I was not hopeful about the day as both the RUC and NAM forecasted showed a blue
day with a northwest wind (light). But with Greg Dinaur and Jochen Zeischkaready to go, I wanted to join them in flying together. Other
pilots encourage me to get going.
Jochem was off first and climbed out in strong lift very quickly. I'd asked him
to wait around for us and he did. We all got together at 4,200' and headed south
along highway 33. I was on the bottom having launched last and Jochem was out in
front. Greg, as is his normal mode, circled around after leading out and got
behind to use us out in front.
Jochem turned in weak lift that I didn't find under him. I continued on to the
fire tower field fourteen kilometers south of Quest Air. This field has been
good to me many times. I spotted a bird thermaling low on the south side and
worked the broken lift with the bird.
The thermal was completely obnoxious, weak and turbulent. I stayed with it but
it just didn't work, except for the bird who climbed up to the three of us.
Jochem and Greg had followed me to this thermal.
We continued to lose the lift and Jochem and I go off to a nice field to either
find the lift or land. Greg is able to stay up for a while longer but lands with
us a few minutes later. We watched later launching pilots carefully climb north
of us before heading south.
