While the fifth day of the Brazilian Nationals at Andradas was
canceled, we here in Florida had a day with light winds (such a blessing), no
cu's, light to moderate lift (nothing scary), top of lift at 4,000', warm on the
ground (not in the air). It was perfect.

My flight:

http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/para/flightinfo.html?flightId=-1227205315

http://www.xcontest.org/world/en/flights/detail:davisstraub/31.3.2010/17:14

http://xc.dhv.de/xc/modules/leonardo/index.php?name=leonardo&op=show_flight&flightID=131135

http://www.xccomp.org/module.php?id=21&l=en&contest=INT&date=20091001&reference=f47c18ebdca88dc9

http://paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/309878

One flight crunched by four different chunks of software.

The RUC/Dr. Jack and NAM/Dr. Jack were undercalling the soaring and surface
temperature relative to the local NWS forecast. The NAM was a lot closer so we
went with it and it proved to be about right.

Our task was a 50 km task to the north. First to the north east corner of the
Green Swamp, an intersection west of Mascot, 13 km northwest of Quest, then the
overpass over the turnpike of highway 33, then back to Quest, a mere 50 km. I
planned to add on another 35 km and to go south to end up at Wallaby. Belinda
was picking up Jeff Shapiro's wife and daughter at the airport and taking them
to Wallaby, so I thought I should end up there.

We didn't expect to cu's and there weren't any. Greg Dinaur, John Chambers and I
just worked light lift to 4,000' as per the NAM, and then took the 1:45 start
time at 3,200'. I didn't mind heading out in front and found the first lift a
couple of kilometers outside the 5 km start circle at 2,000'. A mellow 200 fpm
go us back over 3,500' so we were good to go.

Nicking the turnpoint at 3,000' I headed back over the huge nursery that always
looks like it should be putting off some thermal. Down to 1,600' at the east end
(downwind end) of it I finally found the lift as John and Greg followed along.
We were able to climb back to 3,700'. Greg had stayed back and high and was now
in the lead as I continued to climb, John not far behind him. We had to go
straight north with a 7 mph west wind to get the next turnpoint.

 I saw Greg and John low out in front of me and I stopped for 140 fpm. John
kept getting lower and had to come back under me as I cored up through a
sailplane. Greg wasn't doing any better a mile to the north.

Heading out at 3,000' toward the most wide open and sun light dry fields I could
find, I found lift at 1,000' and worked 80 fpm to 1,500'. I could see Greg just
a head of me about two miles, working light lift and went for it. Down to 600'
AGL, I found what Greg was in and just stayed in zero on average for three
minutes until it turned on or I found the core. Then it really turned on to over
500 fpm and I climbed to 3,600'. Greg came in under me having nicked the
turnpoint 1.5 km away.

I took the turnpoint and headed south not to see Greg again. I continued to work
with the sailplane and it was an easy ride hitting 200 to 300 fpm lift going
south and staying above 1,800' and up to 3,600'. I passed Quest Air to the east,
downwind of it and headed south east toward Wallaby Ranch.

Eleven kilometers south of Quest and on the edge of the wild areas, I was down
to 1,000' on the last cultivated fields. I held on for fifteen minutes climbing
back to 2,700' at 100 fpm. That gave me enough altitude to go out over the
forested areas to see what I could find. I found 260 fpm to 4,000' so things
were looking up. Steve Bellerby from Quest came in under me in that one and he
was heading south to Wallaby also.

The next jump was over to highway 27 and the 474 intersection. Too many trees
and wet fields before there. I knew of a high and dry field on the south west
side of that intersection so I was going for that. I knew that I could land
there if I didn't get up.

I found a thermal just at the end of the trees on the west side, and stuck with
that as it drifted to the north east at 3 mph. The thermal was coming right off
a house complex and at 170 fpm, I was plenty happy to get up and get high.
Highway 27 runs north south along the Florida Ridge and its good to be over a
high dry spot.

I saw three gliders come in under me at the intersection. Steve Bellerby was
low. Joe Bostik who was flying at Wallaby and doing a box to the north with the
last turnpoint at 474 and 27 came right nearby. It was good to have a companion
after being alone for most of the flight.

We had Wallaby Ranch made from 3,000' twelve kilometers out, but we found some
good lift 10 km out and climbed back to 3,000' before racing in. It was great to
finally be able to stuff the bar and go fast.

The new T2-C 144 with its new VG system is much easier to use than the previous
version. I can pull the VG on all the way without a problem. That was never true
last year. And it flew straight with the bar stuffed.

All and all a great soft low flying day. The thermals were very gentle and it
was fun to fly in them. As long as you can stay up and are patient these days
are just the best.