School has put a serious damper on my blogging activity. I have one week off between semesters, so I'm going to push through as many posts as I can to catch up, starting with the 2012 Santa Cruz Flats Race. This vid pretty much sums up the race with random clips and pics from the week.
Hang Gliding, RC's, and Water Balloons
Santa Cruz Flats is a one of the most challenging comps in the US, especially for me. It's based from the Francisco Grande Hotel in Casa Grande, Arizona. The start is surrounded by agricultural areas on all sides which makes for areas of soft lift going to and from the big air over the mountains on the far ends of the tasks. Over the years I've learned that shifting gears between racing and survival mode is key. In the words of Dave Chapelle on keeping it real, "You've got to pick your spots man." Patience will generally be rewarded with longer flights, but not as much as staying with the gaggle. For God's sake, if you are going to press out on your own, you better have a few friends.
In 2012, I did a good job of applying the lessons learned during previous years. For the most part I ignored my independent tendencies and stay with people as they splintered out of the start into smaller gaggles. On the one cloudy day or in the mountains where my flying is best, I ventured out on my own with some success and a few failures. The worst was when I unintentionally jumped the gun on the first start due to setting the incorrect in my vario. If not for a sever penalty I would have landed with one of the best finishes of my career, but that doesn't consider the slight advantage leaving early gave me. It was good catching up with all the usual suspects and the inevitable shanigans that followed. RC's and water balloons were in full effect this year during the down time between flying. The incredible flying at hang gliding comps is completed only by the people and Santa Cruz in 2012 was no exception. I'll let the pics tell the rest of the story (except for my Day 7 exploits at the bottom of this post).
Long Ass Drive from CO to AZ
Aspens in the Rockies
RC Stop in Monument Valley
The Francisco Grande
(photos courtesy of Jamie Sheldon)
Pilot's Meeting
(photo courtesy of Jamie Sheldon)
Launch Cues
(photo courtesy of Jamie Sheldon)
Dust Devil on Launch
(photo courtesy of Jamie Sheldon)
The Gaggle from Above
(photo courtesy of Jamie Sheldon)
The Phoenix Flying
(photos courtesy of Jamie Sheldon)
Looking Down on the Resort
Cloudbase
Thermaling with Davis
The Estrella Mountains at the End of the Western Tasks
Picacho Peak
Exhausted After the Longest Task of the Meet
Water Balloons!
(note the sausage)
Bigger
Biggest
This had to be water-birthed as it would not support its own weight!
7 Story Balloon Drop
RC's
Mike Bilik's 3D Heli Flying was Impressive
Day 7 was the most rewarding task of the meet for me. A short triangular task into the mountains south of Casa Grande was called. The second turn point was Kirby Chambliss's private airstrip, which was emblazened with a RedBull logo on the threshold! I got dropped from a large gaggle between the firs and second turn points. I dribbled along flying an off course line over the mountains. That gave me the glide to tag the turn point and dive back into the hills. I was well below the peaks, but found my strongest thermal of the week taking me to above 10,000 feet at max pulse of 1800fpm. From there I glided easily into goal with Glenn Volk. On the way we flew over a course line littered with gliders just outside the finish. It was only the second goal of the week for me, but with a little dumb luck I made it. Great way to end the meet!
Day 7 Task and My Track Log
The Mountains South of Casa Grande
Kirby Chambliss's Private Airstrip and the 2nd Turn Point
Looking Down from 10,000 Feet
Final Glide into Goal
My Retrieve Partners
Robin, OB, and Ben Take Home 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
Jim Wins the Rigids
Great Week!
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