Mifflin in 2010? Glider availability?

Hi All,

After an extended absence (for a back injury and then work craziness),
I have returned to RAS with a fresh batch of questions and opinions!

In 2009 (prior to the back injury), I went to my first few contests
and did passably well. And despite the back injury, I helped out at
the 18m Nats and jumped in my glider every afternoon to fly the
contest task (averaging about 25-30mph slower than the top dogs, but
in an unballasted DG-300). And even though I was sidelined for the
rest of the flying season after the 18m contest, I racked up about
5000km flying XC this year - my highest yearly total yet. So now I'm
looking ahead to 2010 and am trying to figure out what to do... I've
recently bought my first house and started work on a homebuilt
aircraft - so time and money are a little tighter this year
(especially time). I was hoping to do a couple of Regional contests
and the Sports Class Nats; but I don't think I can get the time off to
do 3 contests.

The probable schedule is to go to my "local" Region 8 contest in
Ephrata, then do 1 other contest. While doing some winter reading on
contest flying, I came across documentation on flying the Mifflin
ridges and it has captivated my attention once again. Here's why:

1) I got started in soaring with R/C models, and slope/ridge soaring
was ALL I did for a few years - I _love_ it!
2) The first time I saw any high-performance soaring, it was the movie
"A Fine Week of Soaring" (thanks, Juan). At that time, I never
thought I'd even want to compete in a contest; but actually going to
the Mifflin contest would be a pilgrimage of sorts.
3) Most of my soaring was thermal-based, until I did the R12 contest
and spent a week flying wave tasks. I've done some light ridge-
soaring around my home-base, but a contest at Mifflin would definitely
round out my portfolio of soaring various lift-sources!

BUT there's a big catch: I can't trailer my DG-300 all the way from
Seattle to Mifflin. I have neither the time nor the back (anymore) to
do a cross-country drive, fly for a week, then trailer the glider
home. That exact process (for the R12 contest) was what caused my
back injury in the first place! A different seat in my Subaru would
help my back, but the time off is the killer.

So, can anyone give me any pointers about how to beg for a ride at a
contest? What is the likelihood of renting a glider in that area, for
the contest? Any thoughts on cost?

Thanks in advance!

--Noel