Monday

Wheeler and Me late in the Day

Monday was fantastic. Weather says that today and tomorrow may be even better.

Yesterday we had the same task, almost, as the last day of the Nats two years ago. A very big triangle from the Butte to Farmer and Leahy and home.

Lift was the best I have seen in EW. I launched near last do to standings. Prior to launch some of my fellow end of the liners pulled off our kits and helped fluff.

It worked fine except for a double riser twist that the dismount and mount caused. Launch was fine and climb was strong and I was at the top of the stack with 8 minutes to go to start.

Great start – and early climbs. On the way out from Farmer I took a West line aiming for a few clouds. Did not get under the clouds but did find a dusty that was just forming.

It was a big one and I was in the light dust when I got close, easily 2,000 agl and dust. I gently worked edge lift until I was about 2/3rds the way around it with lift getting stronger, then, kaboom – I was weightless my wing was down and I was falling with my instruments hitting me in the chest.

My wing had exited the thermal with such violence that the move is called by some going over the waterfall. – Wow first one for that. – Nothing to do but hang on.

Once things settled down I had a great climb to the clouds which had returned and topped over 12,000 feet.

The rest of the flight was uneventful and I flew until Glass, landing West of Mansfield after tagging Leahy.

P