The flight on
HOLC and on
Google Maps/Earth.


The day started out blue after a few clouds before 5 AM. Then after sunrise a
light version of the over running began. The cu's were thin, barely more than
wisps, but they were there and providing the hope that we come here for.


Gary, realizing that if he is going to take a high tow, he had better get it
over with early, took off at 9 AM. He had one shot (he doesn't have a driver) at
going 1000 miles, and even though the forecast was for a lot of blue today, he
got a twenty seven mile glide before he had to find lift. He'd better be good at
finding the lift in the blue.


I was next. Tomorrow looks like more clouds, but you've got to play the cards
that you are dealt. I got pulled up at 9:30 AM and we headed east again to make
sure I had plenty of options to get around Laredo. Cloud base was pretty low at
2,300'so AGL I also had a good glide until I got down below a wisp where I found
14 fpm. There were a few other wisps around but I' was down to 1,600' AGL so I
figured my choices were few and I'd better stick with what I had.


I hung there for the next 37 minutes gaining seven hundred feet, but turning
most of the time. Robin Hamilton joined me at twelve miles out and we stayed
pretty much close together. It was great hanging in this very light lift while
the winds from 156 degrees pushed me at 24 mph. I was watching which roads I
needed to follow if I went down and wanted to get back to a main road. I just
had to stay up.


Robin and I worked together for thirty miles. I was able to slightly out climb
him in the light small thermals and he was able to out glide me. He used his
extra glide to search around a bit more, but I must have been an attractive
nuisance because every time he flew away he came back to join me in the lift I
would find. If he found better lift nearby I could come over him and stay up
above him.  Later when I came in under in I had to be careful as I came up
to him as he couldn't see me from below. We got close a few times.


The cu's were drying quickly as we approached highway 359. Down to 1,300' four
miles to the south of the highway I had to get up to make for an easy retrieve.
I found a thermal in the blue that was twisty and after I started climbing Robin
came back to join me.


All the cu's were gone as I crossed highway 59 at forty nine miles out and
entered into another large area before the next highway. I was able to climb to
2,000' AGL but faced the daunting prospect of making it across an unfriendly
area with no help from the sky. Given the fact that the forecast for Tuesday was
for a higher chance of clouds, I opted to land near highway 59.


Pete was behind me but landed before highway 359 five miles behind locked gates.
As we were driving back I spoke with Dave Glover who was in the truck and
working on getting closer to him. Robin continued on.


Gary was at a hundred miles out when I decided to land at forty nine miles out.
He was on his way in the blue getting as high as 4,000'. The fact that he was
only getting that high was another factor in my desire to land.


Robin was committed to continuing. I wanted to give it a try on a better day.
More reporting on this day today. I'm going out now to set up the ATOS and get
ready for my last shot in 2006.