Day 4

Today they decided on a task of about 85 miles with two turnpoints. High cirrus was already overhead in the morning making me wonder how good the day would be. But, early in the afternoon they were spreading apart and a few lone cu's were forming.

I made sure to get a good spot in the staging line since I got burned yesterday by launching late and then the task was called. (I could whine a little here but I'll spare you). So today I launched about tenth in line and found a steady, though not strong climb with all the top guys. I watched them like a hawk and was able to stay with them as we left for a good start. About 8 or 10 of us continued on towards the first turnpoint when the usa team began pulling away. Eventually I was on my own but making good time, staying high.

Soon after the turnpoint, 38 miles into the flight, I caught up to some gliders and realized one was Jeff O'brien. Had I caught up to him?! I was really excited. Talking to him later he said he messed up and got stuck low. So it's not that I was fast, I just didn't make any mistakes. Anyway, I'll take it. At the second turnpoint, I caught up with Davis and Shapiro. We hit the turnpoint and then took a good climb. I soon lost sight of Shapiro but held on to Davis. Now just 15 miles from goal, we took a climb until he left. I was about 500 feet lower than him and should have spun up a little more but decided to go with him. This was my critical error for the day. He arrived at goal with a couple hundred feet and I landed a bit short. Looking at the airport I could see I wasn't going to make it, so I veered east to shoot under a cloudstreet hoping for ONE more climb but I couldn't find it and landed 2 or 3 miles short.

Tough lesson today. I have never been so close to finishing with the top guys before and I blew it because of a few hundred feet. Oh well, tomorrow is another day and I still had a spectacular flight.

Here is a picture I took while on course of the oil fields below.
Here is some video clips that I put together of my flight and my deserted LZ.