Molly and the Puppies

Molly is such a puss. For an adventure dog she is as timid as kitten when it comes to other animals. At 24 Hours these puppies surrounded her and pinned her down. It's a good trait to have a submissive dog, but it's hilarious as she was looking at me like "HELP!"









It was a long 24 Hours...

24 Hours of Moab 2009

It’s been almost a month, but it’s time to catch up the Lee-Side.

24 Hours of Moab was Jo’s A race, her most important race of the year and her first Solo 24 hour race. She had been training all season, logging miles and hours. Beyond training there were the logistics of supporting a Solo 24 hour racer; lights that would last all night, nutrition, mechanical support, clothing changes, body maintenance, etc. Jackie offered to let us use her VW Westfalia camper as a support base and to be Jo’s main support person assisted by Patti and Maggie. I was doing a 5 person just for fun team, but was there mostly to support Jo.

Jo's A Race



Jo's Support Crew



We left on Thursday afternoon caravanning with Jacki, Eric, and Chris in his Syncro Westfalia. Jo and I had been considering a Westfalia for our next vehicle and it would be a good opportunity for a thorough test drive / camp. I used to own a ’73 VW Westfalia bubble window bus. It was air cooled, had no heat, would go 0-60 in 60 seconds, needed a new engine every two years, and I loved it! Jacki’s Westy was like a Cadillac compared to my bus, but it still had a few quirks. We topped out at 33mph at the Eisenhower Tunnel, but at least it had heat!

The Superfly on the Westy



Caravaning with Chris's Syncro





33 MPH Over the Pass



When we rolled into our Moab campsite late Thursday night we simply popped the top, and went to bed. Our heads were on the pillow within 15 minutes, no unloading the truck, no pitching tents, just pop the top and go to sleep – bliss!

Pop the Top and Go to Sleep



In the Morning



Molly Eating Chips for Breakfast



We spent all day Friday prepping for the race. At the tent city we met up with the rest of the Phoenix Multisport crew and made a wall with the Westy’s completing the Phoenix pit. I had dislocated a rib the week before and was still in too much pain to pre-ride the course, but pedaling my bike around seemed to ease my pain. Jo and I slept sound in the Westy that night. I took the upstairs bed, while she enjoyed the downstairs one!

The Phoenix Pits



The Calm Before the Storm





In morning the pit was bristling with activity right up to the noon start time. The Phoenix teams consisted of Jo and Scott doing Solo, Griff and Rife doing Duo Pro, and three 5 person Just for Fun teams which ended up being a 5, a 4, and a 3 person team. Jo was all nerves leading up to the start, but it was only skin deep, underneath I knew she was filled with cold determination.

The Teams



24 Hours of Moab is a festival as much as a bike race and this year was no different. There were plenty of costumes and characters lined up at the start. When the gun went off I lost sight of the Phoenix jersey’s, but caught a few glimpses as the racers ran back to the bikes and on the road out of the tent city.

The Start









I haven’t raced Moab seriously since 2005, but have done the race every year since regardless of my state of injury. I usually ride the start lap, but thought Rourke should so he could get the experience. I never saw him, but Hero Cam footage later revealed an epic battle he had for most of the lap with a husky Midwesterner. The battle ended when he flatted and later broke his chain. Two years ago I had a perfect start and worked my way close to the leaders only to get a flat 8 miles in. I knew his frustration well. He soldiered on and finished the lap in just over 2.5 hours.

Rourke



Jo finished her first lap in 1:44, a fast pace, but she felt strong. After a brief pit she was off again. Eric originally came to do body work on the solo and duo pro riders, but we roped him into racing. He went second on my team and turned out to be a ringer, riding a 1:26. Jo settled into her pace on the second lap riding a 1:52.

Jo



Eric



I went third on my team. My cycling season has been fraught with injury and disaster this year. I literally had touched my bike once in the month of October and maybe a half dozen times in September. I knew I’d have no long term speed, so I decided to crack myself on the first fast lap. I blazed out of the start and hammered the first climb. My heart rate was ridiculously high, but I let it soar into the stratosphere riding on the verge of cracking. I passed Scott about half way through the lap. His cheering was some of the best I’ve ever had and it invigorated me to ride even harder. Before long I was past the slick rock section blazing down the back descent. At the base of the last climb Griff caught me, so I pulled him into the finish line. It was cool having a greater purpose than just riding my lap and I rode harder for Griff than I ever would have just for myself. I finished with a 1:19, not too shabby for literally racing “off the couch”!

Scott



Nick and Molly



When I got back the light was starting to fade and Jo had already gone out on her dusk lap. Jacki gave me a full report that she was riding strong and holding second place (although we didn’t tell her that). As the light faded I hung out at the campsite and enjoyed not taking the race too seriously. Jonny V went after me riding a 1:42 on his Superfly followed by Matt who rode a 1:53. I had spent myself one my first lap and rode a less than stellar 1:37 in the dark on my second lap. After the lap I was done, my knee had given all it could give.

Sending Jo Back Out



Matt Going Out at Sunset



As darkness set in Jo kept trucking along, riding six solid laps through midnight. Then disaster struck! We were planning on getting her nutrition from a friend, but it didn’t pan out. Instead, I drove back into town on Friday to pick up some Hammer Gel Sustained Energy. You’re not supposed to eat anything else when using it and Jo didn’t have a chance to test it out before the race. A golden rule of racing is to never try anything new on race day, but we had no choice. Her support crew, including myself, didn’t understand how important it was not to eat and forced her to eat solid foods between laps. It caught up to her at midnight. When she rolled in from her sixth lap she looked rough. She collapsed in the Westy in severe stomach pain then the vomiting began. She spent the next seven hours in a vomit induced Hell, it was horrible.

Nick's First Night Lap



Scott Dancing



Light Trails



As dawn approached the worst of her sickness had passed and she dragged herself out of bed and back onto the bike. I couldn’t believe it! I’d like to think I’m a pretty tough guy, but I don’t know if would have had the heart to get back on the bike after 7 hours of vomiting. She pedaled out of the pit just after 8am and rode two more solid laps on an empty stomach, literally! The rest of the day I was bristling with pride about how tough my Fiancée is!

Ben At Dawn



Jo and Her Crew After the Sickness



With the Other Crew Memeber



After a total of eight laps Jo shut it down. It was a wise decision as the cumulative effect of the race and the night’s illness were putting her safety at risk. She finished 3rd with 8 laps including a 7 hour break! I have no doubt she would have been higher on the podium if we had the nutrition issue dialed. No race ever goes perfect and the real measure of success is not how high you land on the podium, but how well you overcome adversity. In this perspective I think Jo won the race. I’m still bragging to everyone I can about how tough my Fiancée is!

Ben Sending Griff Out



Then Scott





In the end Jo rode 8 laps to finish 3rd in both the Women’s Solo Singlespeed and the National Women’s Solo Singlespeed Championships. That’s two medals for the mantel! Scott rode 10 laps in Solo. Griff and Rife rode 17 laps finishing 4th in Duo Pro. And everyone on the Just for Fun teams had plenty of Fun!

Jo on the Podium



After 24 Hours

Yarrrrr!

Fall Driving School 2009

The Rocky Mountain BMW CCA Fall Driving School was my third time on the track with the M Coupe. I mounted the Hero Cam in a different place for each drive session. This was the best I could do with 2002 Windows Movie Maker and my ancient laptop.



In May I did the spring school on 4 hours of sleep the day after a mountain bike race. This time I really wanted to get the most out of the day so I showed up well rested and motivated to improve my skills. Well as rested as one can be waking up at 3:45 am for the drive to Pueblo Motor Sports Park. On the way I picked up Doug who had volunteered to work a corner. We got to the track at sunrise and it was only 35 degrees out. The first session was going to be a slippery one. Dunlop cautions highly against driving its Z1 Star Spec tires in temperatures below 50 degrees. Once I got my pit set up I sat in on the corner worker briefing so I could fill in during the instructor drive sessions allowing Doug to get a ride-a-long.

My Pit



Diane Waving the Green Flag on Corner 10



I was moved up to B group (the second most advanced) for this school and was a little apprehensive about it. Driving School Chair Andrew Jordon was my first instructor. The first session was basically scraping the rust off and cleaning up my line. Andrew’s witty South African charm put me at ease and I felt at home in B group by the end of the session. My line was inconsistent through turn 9 and 10 but I found with Andrew's advice if I apexed slightly earlier than the marker cone it felt right at my speed.

Chasing Jeff's E92 M3

(I never caught him!)



Cristina's Black M3



The second session was more of the same. I was a little faster and my heel-toe work a little smoother, but I still needed to be more consistent. It's easy to nail a turn or series of turns once, but doing it over and over again is what separates the pros from the students. I am definitely still a student! It's also interesting how improving on one section of the track will result in more speed later in the track and bring out areas that suddenly need more attention.

Getting Faster
(and lifting the inside front wheel)



At lunch I volunteered to work corner 8 during the first instructor drive. Then I switched to corner 10 so Doug could ride in Frank's Lotus Elise. He came back with a grin from ear to ear. It reminded me of the sheer terror and joy of my first ride in a track car with an instructor.

Frank's Lotus Elise







The 3:45 am wake up hit me during session three and my line fell apart. I was super inconsistent and lost the line in turns 1 and 4. My instructor wanted to head in early which was fine with me. I refreshed with a protein bar and caffeine then spent some time driving the track in my head to clean up my line.

Spec E36 M3's



I wanted to nail session four and finish on a good note. I commandeered Andrew Colfelt to be my last instructor. He drives a new E92 M3 at speeds that make even the most seasoned corner works flinch as he hurls by inches away. He had some great suggestions to tie the lessons of the day together. The most important was to move my braking points farther back and brake harder. I was braking too soon and having a millisecond or two of nothing to do before the turn in. It was disrupting my flow. Another great suggestion was to shift later. You don't have to blip the throttle as much and it's one less thing to think about hurling into turn 1 at 130mph. His suggestions worked magic and it all came together for me during session four. Suddenly I was going fast, driving the line, and nailing my shifts with enough excess mental energy to carry on a conversation - about the task at hand of course!

Doug's Cayman S



Then after a few laps of my best driving yet I had a moment of shear terror. I had worked my braking point on turn 1 to inside the 300 foot marker. As I rolled on to the brake I felt a rumbling in the pedal and severely reduced braking power. I never look at the speedometer, but I estimate I was doing about 120 with 200 feet till the turn. For a split second I thought we were going off the track. It wouldn't have been a big deal, there was still run out left from the drag strip which doubles as the front straight. It built my confidence tremendously that I stayed cool and never stopped driving the car. It’s just like flying, never stop driving the car! We drifted a little high at the apex, but with some creative trail braking I had scrubbed enough speed to keep the nose pointed in the right direction and drift through the turn. I was awesome! Maybe one day I'll have the guts to do that on purpose.

Exiting Turn 10



I think I had glazed my pads by revving the gas while braking during a previous down shift. Andrew and I talked about pitting, but if I slowed down I had enough brakes to keep things safe. It actually was a great learning tool because without good brakes I had to drive my line with much greater precision. I was forced to clean out the slop out that I could get by with having full brakes. The fade got worse, but the checkered flag was waived just as I was ready to shut it down. It was a perfect end to the day.

Doug Waving the Checkered Flag



There was plenty of talent and rad cars. Andrew's E92 M3 was a beast. As the V8 monster ticked itself cool on the grass of the paddock it looked fast. Chip Clark drove all the way from Rifle in another S54 powered M Coupe. We chased each other on the track and took some mandatory M Coupe pics in the Paddock. There was a yellow Mini Cooper S that was stunning and begged some lens time with the M Coupe. What I'm going to say next is going to make my late father turn in his grave and all of my fellow BMW purists throw up in their mouths a little. My favorite car of the school was a Corvette! It was Ross's stealthy all black Z06. Holy S#@! was it fast. When I was working turn 10 and the A group cars roared by the Corvette was by far the most impressive. Compared to the stock M3's there was absolutely no body roll through the turn and the throaty V8 roared like a dragon down the front straight. I'm not going to sell the M Coupe and buy a Corvette, but the Z06 left a lasting impression.

Andrew's E92 M Coupe
V8 Powered with the Carbon Fiber Roof









The M Coupes







The M Coupe's Closest BMW Brethren
(in my opinion)



HDR





Ross's Z06 Corvette





HDR





After the session I took Doug's corner so he could have one more instructor ride. There weren't any students lined up, so he hopped in a spec E36 M3. At the awards ceremony the M Coupe got nominated for car of the day again, but Leslie's beautiful Laguna Seca Blue E46 M3 won it - and rightly so! As always the Driving School was an epic day filled with great cars and fantastic people.

Doug Getting a Spec E36 Ride



Frank's Dusty Lotus after an Off Track Detour



Bruce Leading the Awards Ceremony

24 Hours

Photo by Jeff Rasor. More to come soon...

One More Day - Porcupine Rim

Jo and I decided to stay one more day in Moab after the Multisport Trip. We had a very special night at a picturesque waterfall just outside of town.

City of Rocks



Waterfall



The next morning we headed out early to ride Porcupine Rim as a loop from town. We stopped for breakfast at a nice cafe on the main drag then started the arduous climb up Sand Flats Road. It's steep at first, but then flattens out into a steady climb the rest of the way to the trail head. At the trail head there is a 3 mile technical climb to High Anxiety View Point overlooking Castle Valley. After that it follows a technical double track downhill to a sweet piece of exposed single track that descends the steep walls of Jackass Canyon to Rt 128 and the Colorado River.

I've ridden Porcupine Rim a dozen times before, but this was my first time on the Superfly. Jo did the whole thing on her single speed Superfly! The goal was to take it easy and not wreck the bikes. In the past I usually huck off anything I can, but a carbon race bike would not fare well under such abuse. It was frustrating to ride slow at times, but when we got to the single track the Superfly shined. After carving the technical single track my frustrations faded and I had nothing but love for the Superfly.

Breakfast





The Tailhead and Last Water





High Anxiety View Point



This Was Real, Not Staged
(I ran too fast to beat the camera timer)



Another Accidental Shot
(I really like the angle)



Porcupine Rim to the North



Porcupine Rim to the South



Castleton Tower and Priest and Nuns



Creating Anxiety at High Anxiety



The Only Casualty of the Ride
(It was already broken)



The Trail on the Rim



Jo Descending a Nice Tech Section



Cryptoboitic Crust



Jackass Canyon



The Colorado River



If Your Gonna Fall - Fall Left!

Road Tripping to the Multisport Trip

I left Santa Cruz Flats a day early to hook up with the Phoenix Multisport Moab Trip. I had already missed most of the Multisport Trip, but could make Saturday night and help out with a mountain bike ride on Sunday by leaving early.

It was a solid 9 hour drive from Casa Grande to Moab. The route went through some spectacular desert scenery in northern Arizona and southern Utah. Most of the drive was through the Navajo Nation, occupying an area of 26,000 square miles. There long straight roads stretched to the horizon where distant mesas reached skyward like huge ships in a sea of flatness.

Turkey Vultures Hanging on the Side of the Road



The Long Straight Road



Ships in the Sea





At Kayenta, AZ the route turned northward and I entered Monument Valley. Here the mesas grew from distant ships to towering castles that surrounded me from all directions. The two lane highway, strewn with RV's and tour buses, cut through the sacred landscape like a toxic serpent. I felt ashamed at my presence, hoping inside that I was somehow more enlightened than the hordes of tourists. The high desert is where I feel most connected to the land and is where I go to hit my spiritual reset button.

Monument Valley





Near the Utah border I stopped at a Navajo stand and played kickball with some local kids selling jewelry. They asked me what was on top of my truck and I told them about hang gliding. Maybe I planted a seed that will grow into a future pilot or two. I spent some time on the Navajo Nation when I was in high school and I remembered how friendly people were once you eased their suspicions that you were just another tourist. At Mexican Hat, UT I pondered jumping in the San Juan River, but time was working against me so I pressed on towards Moab.

The San Juan River



Mexican Hat



I made it to the campsite just before sunset. Jo rolled in just after I got there. After a happy reunion she went into town to shower and I rode out to Wall Street where everyone was climbing. After dark we all converged on the campsite, ate dinner and shared stories around the campfire. I was amazed at how big the trip was. There were over 60 people there!

Sunset at the Campsite



Marsh Mellows






In the morning I helped Jo and Mike who were leading a beginner mountain bike ride. It was a 7 mile out and back at Klondike Bluffs. In all my trips to Moab, I'd never ridden there before. It was a good trail to for people to learn Moab riding on with sand, slick rock, hop ups, and rock fins. On the way down Adam's derailleur broke and took out a few spokes on his wheel. The best option was to break the chain and turn it into a single speed. I didn’t think it would hold, but it worked and he finished the ride single speed style!

Beginner Mountain Bike Ride





Adam's Bike Converted to a Single Speed



After the ride we broke down the campsite, cleaned up, and had one last lunch. The only thing missing were Ben Cort, Cristi, and their new family, so we took an honorary photo in their absence.

Staff Lunch

Flying in the Gaggle

Here's one more post from Santa Cruz Flats. It's Hero Cam footage from the last day and flying in the huge gaggle that formed over launch. With the wide angle lens everything looks much farther away than in reality, but you can still see tons of other gliders in the air. The runways and the Fransisco Grande Resort are easy to identify by the blobs of green golf course grass near the main road.



Jim Yocum got some good footage looking down from the top of the stack.

Here's his video:

Santa Cruz Flats - Day 6

Day 6 would be my last day at Santa Cruz Flats. I had to miss the final day to meet up with a Phoenix Multisport trip in Moab. I spent most of the morning replacing my VG line and the right outboard sprog zipper. Mark just happened to have a spectra VG line that was pretty easy to replace. I bummed a pair of needle nose pliers from Russell and carefully worked the zipper slider back into shape. I got it better, but it still won't close all the way. By the time I was done the only gliders still at the hotel were Trevor's and mine.

Broken VG Line



The task was a 97km triangle to Estrella Airport then Interstate 8 and back. I got in the launch line behind Dave Gibson. It was a 105 degrees on the ground and the winds were getting more cross as the afternoon progressed. After a few weak link breaks David offered the other runway to those who wanted to move. I was happy to as the winds were less cross. Russell waived me off in a good thermal after an uneventful tow. A huge gaggle had formed slightly north of where I pinned off, but soon there were gliders everywhere. It was super cool flying in such a big gaggle. I couldn't get to the top, but was able to comfortably hang out in the middle.

105 Degrees in the Launch Que



Almost everyone was gone by the last start, but Cambell, Scott, Dan, and I hung out. I felt like I was too low to go on glide, but in hindsight I should have. I could see a monster gaggle about 10km to the north, but couldn't make it on one glide. I was maintaining between 4500 and 5000, but was drifting away from the course line and not really climbing. I could see Cambell and Dan on glide, but they weren't finding anything. Eventually I headed out on course, but didn't make it to far before I was low and scratching. Cambell and a rigid wing were low to my west and not climbing. I had enough altitude to make it back to the start so I blazed downwind hoping to find better lift or land get a relight.

Just north of the start circle I hit 250fpm and was able to climb about 1500 feet before loosing the core. It was super late, I was alone, and my back was killing me. I pondered how to spend my last day at the comp. I was going to loose a bunch of points missing the final day which would push me close to last position. I could blaze out of course, but between my back and being alone I didn't think I'd make it far. The other option would be to hang out near the hotel, free fly, then land and jump in the pool. I decided to relax and do the latter.

The Fransisco Grande Resort
(the runways are on the right)



I worked on getting low, getting back up and exploring the edges of lift as thermals rolled through. I had a blast chasing an American Kestrel that stumbled into my thermal. I would turn behind him, get close then try to follow as he dove away. Later I looked down to see a perfect V formation of geese crossing below me. I pulled on full VG and followed them to the west. As I got closer they sped up. I pulled out the Olympus and tried to film them. It was super hard to fly at speed with one hand through bumpy air and film with the other. I got closer and closer, then they did something amazing. When they decided I was too close they simultaneously broke formation with each goose diving in a different direction. It puzzled me for a second and in that moment they rejoined formation to the west out of reach. I wondered if it confused predators as easily as it confused me.

Geese Breaking Formation


I was down to 1500 AGL and turned back to make the runways west of the hotel. Focused on landing I tucked my camera into its pocket on my harness. I missed the opening and the camera fell out of my hand. It was tied to a 4 foot safety lanyard so I wasn't too concerned. As I looked down I saw it falling. The safety line had broke! The ground was flat and clear of obstacles below me so I committed to following the camera down. The VG was still on full so I pulled in the bar and dove with the camera. "Keep your eyes on it" I said as I dove 360's around it. "It'll hit soon" I thought, but it didn't. More seconds passed and it didn't. Finally it hit the dirt and "poof" of dust formed a ring around the impact crater. I was at about 400 feet in a steep spiral dive with tons of speed. I pushed out and bled off my speed while easing the VG off. I didn't want to glide too far away and loose the impact site. When my speed was gone I rolled wings level and landed about 100 yards away.

On the Ground
(photos by Edward)





A local named Edward and his son had seen me diving out of the sky and stopped to see if I was okay. He gave me an frozen water bottle and offered to help me look for the camera. It took about 30 minutes, but I found it next to a slight ridge in the dirt. It had bounced about 5 feet from the point of impact. I took a picture of the impact with my iPhone then turned it on and it worked! Kudos to Olympus for making a camera that could survive a 1500 foot fall! It takes crappy pictures, but it's bomb proof - literally! Edward helped me break down and gave me a ride back to the hotel.

The Impact Point



Edward and His Son



Just as I was drying off from the pool the leaders were gliding into goal. I missed the first group, but was able to get to the roof of the tower to photograph the second group. After everyone landed Jeff towed back up for a photo shoot and buzzed me and the others on the roof. Here are some (Cannon SLR) pics of the scene:

Jeff Dragging a Foot



First Group on the Ground



Dave Gibson Turning Base



Jim Yocum Cooling Off



Terry Reyonlds and the Moon



Eduardo Overhead

Greg Turing Base



Patrick and Derek Landing

Dustin in the Tug



Jeff Going Ballistic





As the sun set I jumped in the pool one last time and had dinner in the bar laughing up the day with everyone. I was stoked to fly with such a good group people throughout the week. Everyone from the pilots, organizers, tow pilots, drivers, volunteers, and task committees were super friendly and good company to share the week with. Jeff went all out to help me and answer my constant questions. Santa Cruz Flats was a perfect first comp to get my feet wet. Every day I got to know the glider better and dial my skills, by spring I'll have my equipment issues worked out and be better conditioned for longer flights.



Thanks to everyone for a great week!

Santa Cruz Flats - Day 5

We were back in the air today. The wind was out of the north and there was some concern about the rotor lurking behind the treeline to the north of the runway. We packed up and towed from Phoenix Regional Airport which had a north-south runway.

The task was a 68km dog leg almost downwind to Gila Bend Airport. It was an easy task, I should be able to make it to goal. The start circle was a 29km entry circle off of the first and only turn point, which means your time started as soon as you enter the circle. Conditions looked good as people started launching, but I waited just a little and wound up near the back of the line.

The New Airfield







Jeff Towing

The Phoenix Glider



Johnny, Bob, and Zip



My Can of Spinach



Dustin and Dave Gibson in the Launch Que



I didn't find anything but a scratchy lift off my first tow and I was in dangerous position close to the airplane traffic pattern. When I landed back at the field everyone was long gone. I was the only glider in sight. On the second tow the weak link broke at 800 feet. On the third Johnny took me straight up wind and waived me off in a beautiful thermal. He even took a circle to mark it for me. World class service! I climbed to about 5800 feet and went on glide to the southwest. On the way I crossed just below a big automotive test facility. There was another huge one to the south. I had a brief fantasy of rallying the M Coupe on the high speed track, but soon scolded myself for not thinking about the task. Soon I was down to about 2000 feet, but found lift over a feed lot. The air stunk, but if I could smell it it meant it was rising and that was a good thing.

Huge Test Track



Climbing Over the Feed Lot



On Glide



After another glide I found myself low again, but got a good save downwind of a Walmart parking lot. That one took me to 7000 feet and I pressed on to the west towards a small ridge. There wasn't much over the ridge, but I was able to work upwind on it. At the north point the air was trashy so I drove downwind to the west. Soon I was super low over a few houses south of the road. My back hurt and it was hot close to the ground. I unzipped, but would not let myself land until the last possible minute. At 500 feet I hit a save that took me to 5900 feet. I pressed on to the west and found consistent lift along the road. I worked between 3000 and 5000 feet all the way to 15km from goal. A couple of turkey vultures and a curious Beech Bonanza kept me company along the way.

On Glide Through the Hills



Thermalling with a Turkey Vulture



Curious Beech Bonanza



Crossing the last ridge before goal my GPS died and I was flying blind so to speak. I could see an airport that looked like goal, but as I got closer it was way to big to be uncontrolled airspace. I got the GPS on long enough to get a quick bearing to Gila Bend airport. Now all I had to do was find enough lift to get there. It was late in the day. I was the last off and alone the entire time. The air was buoyant, but I couldn't find anything solid. At a bend in the road I hooked a 200fpm climb to 1800 agl, but lost it before I topped out. I could either stay and search or drive towards goal and hope to find something. I choose the latter. I shot straight down the road turning towards the northeastern edge of the field at about 4km. I was below 1000 agl and couldn't find anything. I blew it! I hoped that if I could just hit a bubble it would carry me over the airport fence and I could walk into goal, but there was no bubble. About .5km from the airport fence I turned into the wind and landed 1.94km short of goal.

Final Glide to Goal
(the airport is just right of the road before town)



Landed 1.94km Short



It hurt getting so close only to blow it on the last thermal, but that's a good problem to have. The worst part was having to break down and get retrieved when I could literally see the airport. Nobody could see me, but Lori, Russell, and Ricker were soon there. Russell found me and Ricker helped me carry my glider a mile back to the road through rattle snake infested shrubs. Overall I'm stoked on the flight, its the best flight XC flight I've had in a long time.

Santa Cruz Flats - Day 4

The wind was blowing again this morning, even stronger than yesterday. The day was called in the pilot's meeting without much discussion.

Blown Out Palm Trees



Dustin gave me the beta on a good mountain bike ride up north. The National Trail is a super technical rocky single track that snakes its way along the northern ridge of South Mountain. It's very similar to the tech section at Hall Ranch, just 8 miles long. The rock texture and sand are so similar they could have been transplanted. It took me a while to find my groove, but I was able to ride all but the hardest sections of the climb. I don't have the top end to just blaze through using momentem right now so I had to ride it trials style to get over the hop ups and steps. There were some sections that I don't think I could ride with all the fitness in the world, but that's what makes it fun.

National Trail Single Track





Hop Up



A Mating Pair of Saguaro Cactus's



I Won't Say it...



Downtown Phoenix





After about 10 miles I dropped down the Telegraph Trail to the Desert Classic Trail. Telegraph was super steep, but it wasn't long. The Desert Classic was a treat. It was rolling tight single track that followed the base of the mountain back to the trail head. I didn't bring enough food and bonked at the base of Telegraph. That combined with the oppressive sun and heat made it a suffer fest back to the truck, but I refused to let up. 24 Hours of Moab is two weeks away and the suffering will do me good.

Petroglyphs





Arizona Sun



After I got back I had a dip in the pool and a "romantic" sunset with Jeff on top of the Fransisco Grande Tower. Jonny and Mark were just finishing and evening flight in the tugs and gave us a nice flyby. Then the Tennessee boys showed up with paper airplanes and had a contest on who's could soar the longest.

Sunset





Dragonfly Flyby

Off Into the Sunset

The Tennessee Boys



Paper Airplanes



If we can't fly tomorrow I'm envisioning something else flying off the tower...

Santa Cruz Flats - Day 3

The wind was blowing hard when we woke up this morning. It looked doubtful that we would fly. I installed a thicker kick plate in my harness to try to make it more comfortable and noticed the fabric next to the zipper was blown out. I should have got a newer harness before the meet. The Aeros one becomes unbearable after about 2 hours. Compared to all the newer designs its not as clean with all of the pockets and oxygen system on the outside. I look like "tactical man" with it on! A quick trip into town and 10 bucks later I had the hole fixed courtesy of a local shop named "Sew What". I would highly recommend them for any quick repairs here in the future.

Blown Out Zipper Fabric



By the time I got back all the pilots had gathered in the center courtyard and were discussing our options. The main concern was rotor behind a tree line to the north of the runways. The safety committee decided to cancel task. I would have liked to have flown, but my back was super sore and a rest day would do it good. We hung out for a bit, then headed into town to hit the local thrift shops. It was fun relaxing day shopping and trying on all of Casa Grande's unwanted hand-me-downs. I scored a high quality Hawaiian shirt and almost picked up a Crocodile Dundee vest. After a bit we returned to the hotel in time for me to get a ride in at dusk.

Pilot's Meeting



Hanging in the Courtyard





The Tennesee Boys



Homeless Puppy



Jeff at trying on Pooh...



The immediate area around Casa Grande is super flat and there wasn't much daylight left so I decided to time trial west to some foothills near Interstate 8 and highway 84. I blazed through endless farmlands on the way. About halfway to the hills I rode into a putrid cloud of dust and cow manure downwind of a huge dairy farm. It lasted for 3 miles. The visibility dropped to less than a mile looking into the sun and the stench was horrible, but I pressed on. The reward was a beautiful sunset and a forest of tall cactus's just north of Interstate 8.

Cow Hell



Riding Through the Stink Cloud



Sunset



I'm fascinated by Arizona's Giant Saguaro Cactus's. Silhouetted against the setting sun they looked like giant people, each with it's own distinct shape. It felt like as soon as I left they were all going to break their statuesque poses, come alive, and have evening tea.

Giant Saguaro Cactus's

I Call this One the Magnum

I rode the 18 miles back to the hotel in the dark. It was completely black with only the stars and a sliver of moon to light the night. I didn't have any lights, but it was all flat road with a wide shoulder. I've been caught in the dark many times without a light and have perfected my technique. You have to assume that nobody sees you, cars, pedestrians, wildlife - nobody. It's best to let your eyes adjust and keep your night vision by looking away from any lights. Other than cars the biggest threat is riding over some roadside debris (blown out tires, mufflers, wood, etc) at speed and going over the bars. I ride just inside of the white line. No matter how dark it is, there always is enough reflective material in the paint to make out the line. It is cleaner than the shoulder there and usually there are tire grooves in the road surface that give tactile input. You really have to be loose on the bar and just feel the road. As soon as a car approaches from behind the headlights will start lighting the shoulder, but only just above the pavement. This is fine as it highlights the relief of the surface and will illuminate any debris, potholes, or drop offs. When you can see clearly that you have a good shoulder then ease all the way to the edge of the shoulder as far away from the road surface as possible. As soon as the car passes go straight back to just inside of the while line.

Just Follow the Line



After I got back to the hotel I rinsed off, took a dip in the pool, warmed up in the hot tub and had 2 bowls of cereal in the bar where most of the pilots had gathered. It's a good life at this comp!

The Pool

Santa Cruz Flats - Day 2

The conditions today were similar to yesterday, sporadic lift under cloudless skies. The task was a 112km dog leg downwind to an RC field just outside of Tuscon's airspace. I'm amazed at the talent here, although there were a few re-lights, nobody seemed to have problems getting up. I launched late in the que, just behind Jack from Aspen. After I pinned off I couldn't find anything and soon I was back on the ground. So many of us were that another launch line had formed. The second tow put me in a good spot and I pinned off right as a gaggle was getting organized just SE of the field.

The Launch Que



Dave Gibson Climbing Up to Me



Looking Back at Launch and the Francisco Grande Hotel



I climbed near the top of the gaggle with Jack and Dave Gibson. It didn't take them long to sky out, but there were others below who I was able to stay above or with. I followed Dave and Jack on the first glide, but I was well below them. It's amazing how fast the higher performance gliders can pull away from me. I was able to work a few more thermals staying high to the first turn point. I never got much below 7000 the whole way working with a few other late starters along the way.

On Glide to the First Turn Point



Two Gliders Below



Crossing Interstate 10



I tagged the first turn point and went on a cross wind glide to the second turn point. Scott was ahead and above me, but heading off course to the south. I could either stay with him or glide alone to gliders in the distance below me. I chose the latter and hit the thermal about 1000 feet below them. It was disorganized and I couldn't find a core. I soon became impatient and pressed on alone towards the second turn point. This was a huge mistake and I knew it at the time, but I stubbornly plowed onward. Soon I was low and scratching, down to about 1500AGL. There was a glider on the ground directly below me, pecan tree groves to the SE, and a truck stop on Interstate 10 to the north.

Following Scott On Glide



The truck stop was calling my name, but I wasn't ready to throw in the towel yet. Up wind to the SW there was huge dust devil. I might be able to glide to it, but I would be fully committed. I pulled on full VG and headed back up wind. As I got lower the head wind increased and I was doubtful about making it at safe altitude. In hind sight I should have committed - you don't know unless you try. The truck stop was calling me. My back was hurting and a cold Gatorade would have hit the spot. Plus it was an easy retrieve and there was grassy patch to break down on. I turned around again. It seemed like every direction was into the wind. I glided as efficiently as I could and got there with enough altitude to make the grassy patch.

My Landing Spot...



...At the Truck Stop Oasis



I was happy with the first part of the day. I feel like I'm getting to know the Talon and thermaled way more efficiently in the light conditions today. I have the ability, I just need to keep my head in the game. I can suffer for hours and hours, even days on the mountain bike, but not on the glider. I get impatient too quickly. It's more meticulous. I will learn quickly, I have to...

Santa Cruz Flats Day 1

My plan for this comp is to be a sponge and soak up as information and experience much as possible. Today was a wet one. Actually is was 105 degrees and zero humidity, but the sponge was soaked. I got in late last night and hooked up with Jeff. We got our room dialed and settled in for the night.

This morning we enjoyed a full breakfast at the Francisco Grande Resort then set up my Talon in the green grass outside of our hotel room. Its a pretty sight to walk out the door and see a line of gliders set up right there. Next Jeff helped me put on the Phoenix Multisport decals. I decided to do one on each upper wing near the outboard edge, similar to a WWII war bird!

Gliders at the Francisco Grande



Putting on the Phoenix Multisport Decals



The Phoenix Warbird



They Serve a Purpose Too - Covering Holes!





At the pilot meeting they called a 112 kilometer square task with four turn points. It was going to be a light day, but climbs into the teens were possible and Davis warned that it could get cold up high. With the surface temperature forecasted of 105 it would be a day of extremes.

Jeff told me to launch early and try to get as high as I could before the first start window. I launched 4th or 5th, but had trouble hooking into anything significant. After I pinned off I maintained just west of the runways for about 15 minutes. Finally, I got frustrated with the 150FPM up and glided to the gaggle Jeff was in to the east. I was low when I got there and didn't want to drift too far west and not be able to make it back to the field if I sunk out. If I didn't make it back, it would have been the end of my day. After another 20-30 minutes I was maintaining, but not really climbing and drifting farther away from the field. I decided to be conservative and land for a re-lite. I easily made the field, landed, unhooked, and enjoyed a stretch and a coke.

The Staging Cue





Now I was last in line, but that was fine with me because the stronger the conditions got the easier it would be to stay up. I pinned off into solid 200FPM on the second tow, but couldn't really find much more. After a while I got frustrated and headed southeast. It was off the course line, but there was open desert and hopefully stronger thermals there. The lift got better as I drifted southeast and eventually I got up to 5,000 feet.

It was a cloudless day and I was alone, well behind the main gaggles - a huge disadvantage. I decided to leave the flatlands and try a small mountain range further southeast. It was well the off course line, but if there was good lift there I could make the first turn point on glide. It worked. I hooked up with a blue and black glider and stayed below or behind him to the first turn point.

The ground below the turn point was full of farm fields and the lift was light. Again I became frustrated, not being able put together a good climb. The lift was there, I just wasn't able to hook anything good. The blue glider climbed out and another glider west of me hooked a boomer, but I was too far away to catch it. I decided to head south east towards the open desert again. I used a lot of altitude to get there and found myself scratching at 1000 over. I was 9km away from the second turn point and faced with a decision. Do I stay and scratch for something good or use my altitude to gain more distance and more points? I choose the latter, hoping I would get lucky and find something on the way. I made it to second turn point with enough altitude to turn base and land near the side of a road.

Landed at Turn Point 2





Big Cactuses







Overall it was a great first day. I'm stoked to have made it as far as I did and feel like as the days progress I'll get more dialed on the Talon and brush off my skills.

Headed to Santa Cruz Flats

I'm opening the door to a new avenue of adventure tomorrow - Hang Gliding Competition. I did The King Mountain Hang Gliding Championships in 2004 and 2005, but that was long ago and for only a few days so it doesn't really count. Santa Cruz Flats on the other hand is the read deal. It's a 7 day long aerotow comp with filled with world class talent. I'll be in way over my head, but it's going to be a great stepping stone to learn from the best.

I've spent the past couple weeks getting a better glider sorted, a Wills Wing Talon. It had some issues when I picked it, but with Mark's help it's airworthy again. I test flew it today and couldn't believe how sweet it flew. The Talon handled like a Porsche compared to the Fusion. It was a little faster than I'm used to, but so much easier to launch, fly, and land.

Test Flying the Talon