http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/1578373

David Lopez writes:

All the data looked good on XCSkies forecast, except for the 13MPH
+ NE wind sending lake effect directly over the park from Lake Okechobee.

The park was buzzing with activity as Jonny Durand and Vicki Cain from Moyes
were visiting. Jonny was highlighting the Moyes Gecko with about five to eight
local pilots getting well informed on all aspects of the glider. As I
understand, they will be sending a Demo glider to the Ridge for a short time.

We were 5 cross country pilots pondering the day - David Whittle, Leo, Sandro,
Ricardo and myself. The consensus was to try to get to Alva - about 40km due
west along state route 80, and then see where to from there. Cu's were popping
about 15-20km's to our southeast and about 10-15km's to our north at around
11am. Blue everywhere else.

Whittle and Leo lunched first around 1pm as a couple cu's were popping close by,
but still mostly blue all around. They were able to get up to 4-5k with a couple
other local pilots. Then they headed off to the west southwest. Sandro and
Ricardo launched shortly after. I launched about an hour later. I was able to
get a climb out of the park to 5k, lots of drift to the west southwest.

I heard Whittle and Leo on the radio stating their position west of LaBelle. I
was about 3km Wwest of the park at 4.5k and started gliding west towards
LaBelle Airport into the blue. I got the the airport at 1k, gliding to the
northwest corner of the field down to 700', where I found a scratchy climb but
with lots of drift to the west over housing and forests with no landing options.
I opted for the safety of the airport and landed shortly after.

Sandro landed just to the south of the airport and Ricardo back at the park.
Ricardo (with the help of his wife) dropped Whittle's car off to me at the
airport so I could go pick up the rest of the guys. As I am breaking down the
glider under a nice shady tree, I could hear Leo stating he was just shy of I-75
and state route 80 (eventually landing about 10km north of SR80 on SR31) and
David Whittle to the north of him stating his altitude of 8,000 feet and how
cold he was.

Whittle continued to the north along SR31 and then cut to the east at SR74
reaching a max altitude of 8,800 feet (that's pretty damn high). He landed about
half way back to Palmdale in about 3-5 foot high wild grass and shrubs about 700
meters from the road.

By the time we got to him (an hour after he landed and sent his position), he
had just gotten his assembled glider to the road. We helped him break down as he
told us about his flight, his intention to make it back to the park, how
debilitating the cold was, and the struggle to get the glider out where he
landed it.

We had about an hour drive back to the park with a quick stop at Little Caesars
in La Belle for a pizza for the rest of the drive. Finished off a beautiful
Florida day at the park under the stars and extremely bright full moon, drinking
beers, shooting off fireworks with Jeff James, Marco and Alfredo.

Whittle's flight. Just over 3 hours, 103km, max alt of 8,813ft.