Blog for ZREA

It was announced same condition like day before, early thunder storm, so we had to start early the task. But the weather was good and no sign of storm, but we had light north wind. We splitted the group of pilots, one in upper take off and one in the north and lower take off. I had to walk down. The take off is small only 2 gliders can be laid out in same time. I was early, just behind Mark and Sue. I got small soaring, but nothing serious. I saw the pilots in front was struggling. Yes, too early take off. Anyway, Mark didn’t get any lift at all and had to go further in the valley. He found some very weak thermals and he was low. After 5 minutes I found myself low, and heading to Marks thermal. I just arrive under him and together we thermalled all the way up to cloud base, It took me about 20 minutes…. At that time I meet Ruud here and we thermalled little bit together. I sung the Top Gunn song, but he didn’t hear it. He started at the upper take off and he had to take turn point where I started, so he had to go back while I continued the task. I was around 1800 all along the ridge and found myself very satisfied. I met a big blue hole, but I saw someone found a thermal here, so I thinking to find the same. BUT no. It was sinking, I lost 400 meters in very short time. Bugger!!!!
Then I had to choose to fly right or left of the ridge. On the right it was possible to soaring while on the left it was sunny and lee side. I couldn’t make a decision and in last minute I followed a pilot with Omega 7. I thought he knew what he was doing.
This was really bad decision, we could find only weak thermal, but someone was pushing the transmit button on the radio so I got unconcentrated and I couldn’t hear my own vario. I turned off the radio, and that time I lost the small and week thermal I was in. Bugger no. 2. So, I and the pilot in Omega 7 splitted and flew in opposite direction. He was low and I was low and I thought nobody could climb again. I landed shortly after, but the Omega 7 struggled for more than ½ hour and got some real lift. Good for him.
I landed in the hill side and had a long walk to the road. I can feel my muscles today.
IT was really sad to landing just 2 km away the 1st waypoint in such a beautiful condition. Well, it is life and today it is another day.
Well today it is strong north wind, Mistral wind…no good…we will see what happen.