It started off as another beautiful day in Forbes, with a few cu's
floating around, with the local temperature forecasted to climb to a pleasant 30
degrees (that's the forecast four the next four days). But the RASP forecast
told a different story with very mixed forecast for lift varying widely during
the day. It showed 100% cloud cover for some of the hours, and a possibility of
over development (but no more than the day before).

The local BOM forecast said zero percent chance of precipitation for Forbes, but
isolated thunderstorms possible in the region,

Given the mixed forecast the task committee called a relatively short task of
141.5 km straight to Bourrowa. They also called two secondary tasks in case
conditions were different than predicted.|

In the tow paddock we could see that the cu's were already thicker than the
previous day, but the task committee didn't change the task, other than to drop
the mandatory start for the top twenty. There was plenty of spacing between the
cu's, so it didn't look like 100% cloud cover.

I found 600 fpm at 1,500' AGL on tow so pinned off and climbed to cloud base.
There was plenty of lift about so we had plenty of options for getting together
and making a good start. Jeff, Zippy and I hooked up at cloud base a couple of
km from the edge of the start cylinder and it looked like we would have a great
start. We climbed up the north side of the cloud a little above cloud base as we
waited. for the first start time. We wanted to go early as we were seeing too
many signs that it might OD.

But our thermal gave up five minutes before the start time and we had to go
looking for more lift and we had lost 1,000' by the time the start gate opened.
Turns out we should have gone then anyway.

I don't get any higher by the second start time although Jeff and Zac did. There
were plenty of cu's ahead so off we went. the lift was good, although :Larry
missed it and landed out. As we proceeded south east there was a cu-nimb about 5
km to our west and it was dumping. It was also slowly moving east.

We had to work our way around the rain squall trying to stay out of the shadow
that it was casting to the east. Some pilots were more willing to get close to
it and take the ride up on the edge of it. I was more than happy to fly past it,
even though it was following me after I got around it.

Not only was there a cu-nimb nearby but there were others in the distance, and
there was overcast forming being blown out of the tops of the cu-nimbs in the
region. The ground was beginning to be shaded a bit.

I caught up with Zippy and Jeff and we climbed out in good lift and then we
headed east to get to the next goods cloud. Goal was 70 km away so we were half
way there. Now the shade was getting serious and the ground was dark. There were
a few cu's to the east way off the course line, but it was clear blue ahead and
it had been raining along the course line. We headed east.

Over the shaded ground we slowed way down and were more than happy to turn in
100 fpm or less. Jeff and Juerg were around along with a few others. We found
better lift over some little hills 50 km out and stayed with it until we got
back to 7,000'. Well, at least Jeff did, I was down 1,500' lower.

We headed east again getting more than 12 km off the course line toward more
clouds. The only clouds were to the east. I jumped over some hills, got under
the clouds and 18 km off the course got up in 200 fpm. Jeff headed toward goal
and I found another climb to over 8,000', 43 km from goal. The Flytec 6030 said
I'd make it but at 43 km out you can't believe that.

The air was smooth. I could see cu-nimbs dumping off to the side and to the
southwest. I was hoping that they would stay away. Jeff went down 23 km from
goal, but I was at 5,000' and it still looked like I could make it. I went
toward some hills and found lift.

I was 15 km out and climbing well, maybe too well when Belinda called and said
that they task had been stopped. I thought I would head toward goal, but Zippy
got on the radio and said that there was a gust front at goal and lightening.

Then suddenly the air turned cold and I knew I was in trouble. I turned east to
outrun the gust front that was coming from the southwest. It has already wrecked
gliders at goal and hurt pilots who had tried to hang on to them. I wanted to
get down fast.

I stuffed the bar, headed east and low and behold I was going up fast also.
Yikes. I kept running , opening up my harness and pushing it out with my legs to
increase the drag. Finally I was able to start losing altitude at 100 fpm.

I jumped across two paved highways to the east before the air temperature went
back to where it was before I left the sudden cold. I found sink and I large
field with an uphill slope into the southwest wind. The wind was picking up as I
came into land, but it was no outrageous gust front.

A local came by and I was able to find out where I was and relay that to
Belinda. Frogmore!

Jeff had to suffer through the sleet and gust front, although he had the wings
broken down before the winds came. He was shivering uncontrollably when Belinda
got to him.

Zac made it into goal but was gone by the time Jeff and Belinda got there.
That's where they heard the stories of the carnage.

They came and picked me up and we headed for Forbes but 45 km out the fuel pump
(our guess) quit. Zac and Jeff are going out now to retrieve everything and
Belinda will get the car towed in the morning.

Carnage pictures at Jamie's blog.