Stable. Some pilots wondered if it was worth setting up. Davis said that if the temperature reached 90F we would have weak lift to 2000 feet and weaker still above that. The temperature when the launch window opened was 78F. The wind dummies were all sleding to about 1000 feet and then slowly circling down in weak lift. However, I was optimistic and was ready to go when Paris got a slow climb while test flying Dennis' glider. I got towed to 2000 feet and flew straight to the climb at 1500. I slowed climbed a couple hundred feet while other pilots joined from below. Our small group spread out in a nice pattern as we glided towards the start circle. The rigid wings were doing much better on the glide and working the small weak thermals. However, Paris, Bubba, and I were doing ok as we drifted towards the first turnpoint. Paris left when the climb weakened, but Bubba and I stayed longer and continued the climb. Bubba left later and then Paul in his ATOS VX left shortly before me. I went on a long sinking glide on the same path that Paul just cruised through with minimal lost. I saw Paris soaring a tree line below me. I wasted some altitude trying to connect with the thermal that Paris was working. I got the clue it was time to move on when Paris landed. I continued on and found a wicked little climb low over a barn. Me and the dozer buzzards could not climb very much. I soon lost the thermal and went on final glide to a nice field next to a farm house.
I ended up second for the day. I could have gone a mile or two further with my altitude, but I wanted to find a climb that would get me into goal, not a couple more miles. It was a fun day of flying in very comfortable relaxing air. Definitely a better day of flying than most of us thought before we launched.
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