Santa Cruz Flats Race Day 4 Task 4
Windy windy windy! But great lift, so if you could get towed into or near something, you could get up, and get up high. And we did, in 1000fpm lift, to over 12K (for some, not me). I was racing hard, sitting pretty way up wind of course line, getting over 8K, and thinking, "this is gonna be easy"... Lauren was nearby and she was staying upwind too, Mark was right on courseline, and PK was pretty far up ahead (he launched well before we did). When the first TP was 10 miles almost directly down wind, I went on a glide over Picacho and refused to stop for some of the 200fpm stuff I hit along the way until I got to 4K. Then I started hunting and found NOTHING!!! Down to 2K, nothing... then I see a small gaggle on the TP and I don't know if I can make it. I tuck in and try to get small and I am totally focused on them. Then I look down, and I see have around 200ft of altitude!! I am over a nice field and I get a pop so I start turning. I get two 360's in and next thing I know I am on the ground- fully zipped in and still trying to get up!!!! It was HOWLING in this field, and it took me a very long time to secure my glider (carry it backwards 200 yards behind a trailer) and go back to get my stuff that was blown all over the place. Mark went overhead low, and landed in the next field. What I would like to know is WHERE DID ALL THAT LIFT GO???? Mark took a completely different path, that ended up at my same point, but his 10-15 mile glide from 9K found him no lift either. Lauren took a path more westerly than mine, and stopped for some weak lift, so she squeezed out some extra miles. When Mike picked us up, we went to goal to get the others and went through Saguaro National park. Very cool cacti. Lots of different kinds... jeez, I wish I had a picture to post...
Airtime: 1:58
Alt2: 8000?
XC miles: 32