Big Spring - Day 5

It only took a quick look at the sky outside the motel window on day 5 to know the day was in jeopardy.  After checking the weather forecast on my phone, I suspected the day would be called but not until after we "played the game" (drag our gliders out and pretend to get ready).

Davis described a front that was stalled just to our north and light showers were falling under the front.  When I asked about the CAPE, (convective available potential energy), for our area he said it was high, implying the day could explode.  In my opinion we could still fly if there was enough cloud cover to dampen most thermal activity.  However, I knew we were finished once I saw the mid-level clouds break and the sun start baking the ground as we walked to the staging area.

Gary Osaba took his sailplane up for a spin while the poor task and safety committee reassessed the conditions.  The task committee changed the task to a straight-line upwind dash to the south away from the front and showers.

I was near the front of the ordered launch and was worried I could launch into benign conditions that would later explode.  About a dozen pilots launched during the open launch window that lasts 15 minutes before the forced ordered launch opens.  While those pilots were launching I watched a cumulus cloud grow from nothing into a towering beast that started dropping rain about 1 mile (1.5 km) west of us.  I had serious reservations when it came my time to suit up.  I asked the saftey committee if they were considering canceling the task and they responded "not yet".  Um.  I decided to suit up and get in line.  As I lay in the launch cart I could see cu-nimbs developing 20 miles (32 km) to the south along course line, so the explosive conditions were not limited to our immediate area.  Every cloud I could see to the right and left was towering.  Everyone in front of me was launching in a strengthening tail wind.

I had enough.  I stood up, got off the cart, and walked my glider back over to the staging line.  I drew a lot of attention but didn't care.  I originally planned to wait and maybe launch at the end of the line but when I saw heavy rain to our west, rain to the southeast, and tall clouds everywhere I decided to put my toys away and play another day.  I tossed my harness in Patrick's van and started walking my glider to the hanger.  I said to Kraig "smell that".  Yep, smells like rain.

It was a bit difficult walking the glider back to the hanger as several mild to moderate gust fronts blew through.  I was just outside the front doors when a loud crack of thunder echoed through the sky. "That will get their attention!"

After safely stowing the glider, I helped other pilots walk or land their gliders in the strong wind and/or rain.  Most of the pilots already in the air,  (Riker, Randy, Zippy, and others), decided to fly south and find a better spot to land.  We did a loose accounting of pilots to ensure everyone was either down safe or running away as we watched the rain fall.  Everyone had safe, but maybe exciting, landings.

I spent the afternoon talking, lounging around, and watching it rain at the airfield.  Most of the competitors followed Gary's recommendation for dinner at the Firehouse Grill.  Randy, Tom, Dave, and I headed off afterwards to gather more data on the differences between ice cream at Dairy Queen and Sonic.  We were treated to a sweet double rainbow and Texas sunset.