Flytec Race & Rally (Day 1)

I spent my last night at the Florida Ridge in my small tent.  The bigger tent and all non-essential equipment was tucked into my car, which thanks to the crew from Puerto Rico, was in Orlando.  (Thanks guys!)

There was a lot of discussion between hang glider pilots, tug pilots, and meet organizers about whether to rush to Quest Air in Orlando to beat an approaching cold front and severe storms or try to squeeze a short task into before moving on.  Thanks to sacrifices by the tug pilots, we managed to have a task to the northeast in light breezy conditions.  At least cloud base was low.  ;-)

 Derrek, Jack, Patrick, and Mark

 Steve and Bob

Rhett and Dave

Everyone was trying to time their launch so they could simply float out of the start circle while climbing.  I was lucky enough to find a climb near the field and even made one upwind glide back to the field.  I was circling with Johnny, Eric, Mark, and Patrick waiting for someone to move on.  Since we were circling in light sink, I headed back upwind to another climb.  Soon as I left, the crew moved on, but I was already committed to my decision.  I never found the climb and was soon drifting away from the course line in a anemic thermal.

I drifted over Moore Haven and then out over Lake Okeechobee.  Greg joined me in a climb as I watch Jeff S land below in a swampy area.  I was motivated to stay in the air and wish I snapped some pictures to help convey the "importance" of staying airborne.  ;-)

Greg and I kept pushing north and was joined by Glen as we arrived over dry ground again.  I was the last to join a weak climb and Greg and Glen left me.  I shared a few bumps with Campbell before striking out into the hazy blue.

The glide was too smooth and I knew I was on final glide.  I looked to the west and saw the wind lines on the ponds were from the west.  The wind lines on Lake Okeechobee were due east.  Duh.  I made a terrible rookie mistake; I missed obvious evidence of a lake breeze and probable lifting convergence line.  I was already too far east and too low, so my fate was sealed.  Dang.

I wasted some distance to make a few turns to detect the wind direction for landing.  I couldn't detect any drift during the first turn, but by the last turn I detected an obvious east wind and had a good dry landing in a huge pasture next to the road.

Bill, Patrick, and I stopped for lunch and a drink at a small bar before stopping briefly at Wallaby Ranch to pick up my car.  We arrived at Quest Air just as the storms let loose.  I ran into the office and chatted with Paul and Lauren before going upstairs for pizza and an evening of "hanging out".

Flights: 1, Duration: 1:42, Distance: 50 km