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In the morning: The forecast is for east wind 5 to 8 becoming calm on the ground. It was blowing all night from the north. The RUC forecast for winds at the top of the -3 is for south southwest winds at 12 knots. No cu's. Good lift.

In the evening: The wind was west light, in spite of the forecast. This made for winds coming from the right on launch at Sugar Hill. It would have been fine to go to Black Cap, after all. But no way to tell from the forecast

The task that was called was up the east side of the Warner Range. First, the entry start circle around Fort Bidwell, just over Fandango Pass, then a 80 km long leg up the east side to a turnpoint 40 km north of Adel, then back to Adel.

The winds are light at launch and I wait until it isn't blowing over the back and there is some movement up the hill below me. I get off and head out away from the hill while every one else is off to the right getting low. I find 400 fpm and, even though I'm still working with my harness, manage to climb out quickly and get high over the rest of the pilots who are struggling low at the end of the ridge line.

Slowly the other pilots begin to climb and the lift peters out at about 9,500', so soon every one is up and waiting for the second start clock. Zippy has gone way out front and come back lower than most. Jeff and I climb up to the top of the gaggle, but Dave Scott is higher to our east.

Zippy heads out at the start time and Jeff and I and another pilot head off also to the northeast to the southwest facing hill side the leads to the pass. We dive right into the hillside, but I don't like what I see and head further east to try soaring in another location on the hill. The rest of the pilots follow Jeff who is getting up.

I find much stronger, but smoother lift and climb fast. I call Jeff on the radio to come over. Zippy comes over also and he and I climb out on top fast getting over 10,000'. Fort Bidwell is just over the back and when we get to the top of the lift, taking our time as we are in front (we've lost track of Dave Scott), we head out. Jeff goes with us from 1,000' below us.

I head to the turnpoint and get out in front as Zippy holds back to cover Jeff. Jeff stops to turn in light lift and I continue on to get the turnpoint and head for a small hill on the east side of the valley. The wind is light out of the southwest.

I find some broken turbulent lift on the hill side above a pond/dam and work it as that is what is available. Jeff and Zippy are near me but I can't find them. After a while the folks behind me catch up as I'm working weaker lift and they start working lift behind me to the north. I head over to three pilots, climb up through them in a better core and get to over 10,000' again. I can see pilots way behind climbing up on the plateau to the west in the Warner Range. The dirt road to Adel is to the north up the "valley."

I head west up to the plateau hoping that the higher hot surface will be a good thermal source. Jeff, Zippy and Bill are together just a couple of kilometers ahead. of me. They also have headed to the plateau.

I don't find any lift up there and now head back east toward the road as I get lower. Jeff, Bill and Zippy have already done this and have climbed out at the very spot I will get to above the gravel road.

I find lift there, but I'm low and don't get enough lift to get out of there. I have to land in a rough field by the gravel road.

Jeff, Bill and Zippy stick together going now very slowly toward Adel staying up on the plateau away from the lower and wetter valley floor. Just past Adel Jeff and Bill lose track of Zippy. They are scratching along just above the top twenty kilometers north of Adel. The going is very slow.

Jeff and Bill follow along the road north out of Plush. Zippy, Dave Scott and others jump across the valley and the lakes and swamps to the east to get on the Hartz mountains closer to the turnpoint. Bill then Jeff go down 10 kilometers east of the turnpoint. Jeff gets within 7.5 km of the turnpoint.

Zippy gets the turnpoint and back 4 km. Dave Scott won the day.