back to my old self

Since moving to Kansas i've enjoyed a fairly consistent string of really good flights. Nothing against my homeland of Iowa but I had a lot of really short flights there, and not just one or two but sometimes a whole season of flying and barely making it more than Silver Distance. I did have a lot of fun though.

Yesterday was windy here but I was brave and liked the forecast and hoped for clouds and just in general was optimistic so I declared a 300km triangle with the first leg directly into the wind. go big or go home. Plus the trailer was hooked up and ready to go and Leah was willing to come get me so no sense on making it back unless i made it around.

Lift was not as good as hoped and the clouds were not as good as hoped and the hoped-for streets did not materialize and I landed in a wheat field 7 miles south of the airport. I was reminded of the great advantage of an early close landout though as we made it back to the gliderport before the days activites were over and had plenty of time to get ice cream and make it home for a relaxing evening. I even had time to fly the US Nightly Soaring condor race (I landed out).

And if TA thinks a 1 mile square bean field is nice he should come to Kansas where half of the land is wheat and it is all harvested by mid June, just when the corn and beans are starting to grow.

The 10:1 glide indicated on the Oudie as I pushed into the wind made me really feel for the Gapa Geezer. He probably gets that going downwind. I'm still looking forward to and really hoping he can put on some miles this year though.

Leah says next Sunday (my next available flying day) that she'll chase me downwind if I like. Even if we get home late with work the next day. I actually feel bad attempting a closed course flight when she comes to the airport and helps me because I'm afraid she'll get bored with nothing to do all day. At least when I go downwind she stays busy too and we both have fun.

Yesterdays flight: http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0...l?dsId=2492758