32.881678,-111.854982,Francisco Grande, Casa Grande, Arizona,
USA

On Tuesday, September 20th, the
third day of the Santa
Cruz Flats Race Dustin led us (O'Brien, Mitch, Glen, and I) to the better
lift just to the north east of the five kilometer start cylinder which got us
plenty high at over 8,100'. We were doing much better than anyone else and
started ahead of all the other flex wings at 1:45 PM. There were rigid wing
pilots out on the course a half hour ahead of us, but we couldn't see any of
them at first.

We were heading northwest and it was fourteen kilometer glide to a rigid wing
circling over a feed lot that Dustin pointed out. I again was out in front but I
had tried to fly slowly this time to let the others catch up with me. They flew
slowly also.

The lift was only 120 fpm and then Dustin pointed out another rigid wing turning
over the Wal-Mart six kilometers further on. We left the weak thermal at merely
3,000' AGL. I kept in close contact (visual and aural) with Dustin and Jeff as
we didn't find any lift over the Wal-Mart, and me down to 1,000' over a suburban
area they found the next thermal, one that would average 300 fpm to 7,200'.

We next headed for a feedlot to the south of the sailplane port of Estrella, our
next turnpoint. Dustin and Jeff were 1,000' higher than me but Glen was a couple
of hundred meters behind me climbing at my altitude and Mitch was climbing just
below me. I apparently had learned my lesson to hang with other pilots. But now
I made a key mistake.

Jeff and Dustin headed out as we climbed up but Glen was climbing up a little
faster than I was and Mitch went and joined him. I didn't want to go back but
stick with Jeff and Dustin (I was in radio contact with them) but in fact I had
already lost physical contact with them. I really needed to stay with Mitch and
Glen as they were much closer (Mitch was still lower than me) and I could have
flown with them instead. Too much hubris to go back and join up.

I followed Jeff and Dustin behind and below them at 6,800' to Estrella and then
west toward Mobile our outside turnpoint. I was pushing ahead trying to find the
better lift that they would find and radio back about and not being satisfied
with the 200 fpm I was finding. This did not help when I didn't find their lift.

Finally down to 1,500' AGL I had to work anything that I could find. And this
really slowed me down as I struggled to stay airborne. It was great fun to spend
a lot of time with a buzzard, but it wasn't helping me compete as Glen and Mitch
went overhead.

Climbing to 5,600' at 200 fpm I was finally able to head for the little hills
southwest of Estrella and the prospect of better lift.  I got to the hills
over the top but I had a choice to go north or south. I chose south as there
were more mountains in that direction. It was the wrong choice as apparently
there was lift in the slot to the north. I didn't find any lift in almost four
kilometers along the ridge and had to go out and land.

Again the lesson here for me was to stick with other pilots and not try to chase
pilots high and ahead of you.