ECC Day 1 (Sunday June 1)

No one was launching 15 minutes after the window opened. Sonny said everyone was waiting for me to launch, so I did. I got a smooth tow and waved off into nothing. Yuck. So I pulled the string and headed under some clouds and got a little something. The cloud looked nice so I knew it would get good- but it didn't. The whole time I was in the air I thought for sure I would hit something I could get a full lifting turn in. Never happened. So the patience game begins! I waffled along and left the range of the field. A few rigids joined me and I was in contact with Dan Spier who was nearby. There was someone else keyed up on our frequency so I had to kill my radio a lot, but sometimes I got some useful info: like no one was climbing very well. The wind was reading 18-24mph and almost 90 cross. I kept pushing upwind and finally just pushed too hard. I wound up below 1000' and it was just impossible to get up in the broken lift. I landed in a corn field (the corn here is just s few inches high) and Dana came by the time I was almost finished packing up. It takes me a little longer with my back but at least I dont feel it much in the air. I watched as Lauren drifted on by, and a little later an entire army of gliders climbed out over my head. ARGH!!! So I think I left a little early, got a little impatient with the lift, and didn't saty with other gliders. Never during my flight did I get over 3100' and I heard others didn't get much higher than 4K. The day didn't score fully, so not too much damage was done. But I need to get my back loosened up some more and fly my ass off today. Christy and Rich, Dan and Mary, and Bob and Dana joined us for a really nice dinner last night. There actually IS a good restaraunt in Greensboro..... I am off in search of scrapple this morning...