On Tue, 23 Aug 2016 11:21:08 -0700, Dan Daly wrote:

On Tuesday, August 23, 2016 at 1:22:10 PM UTC-4, Steve Koerner wrote:
My transcontinental race idea works like this:

Participants start at a particular Pacific shoreline location (which is
not too far from a gliderport). Participants may use differing modes
of transportation as they choose so long as none use electricity or a
fuel for motive force. Possible modes include hiking, running,
soaring, swimming, horseback, paddling, cycling, sailing, skateboarding
etc. The first person to enter the Atlantic ocean wins.

Clearly glider flying can provide the most miles in a day as long as
there is decent soaring weather. So this would be a soaring centric
race yet would offer other modes that are fitness oriented. If the
soaring weather isn't looking good a racer can press on or wait it out.
If he lands at other than a gliderport, he'll have to use another self
powered mode to get to a possible launching site.

All participants use a tracker at all times and are required to report
frequently to a common website where everyone can know any
participant's status. Every participant would have a crew with them
with glider trailer and various other self powered vehicles.

A road bike and a dirt bike would be obvious essentials. Pure glider
participants would probably want to also carry auto tow launch gear.

We'd have to think through this a little more. I'm sure there's more
rules that would be needed.

Without electricity or a fuel for motive force, how are they going to
launch?

Presumably by ground launch, winch or aero tow as usual, but with a rule
that the leg only starts when the glider has passed round the west side
of a start point on the western boundary of the airfield where it took
off. You'd probably want to restrict the start height too.

You might also allow a tow-car to move the glider in its trailer, e.g.
from a landout site to an airfield, provided that this moves the glider
away from the Atlantic.


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martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
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