ECC day whatever- Friday June 6
Day 5 was a waffle just inside the start circle after two launches. Hardly seemed worth the effort or the few points it got us all. But the day was low validity and I will soon be finding out the difference a few (4) points makes!!!
Thursday night I had a chance to fly my old glider after Jonny did and I remembered how much I loved the way that thing handled. I mean, the sail is really flappy and noisy (trailing edge stretch) but the glider just handles so nicely. I'm so glad I put the old sail on it so I will have a recreational glider to play with.
Day 6 was the same forecast as Day 5, with lower base (like 1600'!!!) and I took a tow as one of the first flexies off after Davis. I was just hot on the ground and I really didn't think the day would amount to much more than yesterday. I flew around in light lift and then a gaggle appeared and I was at the bottom of the stack. We were turning right, my least favorite direction, and since I was so far below at like 100', I changed to left and gained just a bit. Then I had company and changed back, only to find myself on the bottom again. I was trying to match anyone else's circles and stay in the climb and I was just falling out the bottom. What gives??? Looking back I have seen this pattern with this glider since I got it. I gave up when it seemed the rest of the gaggle did and I followed Jamie back to the airport. I landed and really thought the day was done. Then everyone starts lining up again after landing so I stayed out on the launch line a while. Mark landed and I asked if he would change my CG back one hole so I would have at least an excuse to go fly again- to at least accomplish more than just a dive from 2000' tow to wherever I landed in the start circle! Jamie was re-flying so I knew I should stay on her tail to try to close the gap between our scores. She had me by like 50 points from yesterday when she made it out of the start circle.
So I tow back up with my new configuration and Zack takes me towards the N. When he starts climbing through 2100' I pinned off so no one would bitch about tow altitudes. I pulled the string all the way, got smallish, and glided. In the haze I saw a gaggle- one glider had an Elvis fin... hmmm Jamie! So I pulled in behind her, said hello to Elvis and just figured I'd keep turning as long as she did. I noticed right away that I was climbing the same, if not better, than the other gliders in the gaggle. I had the bar pushed out some and it felt really nice. Jamie left and a few others (Tom) took off down course and I saw another glider climbing over the forest so I stayed where I was and watched. Jamie just got pretty low and when I finally left, I felt like I had a good line and soon hooked up with the glider that was over the woods. It was Mark, and I watched while Lauren landed below me, and then Mark and I climbed out together over an awful lot of gliders in a field below. I scanned the field for the smoke sail that looks like mine and didn't see it, and just kept turning. It was such a light climb but I was keeping up with Mark and we were very slowly wafting down courseline. At 15 miles to go, I went on a desperate search before a forest and some skinny deep wheat fields. I got down to like 500' and I looked above me- Mark was totally specked out at around 800' and I had to land since I ran out of landing options. I had a NICE landing. Hmm. Just like with my old glider. Not like my earlier landing today BEFORE I changed my CG.... Hmm...
So I start to pack up and Dana was on her way but I noticed I was getting eaten alive by killer mosquitoes and I told her not to come get me (she was a mile away) but to go to a store and get some Off! before coming. Just as I was telling her this, a guy comes down the little lane I am on and his eyes are huge looking at my glider. I jump out in front of him and wave him to stop. Got any bug spray???? I ask, but he is too freaked out by the glider in the road and some half dressed chick jumping around slapping herself to answer right away. Then he startes to nod as he digs through his tool box and finds some Deet. He douses me with the stuff and drives off. Weird!!!! Dana shows up but I tell her not to even get out of the car, and then this guy comes back when he wakes up out of his stupor... He sprayed Dana down and then talked while we broke down. Nice guy- everyone from around here seems really nice- not like Florida :-)
We drove to get Mark a few miles down the road and the Dragonflies were making a low pass coming back from goal. We flagged them down and Dana got a ride back to Ridgely on one and Mark and I headed back in the car. What a fun day! It turned out that Mark took first place this task and I got second. Great for launching at 5pm.... and it was worth 67 points for me... still 4 behind Jamie!!!!
So, about my glider... I think I have never really liked this one as much as the old one. I also think it has always been trimmed this way. I also think that now I am going to LOVE my glider now and maybe, just maybe, I will be able to launch and land it without scaring the shit out of everyone... .MAYBE!!!