Random pictures... .just trying to get something in this space here.... Christian Ciech- 2nd place after 3 tasks, arranged to have a zipper delivered from Woody Valley-

The beautiful streets of medieval Gubbio...

My new friend "Spanky" who eats Brian Porter's leftover meat and cans of my tuna fish...

Rigids launching...

Gorio Mandozzi (on the left) is the Italian team's "doctor". He uses some unusual holistic therapies and has given me some relief of my back problems. He's with Graziano Maffi of the Italian team...

Carlo Bertacchi- hand sewed my new Woody Valley zipper into my harness until the wee hours of last night and destroyed his hands in the process. The Italian team has really been wonderful to us American orphans. I hope to get a picture of Mirella soon. You are all hoping I will as well- she is a real cutie.

So the task today was changed just after I got it all into both GPS's. When you have like 7 or 8 waypoints- it's a real pain in the ass. But the new task seemed to please everyone involved- I dont care- I just follow the arrow. The wind was much lighter than yesterday and we were at the N Monte Cucco launch again. I was anxious to try out my new, roomier harness, and got in line in the middle. It looked like some people were not getting up well, so I knew it would require some concentration. I launched very easily, and headed out to the spine to the left and got up while a few others struggled below me. That was a great way to start. But the lift got a little finicky and I headed toward the start circle, just 8 K away, to find something better. I tried to get some stuff off the ridge and watched while others got up in rat-shit, so I figured there must be something better around and went searching. I was wrong- there really was nothing better. I made a desperate search below the ridge and all the bumps and spines along the way... nothing big enough to turn in. Fields to land in were getting scarce and I was boxing myself into a narrow valley. There was one decent looking field- unfortunately there was a power line running right across it- and it sloped downhill in the direction of the wind. But it was actually the only thing going so I made it make do. My landing was decent and I had a good cry before I was joined by a few other women as I packed up. I have no clue how good or bad everyone did, but Kathleen just walked into the cafe I am in (headquarters) and it seems she made it quite a ways, but not to goal. I dont think anyone will make it in. I am pretty frustrated by my flight- BUT NOT BY MY HARNESS ZIPPER!!!! It worked perfectly and I am so happy to have my harness as I know and love it! I wish we would get some booming conditions so I could move up a bit on the board. Maybe tomorrow....