Endless Summer
Santa Cruz Flats - Rob Clarkson Report #5-A day of pain
Day of pain. It started with a weak link break at 800'. I worked broken lift
up and down for a long time. I was ready to land three differnt times. I had
drifted south when I lost my themal again and came back to land in the tow
paddock. The tugs had all left and they were pulling the dollys back to the
resort. I guess I'm not getting another tow. Russel had sent Jim back to tow
me up in case I landed. The lift was poor over the feild and Russel thought he
was going to have a bunch of relights. In the end no one landed. Once I got
up to 3000' I just headed out on course. A couple of km away I found a good
climb and got high. I blazed out on course and caught a half dozen pilots in a
climb over Casa Grand. My harness was really starting to dig into me. After
my next climb I almost talked my self into just flying back to the resort. I
resolved my self to just heading down the course line hoping this flight
wouldn't last too long. I found another termal over the first turn point. I
climbed up to several pilots over my head. As soon as each thermal slowed I
would head out on course. The next three thermals I would rock my harness up
like I was going to land and thermaled that way which was bearable. Every time
I rocked down to go on glide I felt like my eyes were going to pop out of my
head. I got a decent climb before the second turn point and glided through the
turn point and landed in a cotton field on the course line. I managed 60km in
2h 45 min. Jim landed just past me. Every one else made goal. The task was a
92km triangle. Scott finished second on the day ahead of Jonny Durand. That
is incredible. I'm sure he will have his story posted some time tomorrow. I
hope I can sort some thing out with my harness to I can fly tomorrow.
Rob
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