Quest Day 2
I went over to Quest
early to set up my glider and check it out. Rich was setting his up at the same
time. He mentioned something about the “set up of shame” - if you made goal, you
did not have to set up your glider because you just tied it down for the night
still set up. I finished 13th for the day, yesterday, the closest pilot to goal
that did not make goal. Half of the rigid gliders made goal and about a third of
the flex wings.
Nancy, my wife and driver, arrived last night. Life is much better.
Rich installing his carbon fiber
leading edge inserts.
At the pilots meeting, they gave Bruce “the MacGyver award” for his
shoelace-on-the-down-tube trick. A 65 mile task from Quest to Winter Haven and
back was called. Start times were pushed back to 1:45, 2:00, and 2:15. Clouds
were forming to the west by 12:00. Wind dummies started going up and coming down
at 12:40.
It seemed that everyone was ready to go at the same time. I was ready pretty
fast and still was near the back of the line. This was another mistake. Lift was
light, and I never did get a good start. I was only ˝ mile from the start line
at 2:15. Sucking hind teat again.
The lift was still light for the first 15 miles and picked up from there. I was
only under 3,000’ once on the way to the turn point. On the way back I was above
4,500’ for 10 miles. Then, up ahead, the clouds disappeared and there was
nothing but blue.
I found several thermals in the blue that took me back above 4,000’. 17 miles
from Quest I had my last thermal. I managed a glide of 8 miles. I heard over the
radio that Rich landed 8.9 miles short. At 10 miles out, I was at 600’. I could
see the field Rich landed in up ahead. I decided to land in the same field to
make it easier on Nancy. I arrived with just enough height to make a left 90
degree turn to final.
I think my bad landing days are behind me. Yesterday I found I was not rocking
up in my harness far enough. Today I made sure I was all the way up. The landing
was easy, except Rich did not tell me the field was very soft sand. I sank about
9” into the wet sand.
Nancy was only ˝ mile away when I landed……..behind a locked gate. We had to hoof
our gliders the ˝ mile to the car.
I saw a lot of gliders on the ground both to and from the turn point, but not
too many rigids. There were a lot of gliders back at Quest. Looks like another
“set up of shame” tomorrow.
Nancy found lots of interesting bugs, but was disappointed not to see any
alligators. She is hoping to find an alligator farm near here.
Rich had a lot of trouble with his radio caused by using his APRS, so he will
not use it tomorrow. I hope people were able to follow me today.
My vario trace, click on it for a larger version.
Vince