Import from old blog

Hay, NSW, Australia
It have been two interesting days, yesterday I was hit by a dustdevil right after take off on tow, the tug went one way and I went the other way, I locked out and the weaklink broke at about 90 degree roll, 30 meters above the ground. That is not a good position in that height, but I managed to get the glider flying again before impact with mother earth. Had to land downwind, and broke the VG side upright of course. I fixed the glider but by then it was so late that I only got 40 km out before I had to land. The task was 136 km.

Today the towing went good, I got early up but the lift was broken and weak. The task was 166 km NE, I had to work hard to stay up the first 60 km, while Gordon and Andreas reported good lift and crusing along cloudstreets that I could not reach. After about 60 km it became better, and I pulled on speed to try to catch up with a gaggle of gliders a few km ahead. The conditions were good, I had a few very good climbs to cloudbase at 2800 meters. At the end we had to cross some ridges and a lake before goal, I was confident that the ridges would provide lift and from cloudbase there I would reach goal. That did not work, the lake seemed to dampen all thermal activity, and I had to land just after crossing it 20 km from goal. I’m still happpy with it, it’s not every day we get to go so far. I landed near a farm, and walked to the house, they let me use their big radio so I could get contact with our driver, and give him the coordiantes to pick me up.

On the way home our Ford P.O.S rental car ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere, 40 km from the nearest station that might be open. It has a 80 liter tank, and a range of 340 km. It drinks gas, engine oil, and transmission fluid. It’s cheap though, only $36 pr day.

After waiting 30 minutes the next car came by, a truck, the driver took Andreas to the station and drove him back again after taking off his trailer, pretty helpful and friendly people the ozzies.

Weather looks to be changing, it’s windy outside now, and some high clouds moved in in the afternoon.