Task 3 was initiated after a moment of silence for our fallen compatriot. It was a light day and the task they called was to be a long one but within the valley. My task was just to get up past Owl and at least take a peak at where the Big Boys fly.
The window was short so a long line of pilots were trying to squeeze into the start gate, sign in and then lay out and go. Larry was 'fluffing' wings and wishing he could fly. Suddenly a word from the driver commander, "Larry, we got enough drivers, you can fly." A big old smile from Larry was still glowing as I left launch.
Jorge finally fixed my GPS in a way that I could get to work. When I took my first turn toward the usual lift, it was working. I arrived over the rock scrag kinda low and got lower. Soon I realized those pebbles below me were actully big freaking boulders mixed with logs protruding like some old Rambo trap.
I barely made it out of there and headed toward low launch. Figures, I finally got the GPS working and couldn't get my ass high. Dirtying out in the regular LZ was now the plan. I did get a few beeps and screamed down to low launch that I was sorry for cloggin it up. There were some pilots there just looking to get a sledder to the regular LZ. I finally hooked a Punaluu snot rocket and it took me high enough to get back to the bigger lift.
Now, with the GPS working but the thermals not, I decided to just go tag the start cylinder and head up valley to see how far I could get. I was low the whole way and was glad I did not put on the heavy gloves but distressed at seeing a big gaggle on top 9of owl benching up to head to the next way point that I could see way off in the distance.
I got around the base of Owl low with absolutely no hope of getting higher from this altitude. I looked at the fields below and the river that swallowed a pilot a few days before. Play it safe, getting low, go land. I headed for a grassy field that had a glider in it already.
I got a ride back to the car and text Larry & Dave. I did not hear from Larry but did finally hear from Dave. He missed goal but tagged most of the waypoints. Dave was telling me his story over a beer. He was planning on an early ditrt but got lucky.
He was scratching low on the back of Owl with Sampson, who is a big flier here in a wheel chair. Finally a secret door opened for Dave that lead him up to a 8800 feet. He headed for the first turn point, Tender, which was many K away. He hit just under 10000 feet to make a turn at Tender and then headed to Camel Hump. Dave was lured by a gaggle of pilots to a point of no return. But, you know Dave, he was not going to go down in a field with them below Camel Hump, he pushed it just a little further for a few more meager points.
So, I picked up Dave and got this story. We headed for Vanloon LZ. I got out of the car and turned to see Larry smiling again. "What did you land here?!" Larry just smiled. "He finally spoke in his slow way, "No, not here." Deep down inside I was so jealous but when he said not here I was relieved but still happy for him. He then pointed down the road and said, "I landed in a field about 2K away". "WHAT!!!" This was about 10K further than where I set down for my longest jaunt. "Good for you, you bastard!" Larry was so happy he almost had a beer, but being a gentleman and relizing there was only enough for me, Dave and several other pilots, he declined.
Today is another day. I got my GPS working, winds are suppose to be a little stronger and I am wearing my warm gloves. Hopefully tomorrows rant will have me further down the road.
From Black Bird Bakery, "It's Time to Fly, Get Your Gear and Go!"
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