East Coast Championship (Day 1)

I woke too early this morning (5 am) but at least the rays of sun streaking through the slowly drifting fog was picturesque. Things slowly started drying out as the wind picked up from west.


The pace around here is relaxed and this was probably the smoothest flowing "first day" I've seen in a long time. The task was a 54 mile dog-leg to the SE. Although there was some wind and the lift was weak most pilots were ready to go. (Just ask Kevin!)


No one was launching even as I noticed cummies forming along course line. I told Linda we should go and she surprisingly said "ok" and was the first to launch. By the time I was fully suited there was a line of 10 gliders in front of me. My first tow in my glider in over a year was easy as Zach dragged me upwind to an area of broken lift. I soon discovered the wind was a bit stronger than I anticipated and it was blowing me seriously off course line. That turned out to be the story for the rest of the day. My track log looks like a zipper line; blow east and glide south.

I finally accumulated some altitude only to use it all to get back to join a gaggle of pilots not far from launch. I was the low man by the time I got there. I had a good climb but lost the lift and took off hoping the others would follow. They didn't and I decided to return so I would have some company. Bad move. As soon as I got back they took off; now I was much lower and effectively lost the gaggle. After that I had most of the afternoon to myself.

I hooked up with Dustin near the first turn point for a good climb that got us back to cloud base. The wind at 5000 feet was blowing NW, right down course line. Dustin headed out on course line as I went slightly upwind hoping to connect with a line of thin clouds that was forming. I was hoping to stay near cloud base and drift with the NW wind. It seemed like a good idea until I realized the layer of NW flow was very shallow. In hindsight I should have flown with Dustin.

After 2 hours my arm was getting fatigued so I worked my way down from 1200 feet to land in a huge plowed field. A few moments later PK (Peter) floated in.

It seems PK, uh, had a issue during his flight.

His water bladder broke!

I hitched a ride with Dana who was picking up PK. We got a nice weather show as a drove around an impressive thunderstorm.

Johnny and Dustin were the only flex wings to make goal. I think Dustin got robbed score-wise! He flew twice as far as I did and look at the meager difference in points.