7-31-2002 Grob 102 1080 pts 369 sm Declared task: Gold Hill - S Bald Mtn - Mt Evans - Poudre - Squaw Mtn - Lyons - Boulder : 530km / 329sm / 286nm Undeclared distance: Boulder - Carter Lake - Boulder : 40sm / 35nm
Looked like a good day, but it turned out to be a great day. I launched around 11:30, and released in an 8kt thermal. After climbing to 17kft, I promptly got going to S Bald Mtn. On the legs to and from S Bald Mtn, I tried to work clouds above the divide, but that wasn't working great, there was good lift, but it was far apart, and I wasn't staying in a good lift band. After turning Mt Evans, I stayed more E in the streets that meanwhile became aparent there; that worked great, very little turning. Completing the rest of the task was easy.
5-26-2002 Ventus B 586 pts 199 sm Declared task: Ogallala - Kimball
The day looked very good, and although it looked it might overdevelop, one could see that clouds were dissipating since it was very dry. It was too windy to launch, xw was too strong for either OGA runways, so I waited for winds to subside or change direction and finally launched dry at 1:30. Promptly got going West towards Kimball into the teeth of 20kt headwind. There were no streets, and thermals were spaced farther apart going West. Saw two gliders from Owl Canyon between Sidney and Kimball. Although I was drinking a lot of water, I got a pretty bad headache around Kimball and considered landing there, but a thought of trailering encouraged me to fly myself back. The lift was weaker going back, but I had a benefit of 15kt tailwind. At one point it took me a while to climb back up, otherwise the return leg was uneventful. This was a shakedown flight of the N5 computer system, and amazingly, all components of the system worked, and moreover worked together. Note: 50 bonus points for completing a gold distance and a diamond goal
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