East Coast Championship (Day 5)

The day started wet and humid. The ground was saturated with inches of rainfall and the sky was filled with formless gray fog. It was hard to believe the forecast for partly cloudy skies. I checked out the wind and rain damage to the wheat field across the road.


We eventually setup in preparation for a short 24 mile task to south. 24 miles? Yep. That was tough enough with the 2000 foot top of light lift. Dustin and Johnny entertained the crowd with a low high-speed pass down the glider line while we waited for sunshine to arrive.


I had a sweet tow to near cloud base and immediately headed for the start circle. After a reasonably good start I headed to the eastern upwind side of the Choptank river. Apparently everyone else thought the downwind west side was the place to be. I used up all my altitude flying back across the river to hook up with Mark, Paul, and Sonny. I jacked myself out of that hole and was soon back at base. I out climbed most of the group on the next climb and struck out further to the west by myself. That didn't work out and I came back in low under Mark and Sonny. We sniffed around for a long time but I eventually landed in a nice dry field followed shortly by Mark and Rich. We watched Davis and Sonny get away as we talked to a newspaper reporter that stopped by to see what was happening.


The day had very little value point-wise. (The scores are online).

Later in the afternoon we had another pond-skimming session on Lake Ridgley and then a large group of us went out to dinner. The next two days should be flyable.

East Coast Championship (Day 4)

The day was canceled early so Brian, Carlos, PK, and I headed to the National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles airport.


I saw many of my favorite airplanes, including this Corsair, in a hanger that is as impressive as the planes it houses.


This is the only glider I got a picture of before my camera battery ran dry. I was very excited to see several Horton wings and a large collection of Bennett Wing hang gliders.


We spent a long time sitting on the beltway on the way back listening to tornado warnings and damage reports. We stopped for crabs, played some foosball, and watch SuperBad before dashing back to our soggy tents. I awoke this morning to the newly reformed Lake Ridgley.

East Coast Championship (Day 3)

I had a hunch when I crawled out of the tent this morning that we wouldn't fly due to the strength and direction of the wind. (We tow from an airstrip and the wind was 90 degrees cross from the south around 15). After the day was canceled by the safety committee around mid-afternoon about half of the pilots headed to the local swimming hole.

People were diving from a high abandoned railway trestle, swinging on a rope swing below, and just swimming in the river. No diving for me, but I'll be back next year to give it a go.


It was easy to dive off; the bridge even came with instructions.




I captured a couple later dives, including Linda's daughter Dana.

East Coast Championship (Day 2)

Although climbs around the airfield was weak, the strong climbs on course turned the 40 mile dash to goal into a full-on race. I launched between Johnny and Dustin; a good place to be. Sonny was ready rumble, stressing his 3rd place finish ahead of me yesterday.


I left with a large gaggle at 2:15, but got a sloppy start since I was messing with my flight computer when everyone took off. I hate starting behind everyone on such a short course. The first climb on course was very good but I let the gaggle race ahead because I thought that strong thermal was fluke, not the rule. However after Greg and I spiraled up together wing tip to wing tip, I knew for sure it was time to race hard. However the high speed glides took its tool on my arm. By the time it came for final glide I just couldn't keep up the speed necessary to stay in front on Sonny and he beat my by a couple seconds. "Curse you red baron!" ;-)

Konrad, Davis, Paul, Sonny, and I broke down in the shade along a tree line at the far north end of the field. It was sweet to be at goal; even the air was perfumed with honeysuckle that was growing over our next retrieve vehicle.


A crop duster circled over the field and made a very low strafing down the runway and right past our gliders. Way cool.


Lots of pilots made goal today. Jim and PK had their first competition goal landings today and both but let loose with a series of wangs to show their joy. In the sport class Brian was one of two that made goal. The scores are available online.

I may or may not fly today since I awoke to a swollen elbow. I probably should stay on the ground but I'm not very good at doing what I should.

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.