Day 6

The last day really, truly, shined, as Chelan finished on a high note for epic conditions. With an excellent lapse rate, cloud base between 10,000 and 11,000 feet, the task commitee took advantage of the conditions and called a 118.4 km triangle. Light winds aloft really made this possible.

I launched about 11:50 a.m. and the start was called for 12:40 p.m. It was an easy climb out as a perfect cloud was forming right over the butte at 9,000 feet. We had the usual gaggle hanging out above the butte and many times we had to leave the cloud so we did not climb into it. Just before the start ironically the cloud dissapated and the climbs got weaker, and we left the butte on task at about 8,500 feet. It was much easier making it over the flats with that altitude.

The first turn point was a farm called Farmer. It was about 25 km from the butte. Cloud base was getting higher as the day progressed, and reaching Farmer was not too much of a problem. It was easy to stay between 8,000 feet and 10,000 feet while on glide. From Farmer to Leahy, it became more difficult, as there was a big blue hole. I got low at one point, about a 1,000 feet above the deck, and had to slow down and wait for something to come through. I circled in zero sink for about 15 minutes waiting for a descent climb to come through. Funny as there were many dust devils to the west, and they weren't drifting much due to the light winds. Melanie Pfister had the lowest save I saw during the comp. In the same area she was no more the 200 feet over the deck and climbed out. Our thermals met and we both climb out to 10,000 feet and we were in business again.

When I finally made Leahy I was graced with a thermal right over the turn point. Other pilots weren't so lucky as I saw maybe 4 pilots get drilled near the turn point. From the last turn point to goal it was still over 40 km, and I thought we are heading into the wind, the work is really starting now, but was still getting good speed on trim and with half speed bar about 15 kph more.

What was nice, with this being my sixth flight on my new glider, it felt good to dial it in and get truly acquainted with its handling.

By this time on the final leg of the task, it was getting late. I had been in the air four hours already, and fatigue began to set in. At this point making goal was a priority no matter how long it took. Even if I came into goal after it closed I was going to finish the triangle. So, with the pilots being spread out all over the flats, I was flying the last leg alone most of the way, which made for easy thermaling and no stress about racing to goal. The air became much smoother and the climbs definitely weaker. It was interesting flying through the strongest part of the day into the late afternoon thermals as you could feel the difference in strength and turbulence.

I began final glide into goal about 13 km out, and with the height I had was just able to squeak by the rim of the Columbia river valley into goal at Chelan Falls Park. 6 hours and 6 minutes in the air, 118.4 km triangle. By far my longest duration flight, and my longest triangle, and my secondest longest distance.

Doesn't matter how I scored the fun and camaraderie was there. Time to look forward to the Nationals in the Owens Valley in Bishop, California. Time to head back to Colorado. Cheers.