you didn't. You 3 flexiteers continue to have fun, fly well, and stay safe. And keep posting. I'm learning a lot about XC just by reading your and OB1's posts. I've got more XC time in balloons than I do in hang gliders.XC in a balloon gets interesting when you land, because the wind is usually doing at least 30 km/hr, and every landing in a balloon is a downwind landing. 50 km/hr landings in a balloon are a real trip.
Post a Comment